21/10
Based on the novel « Earth Abides » by George R
After months of isolation, Isherwood « Ish » Williams learns that most of the world has fallen into a mysterious disease. Yet despite his instinct for further isolation, Ish leads the charge to develop a new civilization. Stuart.
Featured on Korman Productions’ Deep Dive TV Podcast: Earth Abides on MGM+ Deep Dive Episode 1 « Alone » with Dave and Stacey (2024)
As someone who read Earth Abides 20-25 years ago and remembers the book fondly, I was pleasantly surprised to see how a show was made. There’s always a bit of trepidation when this happens, as you hope they stay true to the book and live up to your visual expectations, knowing that it’s hard for a movie or series to live up to what you imagined when you read it. – With that in mind, I’m looking at the first episode with a bit of a bias, but I’m trying to see this as both a « new » and a « new » story as well as a welcome callback to one of my favorite books in the « Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic » genre.
The setting is different from the book
The book is set in and written in the 1940s, while the show is modern, so the technology and overall « feel » are in the spotlight. Post-Covid, there’s room for some good pandemic storytelling. The pacing is understandably fast, and especially fast to accommodate the character development and overarching plot of the first episode of a miniseries.
Looking forward to more
Episode 1 successfully creates an engaging story that seems to honor Stewart’s themes. It invites fans of the book and new viewers alike to consider humanity’s place in a changed world. So far, the acting is good, the production and effects seem decent, if a little sparse (you’d expect car pileups, etc.).
Check out our December schedule for more!
« One Hundred Years of Solitude » is one of the biggest TV and streaming premieres this month.