Station Eleven (HBO Max) Movie • Page 2

I realized I enjoy every episode that isn’t revolved around the traveling symphony.

 

I don’t dislike the traveling symphony stuff by any means, but the Jeevan plotlines are just so much more interesting. I felt this way about the book too though.

 

On Episode 4, I love everything in the past. Everything "post pan" not as much

 

worth watching this show if I haven't read the book? (it's on my shelf, haven't got it yet)

 

yes. i have not read the book

 

I have to second this - I've never read the book and this is one of the best things I have watched in recent memory.

I felt this way at first too, but after a few episodes I ended up enjoying both of the storylines or timelines equally.

 

Book is better imo

 

Apparently they filmed the first few episodes of this before the pandemic?

 

At least the pilot was filmed in early 2020.

 

yes. the pilot and episode 3

 

Surprised there’s not a bigger convo about this show. Episode 9 was so emotional and cathartic.

 

actually just started reading the book, 3 chapters in and it's absurdly good, I dunno what took me so long

will check this show out when I'm finished reading it for sure

 

It’s kinda surprising HBO execs didn’t bump it to the actual network after seeing the quality of the end product. But I imagine that has something to do with it, too.

 

it's the best show on tv right now

 

Umm guy’s grocery games..

 

finale gonna break me, i can feel it

 

man that was perfect

 

Station Eleven

 

Wooooow the reunion scene between Kirsten and Jeevan was just perfect. What an absolutely beautiful show. I’m so grateful to have watched this.

 

Damn. They nailed the finale. What a show.

 

Also, I loved this answer about editing, shifting narrative timelines, and the process of working through trauma.

I’m curious about timelines in storytelling. It’s been frustrating to see so much TV in the last couple of years fall into this crutch of hopping around in the timeline of a story, and I was worried when I realized Station Eleven relied so heavily on that. But here, that back-and-forth rhythm works so well. Do you have a guide for how to think about screwing with chronology? When is it a good idea, and when is it unnecessary?
Somewhere back when I was writing fiction, I came to the conclusion that you had to ask yourself why you’re not telling the story in a straight line. If the answer is “because I can’t,” because this is actually the only way to tell this story in this particular way — okay. But if the answer is, because we shot it in a straight line and the episodes didn’t really work so we cleaned house in the post department and brought in a new editorial team and tried this thing where we’ll pop back and forth and add a bunch of fucking stupid music … not good.

That thing you’re detecting is the outgrowth of the tremendous success of stories like Lost, where there was a deep intentionality baked into the use of time — unlike what that show got accused of, which was making it up as you go, i.e., literally what your job is while you wait to find out if you get a new season! That’s why, when you find out John Locke is in a wheelchair at the end of “Walkabout,” you say, “Holy fucking shit!” and it’s good! It’s not like you’ve been cheated.

I think we were successful because we had concurrent experiences of the before and the after. We start with Kirsten and Jeevan, and when you start a story, no matter what, that’s the now. That’s what the book did! Then the book, at page 70, says that’s not the now, that’s the before.

I came from The Leftovers; David Eisenberg, our editor, came from Watchmen. We’re both Damon Lindelof–trained storytellers. We’ve both seen with intentionality how this can be a very powerful thing. It’s scripted that Mackenzie is having an emotional meltdown while trying to play Hamlet, while we see young Kirsten getting texts. But if episode two were our opener, and then it was a flashback —

Then we’d be annoyed.
It’s not a flashback! It’s two competing, simultaneous nows. Which is more to me what it feels like to remember traumatic moments. They feel like now. They exist simultaneously in your life, and you live them over and over again in a circle. That’s why I think it’s fair in Station Eleven.

How Station Eleven Arrived at Its Final 10 Minutes

 

Started reading this a couple nights ago, it's excellent so far

 

This was incredible. The finale stuck the landing, which was so satisfying. So many transcendent moments sprinkled throughout the show. Frank rapping "Excursions" was a great one.

Just read that blurb above. I did not realize that the showrunner wrote on The Leftovers and that the editor worked on Watchmen. I definitely thought to myself while watching this that it had big Lindelof vibes, so now I know why.

 

This was perfect and the finale destroyed me multiple times

 

10/10