HBO’s Near-Perfect Sci-Fi Miniseries Is a Masterclass in Dystopian World-Building

When thinking about the most vivid dystopian sci-fi TV series in recent years, shows like Silo, Fallout, and The Last of Us come to mind. Their worlds feature well-established laws and universal rules that embrace traditional post-apocalyptic tropes and ruinous environments.

In many ways, those shows recycle many world-building tenets audiences have seen before. By contrast, HBO’s highly acclaimed 2021 miniseries sets itself apart with its unique vision of the future. Over 10 episodes, Station Eleven follows a dedicated troupe of theater actors desperate to keep the human spirit alive following a devastating pandemic.

However, rather than trotting out the same old action-packed survivalism that most dystopian stories adopt, Station Eleven goes in the opposite direction with a more lyrical, optimistic experience. Four years after it concluded in 2022, few sci-fi series are as masterfully crafted as Station Eleven.

‘Station Eleven’ Ignores Traditional Sci-Fi World-Building and Creates Its Own Universe

Patrick Somerville (Maniac, The Leftovers) created Station Eleven for HBO. Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s 2014 novel of the same name, the series is mostly set in Year 20, two decades after a flu pandemic decimated the human population. The superb HBO miniseries centers on a group of Shakespearean actors who find community and travel around the country performing for other survivors.

Mackenzie Davis plays Kristen Raymonde, the troupe’s lead actor who dedicates her art to Arthur Leander (Gael García Bernal). Leander died in a fire while performing King Lear in 2020, an event that inspired Kristen to become an actor. Station Eleven is the name of a graphic novel Leander gave Kristen as a child. She makes it her mission to honor Leander’s artistic leadership.

In terms of world-building, the show deliberately strays from the well-trodden sci-fi visuals that depict Earth as a barren wasteland or smoldering ash heap. The show isn’t interested in traditional post-apocalyptic survival, where a bleak, futile vision of the future forces humans against each other in a Darwinian sense of “only the strong survive.”

The show doesn’t feature explosions or terrifying, otherworldly imagery. It’s more about subverting the familiar to make a profound statement about human connectivity in the future. Instead, the environment in Year 20 is remarkably lush and verdant, with the rolling green hills and dense foliage restoring nature’s balance.

Survivors dwell in large self-contained buildings that become fully functioning communities. For example, Severn City Airport is transformed into a city-state, with an operational school, museum, and other commercial outlets driving the economy.

‘Station Eleven’ Advocates for the Power of Artistic Expression

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From the first episode onward, Station Eleven distinguishes itself as a wholly original work of science fiction. Thematically, the show operates by the edict: “Survival is insufficient.” Simply outliving the flu pandemic isn’t enough to sustain humanity’s morale and hope for the future.

Humanity’s only hope for survival is the shared communal experience of expressing art through performance. This central theme is brilliantly reflected in the immersive world the show presents. It’s no surprise the series currently has a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Production designer Ruth Ammon deserves credit for helping bring Station Eleven‘s vivid environment to life. Ammon brought plenty of experience from working on sci-fi shows such as The Event, 12 Monkeys, and Solos. The show is truly special because it marries its artistic themes with its world-building.

Watch this if

• You want to see a truly original dystopian sci-fi tale.
• You’re tired of the bleak, hopeless vision of the future most sci-fi shows adopt.

Skip this if

• You prefer a more traditional, action-packed post-apocalyptic story.
• You prefer fast-paced sci-fi thrillers over slow-burning human dramas.

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For example, the survivors repurpose items from the pre-pandemic world as curated art. From a candy wrapper to an old cracker box, the survivors honor the past by turning these items into sacred relics future populations won’t forget.

The performers even recycle discarded scraps of cloth and metal to fashion their own ornate Shakespearean costumes. Thematically and aesthetically, Station Eleven suggests that artistic creation is the healing path for both the actors and humanity writ large.

Release Date

2021 – 2022-00-00

Network

HBO Max

Directors

Hiro Murai, Helen Shaver, Jeremy Podeswa, Lucy Tcherniak

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  Himesh Patel

  Jeevan Chaudhary

• Matilda Lawler

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  David Wilmot

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