Station Eleven

[RIP Film]

I’m not usually convinced by meta narratives exploring the value and importance of art but I believe this show does it beautifully, and makes a case for art being not just something that influences action but is intrinsically part of the fabric of human life. Kirsten says something along the lines of not being afraid the world was ending, because Station Eleven is the world.

There’s also some interesting narrative parallels to

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Hamlet, which should have been more obvious to me since the show explicitly references it. But now that the different story arcs are coming into focus, it gives even more weight to the opposition between Tyler (Hamlet) and Clark (Claudius); with Tyler wanting to essentially pull the roots out of what he sees as a corruption of nature: 21st century life being a snake that eats its own tail. Meanwhile Clark is holding onto the past because in it he sees the redemption he never received, an unfulfillment and absence of meaning that he tries to replace with materialistic status and control.

And yeah, the rhythm of the episodes is certainly effective, not in the least for plot fatigue which I think a lot of modern shows, especially sci-fi have issues with. The looking back episodes that build upon the inner world of the characters have been some of the best, my favorite being #7 My Damaged Home.

[therewillbeblus]

Episode eight was easily the series' weakest yet, for its predictable dramatics and contrived exhibitions of characterization

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In addition to the obvious motivations of Tyler, and the lame anti-catharsis destined to result from that, there are so many missed opportunities to explore Clark's devolution of self the episode postured at: Particularly the growing resentment and fear from his dry-drunk status, in the reveal of his time working a program in AA and transition into relapse, one that he seems to have never recovered from until he became suddenly empowered as group leader at the airport without a program or refined skills to keep him in check. However, instead he's portrayed as a senile neurotic- where 'everything in unclean' due to his obnoxiously and shallowly-pronounced defense mechanism of reaction formation, born from his own self-hatred following the traumatic event of shooting the 'sick' man and the subsequent jailing/consequence of 'Tyler's death' on his conscience.

I absolutely loved episode nine though, surely one of the strongest and most emotionally impactful episodes of television I've seen, which organically yet sneakily reveals itself as a cumulative spiritual force meditating on loss, finding, acceptance, impotent longing, and letting go. Not since The Leftovers has a show so perfectly entwined the complex emotions spawned from tragedy and gratitude into one

[flyonthewall2983]

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Yeah I myself am kind of disappointed Clark didn’t turn into Col. Kurtz instead of this self-appointed arbiter of “civilization” like somehow old issues of People are going to keep everyone from killing each other. I suppose that’s the more realistic trajectory though, and maybe the finale will put more perspective into it but I wasn’t enthused at the “I want a time machine” line of his from the teaser.

[therewillbeblus]

I understand that there are constraints of time making it impossible to mine infinite depths for all, but I was irritated that the episode leant ample room to explore his character without really connecting the dots in a profoundly elastic manner, as the creative parties have demonstrated towards other principals. For a series that deals consistent strengths in patience and willingness to appreciate psychosocial complexities as inexplicable, that one character is jarringly granted space for intricate humanity in his backstory but is overly-diagnosed with pat disregard in the present. At least so far.. but it's pretty annoying.

[flyonthewall2983]

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I’ll say that it at least didn’t disprove my whole theory about his feelings about Arthur, but I was a little let down that somehow his reverence for the first wife, the author of the “pretentious” (thank you Jeevan) book, was something more then just a cover for his contempt for the trophy wife.

The needle drop at the end of episode 9 was appropriate, but pales a bit compared to the big one in the last season of The Leftovers. Not that it was trying (given the tenuous connection earlier in the episode) but it brings that comparison to mind.

[RIP Film]

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Yeah I myself am kind of disappointed Clark didn’t turn into Col. Kurtz instead of this self-appointed arbiter of “civilization” like somehow old issues of People are going to keep everyone from killing each other. I suppose that’s the more realistic trajectory though, and maybe the finale will put more perspective into it but I wasn’t enthused at the “I want a time machine” line of his from the teaser.

He is kind of mad. I see the whole society of civilization as being this post-apocalypse continuation of American empire. They send their guy out to ask the traveling symphony to play for them, then when they don’t they take them by force. And when the troupe gets there they talk up how great it is, but forget to tell them they can’t leave. The old magazines and electronics seem to me more dangerous symbolically, as germinations of the past world, an effort to find continuity into the present— at least to Tyler, anyway.

[flyonthewall2983]

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I won’t say I was underwhelmed by the ending, but I didn’t feel the sort of emotional core I would, if it was at the end of its fifth season rather then a limited series. It’s a very happy ending but also somewhat logical too, that everybody winds up leaving the airport and Clark behind to ask himself “what the fuck?”. There wasn’t much that was making me ask that.

Kirsten and Jeevan’s reunion was nice. Tyler reconciling with his mother was too. It was maybe too nice, but I’m watching a lot of bleak shows these days too.

[therewillbeblus]

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Yeah, lots of overly-tidy, pat resolutions. I admired how Kirsten and Jeevan approached one another in slow silence, allowing the enigmatic emotions to be left complex and also simplistically soluble in a mere embrace- rather than dissecting the meaning behind their history and abandonment explanations. It's a testament to the show's ethos on goodwill translated into trust through energy. Which brings me to Miranda, easily the highlight of the episode, whose agenda with the existential 'final act' pilot call mission was drastically unexpected for me: I anticipated her having a close friend on that plane, but her call was sourced in a selfless dedication to protect people she knows are safe, to help facilitate safety as an Oz behind the scenes. It's a great piece of hidden information that serves as a crucial variable in Clark's community's survival- one that he (also an empathic person, wild ego or otherwise) was able to acknowledge in real time back then. An absolutely inspiring action that reminds me of how much positive influence we have over others' lives that we will never know, simply by participating in the world with positive intentions.

[RIP Film]

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Too tidy and neat of an ending? Yes… but also effective, and true to the ethos of the show and its intentions.

The one point that bothered me is the handling of The Prophet. It seems out of step that Tyler in this episode is the same Tyler that would draw children from their families, brainwash them into zombies and equip them with explosives. That kind of rage and conviction does not align with him acting in a play then sparing Clark’s life and walking. I have a feeling this is where the show deviates from the book; that along with the whole ‘undersea’ feels like a not insignificant gap. But you could say he accomplished what he wanted by destroying the tower, at least.

I do approve of where it ultimately goes though; I think the pervading theme of the show has been the guiding power of art or stories in people’s lives, and it’s extremely affirmative that it ends with them changing the story when it no longer serves them, changing Hamlet of all things. It’s brightly optimistic in showing that we don’t have to be beholden to past behavior and outcomes. In exercising his freewill, Tyler ultimately makes good on ‘there is no before’.

[therewillbeblus]

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I didn't think the "equipping them with explosives" part was so cut-and-dry. They had the explosives as a way to defend themselves if necessary- a strategy within a Hobbesian landscape where others had more offensive weapons- and I understood the suicide bombing that occurred with David Cross to be explained (swiftly and ineffectually perhaps) by The Prophet's absence. He says something to Kirsten to the effect of while was recovering from his wounds, the children "changed the story" without a leader/parent figure to guide them, and used the explosives offensively. It's not exactly a sensical or satisfying formulation though.

[flyonthewall2983]

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Kirsten reading the story to the little girl, who ultimately runs out presumably to stop whatever carnage was planned, was quite emotionally effective. As was the notion that now these children have a mother figure in Elizabeth, who’s clearly by this point improved her instincts to the point to see that the scraggly incomer to her life is the son she thought and believed long dead.

[RIP Film]

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I didn't think the "equipping them with explosives" part was so cut-and-dry. They had the explosives as a way to defend themselves if necessary- a strategy within a Hobbesian landscape where others had more offensive weapons- and I understood the suicide bombing that occurred with David Cross to be explained (swiftly and ineffectually perhaps) by The Prophet's absence. He says something to Kirsten to the effect of while was recovering from his wounds, the children "changed the story" without a leader/parent figure to guide them, and used the explosives offensively. It's not exactly a sensical or satisfying formulation though.

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I mean land mines are hardly an offensive weapon, and even the notion of suicidal behavior by children is quite extreme without aggressive conditioning. Especially when they killed David Cross’s character, presumably their father, and were taken the previous year was it? And if they’re hardened enough to go kamikaze wouldn’t they have other weapons? Yeah a lot of these details could have been given greater clarity.

[therewillbeblus]

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I'm not sure, but to clarify, my point is- in agreement- that the mines/bombs are not offensive weapons, making them less aggressively-intentioned in that context, at least in terms of why they might have them as a resource to begin with. Their original purpose seems more for defensiveness, and simply repurposed for an offensive attack in the absence of a shepherd. Yet, again, I'm with you that more clarity would have been cool- especially when we're expected to buy into such a clean catharsis for Tyler and his mom. The complex morality from the residual effects of his trauma shouldn't necessary be weighed against his own path of development, but should be acknowledged to earn the weight of what these prisons of loneliness can do to a person. I wish that element was persistently stressed through the end.

[Shanzam]

I'm glad I didn't give up on watching this show after episode one (narrative seemed random and the topic seemed overused). Lovely and creative and I'll need to watch it again. I only knew about Hiro Murai from before (Fka Twigs music videos).

[Persona]

I loved this and I don't typically go for the "look at all the fateful connections" type stories. But this was beautifully made, exceptionally balanced in tone and pace, and quite moving. The last ten minutes of the last episode are so rewarding. Sentimental but in a poetic way.

This was kind of like peak Walking Dead and then some. One of the best limited series I have seen, to be sure.

[jazzo]

After the clusterfuck of releasing this series in MOD bluray and DVD format that seemed to go out of print before it was even released, with most retailers never getting their allotment, Paramount is now rereleasing as pressed a Bluray and 4K:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=31864

[flyonthewall2983]

Paramount becoming reliable with physical media in tandem with the frankly awesome platform that bears its name has been a welcome surprise.

I have to admit I let out a big sigh because seeing this in 4K is almost worth living through the frustration again.

[therewillbeblus]

Having revisited Station Eleven recently and the FCE blu-ray of the '83 Breathless tonight, I noticed that the way the style approaches Gere's existential meditations on the Silver Surfer feels almost identical to how this miniseries aesthetically engages with its titular comic, even without the thematic similarities. Has anyone on the creative team cited it as an influence?