Two incredible post-apocalyptic shows, which arguably rank among the best modern sci-fi dramas, can initially be a little hard to watch. However, once a viewer patiently gives them a shot, they turn into two of the most memorable takes on the sci-fi subgenre.
Most post-apocalyptic TV shows adopt a similar opening hook. They begin in the ruins of a fallen world and maintain an air of mystery surrounding the central post-apocalyptic event. A few others kick off with a disaster before highlighting how the remaining survivors keep themselves alive and rebuild society.
While the two shows in question also adopt some of these conventional story beats in their opening arcs, they gradually rise above most post-apocalyptic shows with their slow but hard-hitting dramas.
The Leftovers & Station Eleven Are Not Your Conventional Post-Apocalyptic Shows
Most post-apocalyptic media remains fixated on how humans die and struggle to find a way to sustain themselves in the wake of a calamity. Almost all mainstream shows and movies in the post-apocalyptic genre also feature an overarching monster or warlord as the main villain. In Station Eleven, however, mere survival is not enough. The show argues that the preservation of art, culture, and memory is also as important as clean water and food.
Similarly, in The Leftovers, 2% of the world’s population mysteriously disappears, leaving the remaining 98% to deal with the psychological wreckage caused by the event. Like Station Eleven, The Leftovers, too, focuses less on the “why” of the main destructive event and sets out to explore the “what” it leaves behind.
Since both shows unfold as slow character studies that focus on the gradual catharsis and healing of humanity, their barrier to entry at the beginning is notoriously high. The Leftovers can feel a little too bleak early on because its grieving characters remain stuck.
Station Eleven also adopts a complex structure where it keeps switching back and forth between many disorienting timelines. The two shows also avoid holding your hand through each story beat and expect you to feel the loss their characters are experiencing or keep a close eye on subtle emotional shifts that quietly shape their decisions.
However, the longer one stays with both, the more incredible they become. After slogging viewers through many a dark tunnel, The Leftovers and Station Eleven unfold brilliant mid-run pivots that make them two of the best additions to the genre.
We Need More Shows Like Station Eleven & The Leftovers
Owing to the nature of streaming and the ever-shortening attention spans of audiences, most post-apocalyptic shows deliver quick payoffs and rely on genre conventions in their opening moments. Unlike The Leftovers and Station Eleven, they do not try to challenge viewers and make them confront uncomfortable feelings.
Many shows are arguably also scripted in a way that allows viewers to scroll through a second screen while watching them. The same approach would never work while viewing The Leftovers and Station Eleven because every detail and story development matters in both.
While it is still hard not to appreciate some modern post-apocalyptic sci-fi shows like Silo, Fallout, and The Last of Us, the genre needs more unique additions like The Leftovers and Station Eleven.