The Best Post-Apocalyptic Epic of 2024 Offers Quiet Slices of Life
Men go and come, but Earth abides.
Pandemic stories have, for obvious reasons, had a bit of a resurgence lately. As lockdowns began in 2020, there was a spike in viewership for movies like Contagion, and renewed interest in zombie stories like The Last of Us. We may not be living in a post-Covid world just yet, but finding normalcy in a post-apocalyptic world is now on pop culture’s mind, as exhibited in shows like Fallout and Silo.
Now, MGM+, the streamer behind sci-fi cult hit From, is attempting its own version of the post-apocalyptic story: a sprawling miniseries following 50 years in one man’s life as his world completely changes, forcing him to reckon with what he wants the future of humanity to look like. It’s philosophical, ambitious, and far greater than the sum of its parts — all things that MGM+ originals have started to become known for.
Earth Abides, based on the 1949 book by George C. Stewart, follows Ish (Alexander Ludwig), a geology grad student studying in an isolated cabin in the California forest when he gets bit by a snake. He spends the next few days in and out of consciousness, but when he finally recovers and drives home, he finds that nothing is the way he left it. Everyone in his hometown of Berkeley — and the entire world — has succumbed to a deadly virus that kills within minutes. He sees bodies in parking lots, at kitchen tables, and slumped over in church pews. He tries to wake up from this bad dream, but eventually accepts that he will be alone for the foreseeable future.
That is, until he meets Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes), a no-nonsense woman with a practical streak. Despite everything, they fall in love and start a family. Looking for others, Emma leaves a sign for anyone still alive to find them, and it actually works. The rest of the six-episode series fast forwards through time, from a throuple and their son joining the tribe, to a mysterious non-verbal girl finding community after a horrific childhood.
The biggest obstacle in this community’s lifespan is Charlie (Aaron Tveit), a charismatic stranger who rolls up with a busload of people, promising to help drill for fresh water after the pipes go dry. Everyone seems to love him, but Ish is skeptical, and Charlie’s true intention divides the members of the community.
Ish and Emma somehow find love in the post-apocalypse.
This series is elevated from good to great through the performances. Ludwig’s Ish is understated, academic, and often nervous, perfectly balanced against Dukes’ Emma’s instinctual decision-making and compassion. Add into this equation Aaron Tveit’s easy charisma that’s been charming theatre kids for years, and every tense conversation feels like it could get deadly at any point.
The world of Earth Abides feels like one that could withstand a multi-season structure, but putting the entire story, from the apocalyptic event all the way to Ish’s old age, allows this series to move at the breakneck pace of the novel that inspired it. Ish’s life isn’t dramatic, in fact, not much happens in his lifetime except him finding joy in difficult situations. But in the snapshots we see, his life feels like what might just be the most dramatic on Earth.
Still, it’s sad we won’t see more of Ish after this series — but there does seem to be a spinoff possibility in the finale. It’s the perfect glimpse of how you can find joy in the mundane search for something resembling a “normal” life in an extraordinary time. Sometimes, it’s not about the survival of the human race: it’s about the survival of your family and your loved ones.
