Submitted by Just_Browsing_2017 t3_10par21 in television

If you’re enjoying The Last of Us and are looking for something to tide you over between episodes, I’d strongly recommend giving Station Eleven a try. It’s completely different (well, not completely) and has a very similar heart, with incredible storytelling, writing, and acting all around.

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spyson t1_j6koity wrote

You station eleven people are relentless with these posts.

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Archamasse t1_j6la9dh wrote

People are raving about a particular TLOU episode for hitting beats S11 was all about, it feels fairly naturally relevant.

I don't think it's by any means a stretch for it to come up semi regularly in the context of the TLOU chatter regardless when it had shots like this or this.

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dankesha t1_j6majk0 wrote

If anything that Last of Us episode felt like a Leftovers episode especially with the Max Richter score but i do agree with you, very similar vibes

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Accomplished-Pear809 t1_j6kvykm wrote

Yeah I didn’t think it was very entertaining either. Some good performances but boring overall. I’m loving The Last of Us though.

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stellaluna29 t1_j6lm9g5 wrote

I watched all of station 11 and loved the episodes with the early days of the outbreak but every time it went back to present day with that stupid traveling shakespeare company I wanted to fast forward.

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Dragmire800 t1_j6n5hg8 wrote

The outbreak is my favourite part of every pandemic show/movie, especially zombie ones. It’s actually why I’ve been enjoying The Last of Us so much, every episode has had an outbreak flashback.

28 Days Later is the only film I think skipping most of the outbreak made better. The Walking Dead is extra bad because it skipped the outbreak and it copied 28 Days Later’s start exactly

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spyson t1_j6l3h5p wrote

I can see why people like it, but it's strengths are not in action like tlou.

It's very much a post apocalyptic story that has very little interest in the post apocalyptic part.

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BrockThrowaway t1_j6lh6lr wrote

Well TLOU just proved it has strengths far beyond action.

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spyson t1_j6lyc4z wrote

Sure but it involved the post apocalyptic setting and embraced it instead of just being set dressing like in Station Eleven.

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taintpaint t1_j6nf44j wrote

I really liked Station Eleven but the number of posts I see here that make it sound like some kind of cult sleeper hit instead of a massive popular and critical success is very weird. I don't know who these posts are even aimed at. Everyone knows what that show was and almost everyone has already seen it.

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nouseforausernam t1_j6lco4r wrote

Seriously, it's like a cult at this point. The show wasn't even that good after the first episode.

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SoulCruizer t1_j6lx5du wrote

Lmao the level of delusion. This is Reddit it constantly gets bombarded with anything and everything so it really shouldn’t be a real indication on the quality of something. With that said Station Eleven is easily one of the best shows ever and in my top 10

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Cli4ordtheBRD t1_j6jco2k wrote

Station Eleven was amazing. Hiro Murai (EP on Atlanta who directed 26 episodes) directed episodes 1 and 3 (you'll notice the overhead shots with skewed perspectives...he does that all the time and it always works). Highly recommend.

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TchoupedNScrewed t1_j6m08qv wrote

Hiro Murai is dope, he’s done some of my favorite episodes of Barry especially the one with Taylor in season one.

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spectacleskeptic t1_j6jd93h wrote

I've seen a lot of comparison to Station Eleven since last night's episode, but, for me, the emotional gut punch of last night's TLOU actually highlighted how little emotional connection I felt to Station Eleven. With few exceptions (like Frank's rap and Miranda's episode), Station Eleven generally left me cold.

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jamesneysmith t1_j6kpnf6 wrote

Yeah I felt the same way. Very little emotional connection to the story or world. I enjoyed moments of the show but on the whole never got into it. Disappointed

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six_days t1_j6krby6 wrote

>!Jeevan and Kristen!< in the last episode legit made me cry. I never cry at media like this. I found it full of emotion. Maybe it just hit me at the right moment in my life.

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jamesneysmith t1_j6lfpg1 wrote

That was the only relationship I did genuinely care about in the show. But I think by the arrival of the last episode I was so disconnected that this moment didn't hit like it should have for me.

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spectacleskeptic t1_j6nhwpv wrote

That’s exactly me. The reunion didn’t do anything for me, whereas the scenes in the apartment were extraordinary.

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curious3247 t1_j6kollg wrote

The last episode.

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monstrol t1_j6l923j wrote

Ugly cried big time. 65 yr old white male.

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Organic_Beakery t1_j6mh1af wrote

I’ve never understood why people tell you they cried, and then they’ll tell you they’re also a white adult male like this somehow makes their crying exceptional.

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monstrol t1_j6n2asd wrote

It's is a learned behavior for me. I am glad that it doesn't make sense to you. It gives me hope that ugly stereotypes are changing.

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curious3247 t1_j6mvxqc wrote

Men are told not to show their emotions in society.

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lynwinn t1_j6lp7x1 wrote

Yep I don’t get the praise at all, I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters in Station 11

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MKorostoff t1_j6nba4a wrote

Fully agree! Last Of Us 3 was the sort of experience I was expecting from Station Eleven based on the station eleven trailer. S11 had some interesting moments, but it mostly felt like a conventional apocalypse show to me.

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DunkinDankNuts t1_j6ldmue wrote

Station Eleven was devastating and beautiful. Binged it a week before Last of Us. Definitely scratched the itch, made me feel super depressed ..in a good way. Closest other vibe comparison I can think of would be Leftovers

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Just_Browsing_2017 OP t1_j6lhghw wrote

Leftovers is next on our list.

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IsRude t1_j6lw92z wrote

It took me 3 tries to get into it, but it definitely ended up worth it.

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ddf007 t1_j6n44oq wrote

Season 2 of The Leftovers is my favorite single season of any television show I’ve ever watched

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OldBirth t1_j6o4q32 wrote

Justin Theroux blew me away. I don't get how he's not a huge star. He's so fucking good.

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TheBoyWonder13 t1_j6ksi5d wrote

The Leftovers as well, of which Patrick Somerville (creator of Station Eleven) was a writer.

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illuvattarr t1_j6kcbjt wrote

While Station Eleven is very good, it was quite a bit slower paced and pretty much only focused on the people in stead of the situation of the world at large.

I would recommend the movie The Girl With All The Gifts

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Archamasse t1_j6kdc0k wrote

People are raving about TLOU's ep 3 in particular, which dabbles in the stuff S11 used for bread & butter.

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AintNothinbutaGFring t1_j6lbrj1 wrote

I didn't like S11 as much as TLoU (so far). I feel like it could have been as good if they hadn't put so much of a focus on >!the post-pandemic appeal of theatre, and the prophet's inane storyline !<It seemed like they were pandering to "I am very smart" critic types over regular people who just want a story to make sense and be relatable without layers of symbolism and references that only people who really like theatre would care about it modern times.

I get that Shakespeare has universal appeal, I just don't think >!everyone would care that much about acting and deconstructing Shakespeare in a post-pandemic resource-scarce society.!<

Which isn't to say there wasn't beauty in that, just that it made it less believable and realistic

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Timelord1000 t1_j6jdm3l wrote

It seemed slow. Does it pick up?

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RamboBashore t1_j6jmah8 wrote

No

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APiousCultist t1_j6jv5py wrote

I'd say episode 2 dragged for me a little. But episode 1 from what I remember was pretty representative of the rest of the series. If the looming tension of that didn't grab them, none of the rest of the series is all that likely.

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Archamasse t1_j6kdn92 wrote

The first few eps feel a little scattered and random at times, but around ep 4 it becomes apparent it's all been deliberate, so they feel pretty different in retrospect. A lot of stuff that feels like a random throwaway line turns out to have a lot more significance than it seemed to at first.

So I dunno if I could tell you the pace picks up, but the story comes into focus suddenly.

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ThuggnSuggs t1_j6jc00x wrote

Thank you for doing the Lord’s work and sharing the knowledge of Station Eleven lol

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Just_Browsing_2017 OP t1_j6jc9x8 wrote

More people need to hear about it! All I kept thinking after Last of Us ep 3 was how much it felt like S11 in spirit.

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averageduder t1_j6k34y5 wrote

I wanted to like it and watched 3-4 episodes but it was soooo slow.

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curious3247 t1_j6koif8 wrote

Yeah pretty slow all episodes. I guess it's major focus is on arts , that's why.

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monstrol t1_j6l8m6w wrote

I fucking love Station 11.

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Random--Person t1_j6jxw55 wrote

Just rewatched it with my SO (her first time seeing it) and she absolutely loved it.

Definitely worth it for soundtrack alone, and a different take on life after the apocalypse

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TVsGoneWrong t1_j6m5qxa wrote

Oh no. As a big fan of the story of The Last of Us - Part 1, the video game itself, I hope the series is nothing like Station Eleven. Station Eleven was one of the worst TV shows I have ever watched. There was someone else I read that described it as something to the effect of "what an average M.A. in Theater student thinks a global apocalypse would be like." Absolutely on point. Extremely pretentious and boring show.

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Whalesurgeon t1_j6n2q4y wrote

I actually wish it went even deeper into postapocalyptic theatre. With some dark humor. Then the mine episode happened.

I did not really like trying to both have action scenes and the theatre stuff, all with a very straight and serious tone.

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ashinaclan123 t1_j6jwmbh wrote

Watching the last of us makes me realize how average station 11 is lol, so probably best not to suggest that

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TheBroadHorizon t1_j6kaog7 wrote

Eh different strokes for different folks I guess. I'm definitely enjoying The Last of Us but so far it hasn't worked for me nearly as well as Station Eleven did (last night's episode did come close though!)

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Sloty4321 t1_j6kdjsz wrote

The first 2 episodes were good but they're well in the quality range of lots of prestige tv. The 3rd episode is the first to reach the heights Station Eleven reached.

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JayRedEye t1_j6k1us4 wrote

I just read the book this past December and started the show after. I am only three episodes in so far, but I am really enjoying it.

Also, I recommend the book! One of my favorite reads last year.

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Gseventeen t1_j6ktdrz wrote

Incredible show. So underrated.

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heymynameisjared22 t1_j6kyh6i wrote

Heard about this show when listening to the last of us recap on the ringers prestige feed . Gonna watch it soon .

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zeroxray t1_j6myava wrote

Honestly I feel like fans of the last of us game will find station eleven quite boring. It's well done but very slow

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ToastMmmmmmm t1_j6jdonb wrote

I loved it. The whole tone is great and I love the characters.

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TheHadalZone t1_j6ly2l8 wrote

I think Station Eleven is better than The Last of Us tbh

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Dull_Half_6107 t1_j6mbi2g wrote

Based on this last episode, this is a very good comparison.

Station Eleven made me cry like a little baby.

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Nick_Papa_Giorgio t1_j6k3ma7 wrote

Why did they name this show Station Eleven?!

I thought it was going to be some 911 Lone Star emergency services glorification crud that has taken over network TV.

Instead, I'm enthralled by a fresh pre/post-apocalyptic series. Thanks OP

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olgil75 t1_j6ljk26 wrote

>Why did they name this show Station Eleven?!

The reason it's titled Station Eleven is because one of the characaters in the book wrote a graphic novel titled "Station Eleven" that is integral to the plot of the book and show. That graphic novel gets its name from the central character (Dr. Eleven) who lives on a space station.

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Extenso t1_j6klqam wrote

It's based on a book by Emily St John Mandel of the same name. Definitely worth a read if you like the series, it differs in a few ways but has the same heart as the show.

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olgil75 t1_j6ljiic wrote

Saying, "That's the name of the book on which the show is based" doesn't really answer the question.

The reason it's titled Station Eleven is because one of the characaters in the book wrote a graphic novel titled "Station Eleven" that is integral to the plot of the book and show. That graphic novel gets its name from the central character (Dr. Eleven) who lives on a space station.

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Joka0451 t1_j6l13nh wrote

Is there a wierd element to it or is it just regular old virus.

7m a sucker for superbatural/hirror/scifi elements

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Archamasse t1_j6l9ru2 wrote

There's an element of magic realism to it, and some dreamy imagery that isn't really explained, but that's about the height of it in that regard.

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Taste_the__Rainbow t1_j6lhldk wrote

They are completely different things entirely.

They make me feel the same.

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NomNomVerse t1_j6liiwi wrote

Station Eleven is more high minded and doesn’t give you answers. I prefer TLOU or even the quality episodes of the Walking Dead for great characters and great horror zombie action.

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_Jetto_ t1_j6m1v2c wrote

No S11 show is overrated. Pilot was amazing but after that the eps are so boring and lame and it’s really sad after how good the pilot was

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posthxc1982 t1_j6m6l79 wrote

It was such a good and satisfying miniseries.

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dankesha t1_j6mag0u wrote

I for some reason always watched the show as a companion piece to the Leftovers which is probably my favourite show ever. Love both shows

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Dennyisthepisslord t1_j6jgh1g wrote

Watch the walking dead before it went downhill 🤷‍♂️

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