Station Eleven Rewatch: Episode One
“I'm a reporter. Like a reporter, or uh, a cultural critic, slash—I had a website. I create content—I don’t have a job.”
And so it begins. Thanks for being here. Thanks for joining me. Whether you’re rewatching the HBO limited series like I am, or watching for the first time, I hope you end up loving Station Eleven.
This post contains spoilers for the first episode, but no spoilers for future episodes. While I’ve penciled in a schedule for the writing, please feel free to watch at your own pace. You are invited to share your thoughts in the comments below, or in the chat. You’re also invited to join me for Zoom discussions on 12/4 (Episodes 1-5) and 12/18 (Episodes 6-10).
It’s wild that the Station Eleven book, written by Emily St. John Mandel, came out in 2014. Because watching the show today, one could easily assume the story was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. They actually started filming (in Chicago) in January of 2020, two months before the world changed. Production moved to Mississauga (Ontario, Canada) in February of 2021 and was finished six months later.
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In the story, when Arthur is holding the Station Eleven book he’s just been given, after reconnecting with the woman who wrote it—someone he clearly shares significant history with—Kirsten asks, “Who’s that?” She’s asking about the cover of the book, which has an astronaut character illustrated on the front. I found it interesting that Kirsten doesn’t ask “What’s that?” about the book as a whole. Instead she wants to know specifically about the character on the cover.
“He’s the asshole that ruined my life,” Arthur replies with a laugh.
It seems safe to say this a loaded statement.
My Favorite Scene in Episode One
“Who’s Laura? You gonna get married? What kind of job do you have?”