EARTH ABIDES - Episode 1 | Miniseries SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION
Based on the novel of the same name by George R. Stewart, Earth Abides, translated as “The Earth Abides,” produced by MGM+, centers on Ish, a geologist who sleeps through an apocalyptic event and then finds himself in a deserted world.
The main character, Isherwood “Ish” Williams, is an homage to Ishi, the last known member of the Yahi tribe of California, who also survived the demise of his civilization.
Unlike some of the more popular post-apocalyptic films and series, Earth Abides does not demand a suspension of disbelief by introducing fantastical creatures such as zombies or vampires.
Nor does it withhold too much information about its setting, as does *From*, the hit thriller from the same streaming service.
The series imagines how the planet would evolve if humans stopped consuming its resources and if the few survivors could successfully restart civilization.
Given that the original novel was written in 1949, I suppose this approach seemed novel at the time.
However, considering the number of similar stories we've seen since then, I'm not sure it would have the same impact it did in the 1950s.