“Station Eleven” season 2 might be an anthology, according to actor Mackenzie Davis, and follow a different set of individuals in the universe.
According to actor Mackenzie Davis, “Station Eleven” might return as an anthology series for a second season. “Station Eleven”, based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel of the same name, launched on HBO Max in December 2021 with a ten-episode season covering the novel’s events. Himesh Patel, Matilda Lawler, David Wilmot, and Lori Petty feature alongside Davis in the series.
“Station Eleven“ is a film about a group of traveling entertainers who live in a world wrecked by a virus epidemic and are forced to deal with a deadly cult. The series earned positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performers, narrative, and thematic weight. “Station Eleven” began filming before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impacts of the epidemic informed the show’s narrative of how people would respond in a pandemic-affected society.
If the show were to return, Davis told Variety that it would be in anthology style, following a fresh set of people in the same environment. She mentions how St. John Mandel indicated that there is a group of people in another planet who have a successful agricultural settlement that would be a good setting for a new story. She goes on to note that the characters’ first-season experiences aren’t shared by everyone, and that those who aren’t wandering bards have more to discover. Read the following quote from Davis:
What would interest me would be an anthology series. Something that Emily St. John Mandel, who wrote the book, has said, this isn’t everybody’s experience. This is the experience of this group of people in this area of the world. There is a completely different group of people that have built an agricultural wonderland, and aren’t traveling bards and aren’t cobbling together this meager existence and settlements. I think that interests me more than then like excavating these characters.
“Station Eleven” has previously said that it would not continue the tale of the first season due to a lack of source material. Davis seemed to recognize this and is uninterested in reprising the role she previously performed. The Glass Hotel, which has some crossover themes with “Station Eleven” and might serve as a spiritual successor, is now being adapted for the screen by showrunner Patrick Somerville.
When television adaptations of novels run out of source material, they typically suffer from a reduction in quality, as Game of Thrones, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Big Little Lies all arguably did once their print-based inspiration ran out. “Station Eleven” would be foolish to follow that tendency, and it appears that the show’s creators are aware of this. Instead, they should focus on something fresh in that environment. “Station Eleven” season 1 has the advantage of seeming like a finished tale, and all great stories know when to conclude.