‘Earth Abides’ Review: The post-apocalyptic series will leave you wanting more
Sunday night marked the finale of Earth Abides on MGM+, a mini-series that tells the story of Ish, a geologist who emerges from weeks of isolation to discover that a mysterious illness has wiped out most of humanity. Despite his initial instincts to remain alone, Ish steps into a leadership role, determined to help rebuild civilization. Created and written by Todd Komarnicki, the series stars Alexander Ludwig and Jessica Frances Dukes and is based on the 1949 novel of the same name by George R. Stewart.
If you haven’t heard of this show, you’re not alone—it’s flown under the radar. I was drawn to it because I’m a sucker for survival dramas, and its tone reminded me of The Walking Dead—but without the zombies. I was especially excited to see how Alexander Ludwig and Jessica Frances Dukes would bring their characters’ relationship to life.
At its heart, Earth Abides is a character-driven drama about humanity, survival, and hope. However, it doesn’t give enough time to flesh out most of its characters. The love story between Ish and Em (played by Ludwig and Dukes), two people who meet by chance and decide to build a life together, starts off beautifully, but after episode two, it gets sidelined as new characters join the story. Years pass between episodes, yet we don’t get to see much of their growth as a couple until episode six, the finale.
Despite its slower, drama-focused pace, the show delivers a few standout moments of mystery and suspense. Episode five, for instance, completely shifts the tone with a shocking event that had me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, this intensity fizzles out quickly, as the final episode rushes to tie everything up.
The pacing was one of my biggest frustrations. Each episode jumps forward in time, sometimes by years, making it hard to connect with the characters or fully process the events unfolding. There are also a lot of questions left unanswered and a lot missed opportunities to show more of the survival aspects. The show probably would have benefited from a longer run—ten episodes instead of six might have allowed more time to dive into those survival and thriller elements that worked so well. I would have appreciated multiple seasons of this show as well.
Despite its flaws—uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a few glaring plot holes—I still enjoyed Earth Abides. It gave us glimpses of romance, adventure, and tension that kept me engaged, even if it left me wishing for more. If you’re a fan of dystopian survival dramas like The Walking Dead and Silo, it’s worth watching—but go in with lowered expectations.
