Mini-series - 9 episodes
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Created by: Josh Boone, Benjamin Cavell
Starring: James Marsden, Odessa Young, Owen Teague, Alexander Skarsgård, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Heard, Jovan Adepo, Henry Zaga, Nat Wolff, Irene Bedard, Brad William Henke, Greg Kinnear, Hamish Linklater, J.K. Simmons, Heather Graham, Clifton Collins Jr.
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
After the world is ruined due to a man-made plague, a battle of Biblical proportions ensues between the survivors.
Verdict
If I hadn't read the book I might like this more, but the problem with this story is mixing past, present, and future in a narrative that becomes muddled because of it. Choices characters make later in the timeline, but shown earlier, have no impact because we haven't seen their experiences and relationships that brought them there. We don't know why decisions are meaningful because we haven't seen the input. The book is captivating despite the length. I don't know why this wants to rearrange the source material. The problem with the 1994 mini-series is that it tried to cram so much story into just four episodes. I hoped this would be able to expand the story, and while it does that, the order of the narrative hampers the first half of the series. Both of the mini-series have their faults but the 1994 one is better, though the last half of this series is better than the first iteration. Neither compare to the book.
It depends.
Review
Based on Stephen King's 1978 novel and a remake of The Stand (1994). The final episode features a new ending co-written by Stephen King with his son, Owen King.
The timeline bounces around too much. The first episode shows a scene of scavenger crews in the future before returning to the present day sickness. It makes no sense without context or explanation. The first half of the series bounces around, and it would streamline the story to play it chronologically.
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| Hamish Linklater, James Marsden play Dr. Ellis, Stu Redman |
Stu (James Marsden) gets the most context in the first couple of episodes, one of the few immune to this new virus. Because of that he's imprisoned in a lab with doctors studying him before freeing him when nearly everyone else is dead. I wish this provided more context for the plague. It's portrayal doesn't capture the true devastation. We're also introduced to Harold (Owen Teague) and Frannie (Odessa Young). He wants to saver her, hoping to leave town with her for some place safer.
The "Dark Man" is the villain and portrayed as supernatural from the beginning. Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård) was 'present' when the virus first leaked. He may have even caused it. Flagg has taken residence in Las Vegas, assembling followers. Meanwhile in Colorado survivors have flocked to Mother Abigail, a force of good. Everyone has visions, some of good and some bad.
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| Alexander Skarsgård plays Randall Flagg |
In episode two we follow Larry's (Jovan Adepo) plight both during the outbreak and in Colorado at a settlement after the virus.
It's easy to compare this to the book, but the book also told this story better. The book had Nick's (Henrique Zaga) story earlier. That gave us a great sense of the plague's scope as everyone slowly died. It also developed the character. By jumping around in the timeline, it undercuts the building of relationships. The story structure really hampers the presentation. The five heads of the Colorado settlement are selecting spies to send to Vegas. They suggest Tom, but we've seen so little of him that his name doesn't have the impact it should. We have to piece together the narrative.
I thought this series could be truer to the book with more episodes but mixing the timeline is misguided. It often feels scenes were mixed up randomly. With such captivating source material, why deviate? The 1994 miniseries felt rushed. That was a lot of book in just four episodes. The book is completely captivating, and neither series manage to fully capture it.
Colorado sends spies to Vegas, meanwhile Nadine and Flagg are manipulating Harold to sabotage Colorado. His feelings for Frannie, and subsequent jealousy, are part of the reason he turned villain. It made him easy to manipulate, and somehow Nadine has a connection to Flagg.
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| Jovan Adepo, Greg Kinnear, Irene Bedard, Odessa Young, James Marsden play Larry Underwood, Glen Bateman, Ray Brentner, Frannie Goldsmith, Stu Redman |
By episode five the narrative has stopped bouncing around, and the pacing becomes much better. Flagg is preparing his forces for war as Colorado sends Stu, Larry, Ray, and Glenn to Vegas at the behest of Mother Abigail. She's the leader of the community, all of the inhabitants having a vision of her and called to the location. I don't like that there's no survival element to this. There's no building the community. All of a sudden Colorado is a thriving community.
Flagg's empire beings to crumble in the next to last episode. All it takes is one person to oppose him. His power seems to be tied to worship. It's a snowball effect that leads to Vegas being wiped off the map. Colorado continues to rebuild. While Flagg is defeated, he's not gone. A stinger scene at the end shows him encountering a primitive tribe awed by his power. Flagg may one day come to prominence again.
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