Stephen King’s The Stand first found its way into the hearts and minds of the World over 40 years ago when his 1000+ page opus was first published. Since then, his story of good versus evil against a backdrop of a dystopian US, decimated by a deadly virus has found its way to TV (in the mid-‘90s mini-series starring Gary Sinise and Rob Lowe) and been the subject of many failed attempts to reach cinemas. All the while TV has continued the great tradition of post-apocalyptic storytelling thanks to shows like The Walking Dead, which begs the question as to whether we really need to see another interpretation on the small screen?
CBS All Access answers that query with a resounding ‘yes’ as its big-budget star-laden 10-episode series arrives in the midst of a time that shares an oddly macabre simpatico with King’s story, where the real world is finding itself at the wrong end of a viral pandemic. Wrongly or rightly, The Stand (which finished production just as Covid-19 begun to gain momentum last March) rides the wave of this awful turn of world events and is therefore perceptually changed as a result. That said, these aren’t the only changes.
Small-screen storytelling has altered a great deal in the years since ABC had a go at adapting King’s novel and this latest interpretation reflects that. Gone is the simple linear narrative, following each of King’s heroes and villains on their journeys from surviving the virus to locating their dream-state totems and beyond to the climactic ending. Instead, we find ourselves right in the middle of the story, bouncing back and forth via flashbacks and small moments that lead each of them to where we know they’ll end up. The strings are deftly wound together and there’s no issue with following the story as a result, but you do lose that slow burn that made The Stand such a compelling read.
Another odd choice is the emphasis paid to arguably the real villain of the piece, Harold Lauder (played here with awkward perfection by Owen Teague). In some ways, it makes sense to use a more flawed individual as our entry point to the story, but it does feel again as if it takes the emphasis off the characters we’re supposed to be more invested in, such as Stu (James Marsden) and Frannie (Odessa Young) among others. In fact, it’s safe to say that all of the characters who side with The Dark Man (Alexander Skarsgard following in his brother’s King villain footsteps) are thus far more fleshed out and compelling than any that are playing nice in Boulder with Whoopi Goldberg (who is a fair choice as Mother Abigail but not nearly old enough to pull the role off).
After episode four it feels as if the show has hit its tipping point and about ready to slide back towards a more linear storytelling style which ultimately should help draw audiences into the story. And with a newly written ending also on the cards (which, let’s be honest, is something of a relief), there’s plenty still to look forward to.
While The Stand no longer, um, stands as the unique story that it once did, and the time that it finds itself reappearing couldn’t have been worse, Stephen King’s characters and nuances continue to shine through, making this a must-watch nevertheless.
Reviewed: Episodes 1 – 4 | Where to Watch: Starzplay (via Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV)
