The Stand (Stephen King ) series

[Bazooka]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-stand-tv-series-opening-spoilers/%3famp

Some new details about cast and story, no release date. Alexander Skarsgård could be good as Flagg, I always thought he was American but of Swedish descent. 

[SteveDave]

Is anyone else watching this?

We're two episodes and whilst it is a little on the nose (in this current climate) it's been good. I like how they've got guest stars to do little roles-

Spoiler alert

JK Simmons and Heather Graham

[close]

so far.

I sincerely hope the ending is different to the 90s mini-series which, if I'm remember right, ended with a big hand (like the National Lottery "It Could Be You" one) coming down and doing something. Memory.

[bgmnts]

Is anyone else watching this?

We're two episodes and whilst it is a little on the nose (in this current climate) it's been good. I like how they've got guest stars to do little roles-

Spoiler alert

JK Simmons and Heather Graham

[close]

so far.

I sincerely hope the ending is different to the 90s mini-series which, if I'm remember right, ended with a big hand (like the National Lottery "It Could Be You" one) coming down and doing something. Memory.

I mean, that's how the story ends, to be fair.

I think this will obviously be turgid, UNLESS they have a scene where The Kid rapes Trashcan Man with a pistol. I will give it full credit, then.

[Bazooka]

No I've not started, I saw a couple of video reviews not give it favour, but I can try the first episode at least.

[A Hat Like That]

Is anyone else watching this?

We're two episodes and whilst it is a little on the nose (in this current climate) it's been good. I like how they've got guest stars to do little roles-

Spoiler alert

JK Simmons and Heather Graham

[close]

so far.

I sincerely hope the ending is different to the 90s mini-series which, if I'm remember right, ended with a big hand (like the National Lottery "It Could Be You" one) coming down and doing something. Memory.

and then it goes on for another few chapters after that. M O O N that spells too many endings.

[druss]

IMDB isn't always a good indication of whether something will be good, but a score of 5.4 usually means it's best to swerve it.

[Enrico Palazzo]

IMDB isn't always a good indication of whether something will be good, but a score of 5.4 usually means it's best to swerve it.

It's certainly better than that score suggests. The timeline jumping around seems to confuse and annoy people but it's fine. Haven't read the book, mind.

[bgmnts]

Never read the book, never saw the 1994 series, & I enjoyed this
Maybe I'm the target audience for this current adaptation of The Stand. I didn't read the book and didn't see the 1994 mini series so I watched it with no preconceived biases. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it based on the awful reviews. Yeah, none of the actors are going to win an emmy and it seemed to bounce around a bit so there were times I was confused but I just kept watching and everything fell into place eventually. The storyline was good, not great, so I'm guessing the book was better, as many have pointed out. All in all, I'm glad I ignored the 1 star reviews and watched it. Maybe now I'll read the book and compare.

The one review on IMDB says all I need to know. Pass for me.

[markburgle]

Pulled the book off my not-read-yet pile when the first lockdown got underway. Loved it. Traveling to work on deserted streets just made it feel more immersive.

First exposure to the story was the 90's miniseries when it went out, which I also loved because I was too young to see how cheesy it really was.

So I was looking forward to this, but the first episode I found fairly shite. The best bit of the story is the slow collapse of society and the rising dread as everyone realises how fucked they all are. But they totally blew that suspense by having the timeline jump randomly around. The cast was boring and the whole thing was visually bland. The pandering way they moved the story to the present day - seemingly just so a character could mention Instagram every now and then to get da kidz in the audience involved - annoyed me. Haven't been arsed to try any of the rest of it.

[Bazooka]

Instagram?  Jesus Christ.

[crankshaft]

I love a bit of end-of-the-world drama but I switched this off halfway through episode two because it was really fucking dull. Sorry Stephen.

(I haven't read the book)

[mjwilson]

I mean, that's how the story ends, to be fair.

King has written a new ending for the show, or an additional coda, or something like that.

[mjwilson]

I am finding this to be, overall, not that great.

Bad things:

• The early parts inexplicably jump around in time. I love some good non-chronological story-telling when it makes sense, but here it just deflates the story by telling you how the first part of the story ends.
• Following on from the above, just not enough time on setting the tone for the apocalypse.
• All the Mother Abigail stuff completely falls flat.
• In fact basically all of the characters aren't set up properly. This is either terribly written or needed two seasons.

Good parts:

• The last episode had some nice scenery and some of the actors are OK I guess.

[timebug]

I hoped for great things,and was,as usual, disappointed. The 1994 version is referenced on lots of sites as being 'dated' by modern standards. Well, having seen all of both series, I prefer the 1994 one! Okay it has none of the bad language from the book, owing to being a made for TV version,which back then meant it had to be sterilised for public consumption!
(SPOILER ALERT!) The new ending was utter shite. As episode eight ended at a point where my favourite part of the story should have followed,and yet it was abandoned to make way for this terribly nauseating new 'ending'.
I also thought that in general, the casting of the '94 version was better than in this one. Jamey Sheridan as Flagg,had a lot more charisma and general sleaze, than the latest version. And Larry Underwood, is stated in the book,as being a white man, who sounds like a black man when he sings. So obviously, pick a black dude to play him!
Both versions of Tom Cullen were great, although the '94 one did stick to his physical description from the book. Frannie was a better fit physically, in the new version, but not particularly up to the emotional range her character had to portray.And Laura SanGiacomo's Nadine, had a hidden frustrated sexuality that Amber Heard failed to show (I.M.O).
A favourite book for years, and the '94 version has a spot in my heart,for a straight telling of the story, with all it's faults!