The Stand Review.

Stephen King is known for his 1000 page epics that have so much going on. Horror, comedy, growing up it's all sprinkled into these epic stories. The Stand is just one top notch example of this.

It has previously been adapted once before but with dated visuals and aesthetic it was a story sitting there with unlimited possibility for a series. The show admittedly at the start is very eerie with the ongoing pandemic but the novel itself is many years old at this position so it was not derivative of what's unfolding.

It begins rather slowly with the intro of Harold Lauder and Frannie Goldsmith. As well as Stu Redman who seems the everyday man who is unaware and unaffected by the illness that surrounds him. Stu is told very little as he is held in a containment facility as we know that this virus has wiped out most of the worlds population.

James Marsden is the perfect choice for this role as Redman because he's likable, has rugged charm and good looks along with the talent to carry the lead protagonist among an ensemble cast. We learn about Stu and the others through Flash backs are following the orders of Mother Abigail, a 104 year old woman who seems to be channelling God in this new world. Stu is among 5 she is seeking.

Episode 2 introduces us to Larry Underwood who is another of those 5 who follows the messages scribbled by Harold Lauder. Larry is travelling with Nadine and a young child she has named Joe. Larry is presented as one who has struggled with his moral compass and has to right the wrongs of his past. We learn rather quickly that Nadine is a spy sent with nefarious intentions to the Colorado Safe Zone.

As things progress they move slowly, creating a less frantic end of the world story and a more grounded end of the world story with outlying supernatural elements. It works for the most part but it does create naturally slow moments that are replaced with filler scenes that often lead to characters discussing information the audience has already been privy to by way of other scenes. It's frustrating at times because it reduces screen time for a lot of more intriguing characters.

Some of those very intriguing characters happen to reside in Randall Flagg's New Vegas which include Julie Lawry, a gun toting southern psyco and Lloyd Henreid a convicted thief and murderer. They become a Bonnie and Clyde type as Flagg's every day business people and Kat McNamara as Julie is near perfect. Her outer beauty is perfect for the role and then she adds layers to Julie's subtle insanity. She is one that I would have slotted more development for but alas there is so much story to tell that she got the shaft and becomes a recurring character who barely is seen and heard but is still noticeable when present.

After we have Vegas vs Boulder we can really see the battle of good against evil take shape and the temptations that surround that particular struggle. Do the right thing and rebuild society or be tempted by mere vices that already existed. They don't play that line rather well. Everyone seems purely good or purely evil. Larry from the Boulder crew is given the most internal conflict but even that doesn't seem to be anything that could ever lead him to the darker side of the equation. It's a show that doesn't blend it's themes well. It really just reveals a character and then immediately shows their true intentions while still trying to slow burn the wick for general screen time.

A few more castings I particularly enjoyed are Whoopi Goldberg and Ezra Miller. Goldberg is likable as Mother Abigail a true spiritual entity that no one can explain. She is the true leader of the people and tell them all how they act is on them but she is relying on them to continue doing the right thing.

Miller has a smaller role as the psychotic and deranged Trash Can Man who has a love for blowing things up. He is given a task through the series that culminates in one of the weirdest scenes on television but Miller crushes every nuance and every expression right up until that moment. It's one of the smaller and more impressive roles in the series to create the transition from end of the world survival to full on battle of the ideals.

It all culminates in a massive and epic scene set within Flaggs New Vegas. Following that is one final chapter written by King himself and exploited Franny and Stu leaving to travel across the country. It doesn't quite reach the levels a finale should and brings us one more reason to throw the evil vs good temptation at us. It doesn't quite work because it does not seem like a natural followup to the surreal episodes that came before it. It gave us the same question the entire season had given us which is would we do the right thing s with the freedom to do anything we want. It doesn't really dive too deep into that. Everyone is either bad or good or is duped into believing Flagg. There isn't much exploration of that middle gray area that doing what's necessary to survive often falls into.

This show has brilliant moments and singular performances that are standouts. Skarsgard as Flagg is a well casted role as was Marsden as Redman. It was the smaller roles that really brought my attention to the show.

Rating- 7/10- It doesn't quite reach the levels one expects from a Stephen King adaptation which unfortunately seems to be a trend when developing his work for television lately.