When I was growing up, Stephen King’s THE STAND novel was incredibly popular among me and my peers. The early 90’s mini-series on ABC gave it a boost as well, and if this new limited series on CBS All Access sticks the landing, I hope to see a new generation of teens pick it up.
Even though this is the 2nd iteration of this story to hit TV, the novel has always felt a bit unfilmable to me, and Episode 1 was a reminder of just how intricate THE STAND is. As the story cuts between different timelines, various characters, and the real and dream worlds, it’s easy to get a bit mixed up as to what is really happening and when. It’s only coincidental that a mystery about a worldwide virus that kills almost 99% of the population premieres during a worldwide real-life pandemic (the series has been in development for years) but it still feels quite unsettling.
It’s great to see the often underused and always underrated James Mardsen as Stu Redman, one of the only Americans who seem to be immune to the virus. THE STAND Episode 1 is mostly a set-up for things to come, but also manages to sprinkle in enough mystery to make me want to see more.
THE STAND is streaming on CBS All Access.
