The Stand - CBS All Access - (**Spoilers**)

I watched first 2 episodes and I must say, the book is 1 million times better.

Series is disjointed and acting is not great by some

pixelburp

mod: merged into the main series thread.

1huge1

DMcL1971 wrote: »

I just finished watching The Stand. I was really enjoying the first half of it and then it fell utterly to pieces.

I never read the book or saw any of the previous versions, so I knew nothing about this going in.

So 99% of the population are dead.

Some survivors have dreams that tell them to go to Mother Abigail. Not clear on whether everyone who ended up in the town also did or only some of them. The same people also dreamt of Flagg but didn’t go to him. When they arrive in the town, 5 of them are told they are the chosen ones (Stu, Frannie, Larry, Glen and Nick). Two characters are secretly working for Flagg (Harold & Nadine). I was fine with it that far. Interesting back stories well fleshed out characters who I liked and was looking forward to seeing how each would play a pivotal role in defeating Flagg.

Then it all fell apart. Flagg tells Harold and Nadine to kill the 5 chosen ones. They mess up and only manage to kill one. Despite all his power Flagg doesn’t seem to know this. Of the remaining 4, Mother Abigail says Frannie has to stay behind while the other 3 go to New Vegas, oh and Ray is to go with them (Who, the chick who guards the house who got no introduction and we don’t care about). They have to walk and bring no supplies (Why?). Mother Abigail then dies which yet again super baddie Flagg knows nothing about. Stu gets injured along the way. Part of the way through what was probably supposed to be some epic journey our remaining 3 characters get picked up by bad guys and driven the rest of the way there. Felt like they had only been on the road for a couple of days.

The three are put in a mock trial in front of a few dozen bad guys. Glen makes a short speech about how a real leader wouldn’t need fear to control their followers and then gets shot. The stunned audience are horrified by this. The same people who actively cheer as people are hacked to death in the hotel lobby, live where the streets a lined with crucified people and everyone is OK with slavery are suddenly moved by this half assed display????

The two survivors are then drowned in a pool and Randal Flagg wins the day and none of the sacrifices of any of our heroes make a bit of difference. If they hadn’t been there it would have all played out the exact same.

But wait, then the God, cloud, storm thing appears, kills all the henchpeople, zaps the hell out of Flagg and then Flagg is finished off by the psychotic arsonist who worked for him.

What was the point of introducing all the good guy characters to us, sending them off on a mission and then killing them all off without them having any affect. As a final nail in the coffin there is an extra useless episode where Frannie falls in a well and is rescued by a kid from nowhere whom we know nothing about and Flagg becomes a leader of a tiny village.

Gimme my 9 hours back..

I like Stephen King and presume the book made a lot more sense.
I liked the performances of all the bad guys Flagg, Lloyd, Julie and Harold but didn’t particularly like those of the good guys.

Even in the book, a lot of fans (myself included) felt the last quarter of the book wen't off the rails a bit. Though still much better than the series mind you.

youcancallmeal

1huge1 wrote: »

Even in the book, a lot of fans (myself included) felt the last quarter of the book wen't off the rails a bit.

Yep, like a lot Stephen King books, Under the Dome would be another prime example

Any sign of this showing up on Irish/UK tv?

1huge1

Think the only way is through Amazon Primve video with starzplay add on.

pc7

Had nothing to watch and noticed the original Stand series was in the dodgy box. Even though it’s a bit dated it’s just a million times better than the remake, casting is just so on point. Really enjoying it.