In the last year or two, I have found myself drawn back into the world of books and especially the work of Stephen King.
I suppose a worldwide pandemic and other unflattering aspects of reality made me crave the supernatural sanctuary of the spooky written word. Reading has always been special to me. It was where I found adventure, inspiration, and even friends I still have to this day. Books were an escape from the drama and troubles in life even at a young age. Like film, but more personal. Any avid reader will tell you the same.
After life forced me to be an adult with adult responsibilities, I found it difficult to read without guilt (or, at the very least, ADD medication), so I stopped for over a decade. I came back to books after discovering some humorous ones by authors Andrew Shaffer and A.J. Devlin (Hope never Dies and Cobra Clutch respectively) and getting to know the authors a bit. After that, the paperback bug bit me again.
I decided to reread Stephen King‘s The Stand, because what else is better to read during a global pandemic than a book about a global pandemic and the ensuing post-apocalyptic battle of good vs evil?
I want to take a moment to clarify something: Captain Trips (The name given to the superflu in The Stand) is nothing close to the Coronavirus known as COVID-19. To draw parallels to the actual mechanics and efficacy of the two would be disrespectful at best. Ghastly at worst for the over 6.7 million deaths and countless long-covid injuries caused by the real-world virus.
When I get into things I tend to get super into them. I look for all kinds of “official” ancillary materials, deleted plots/scenes, merchandise, interviews, and, of course, alternate versions such as novelizations or adaptations. Naturally, while craving anything associated with the universe of The Stand, I revisited both the 1994 and 2000 TV-mini series.
I won’t recap too much of the story here. Somehow, I am already well over 400 words into this short piece done on nothing more than a whim and burning urge to write.
The Stand (1994)
I watched it when it aired as a 12-year old Stephen King fan and enjoying the take on the book. See, kids, back in the 90s it was a wild time on television. Weirdness and adventure were on every channel, nearly every day. Xena and Hercules were slinging swords in that Sam Raimi style. Gargoyles was a super-popular kids’ show that featured Star Trek cast mainstays. David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon went from bodacious beach lifeguard to knockoff x-files investigator.
Miniseries were the hot thing, and Stephen King was even hotter. IT had done very well in 1990 and Tommyknockers was acceptably received, but still well-watched. So it was no surprise that it was time to tackle the nearly 1200 page epic that was The Stand.
After all, weird was welcome. Experimentation was expected. Alliteration is awesome.
The novel and the 1994 miniseries are very different beasts. While they have some of the same beats, there is no possible way to capture everything that occurs in the book. Most people understand this. The problem comes up when people get irate about adaptations of their favorite properties. Even back in 1994, there was a lot of division amongst fans because their favorite moments weren’t captured. Others felt it was too sanitized. Some felt it wasn’t capturing the true horror and desperation of Captain Trips. Most people praised the very well-known cast. Gary Sinise as Stu Redmond, Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man (how do you like that happy crappy?), Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd Henreid, and the dreamy Rob Lowe portraying deaf-mute Nick Andros.
Looking back at the miniseries, it certainly comes off as a bit campy at times, especially with Jamey Sheridan as The Walkin’ Dude Randall Flagg. It works when you place it in the context of the era. Television hadn’t gotten to the point of uber-depressive yet massively popular serials like The Walking Dead or Game Of Thrones. The closest inspiration had been Twin Peaks which ushered in serialized storytelling on regular television that wasn’t afraid to be weird.
The differences are stark between the two. Ignoring requirements for network TV, the characters are less nuanced, and some are almost cartoon parodies of their textual counterparts. Many people can’t get over the changes. I, on the other hand, crave it.
The Stand (2020)
Moving ahead 16 years, CBS All Access (now Paramount+) decides to make their own version of The Stand. No doubt this is thanks to the popularity of their own The Walking Dead. The current crop of super-serious stark series certainly crop.
Since this is on a streaming service rather than network television, there’s no need to protect sensitive viewers. The series’ biggest difference, at least for the first half, is time. While the novel has a slow build and gradual introductions, we jump all over. For those not familiar, it is quite jarring.
The 2020 version is a lot more realistic, for better or worse. Personally, I don’t care for grimdark storytelling, where everything is super depressing and no one is a decent human being. I like a good balance in my media. While this version tends to veer slightly into that grimdark nihilistic territory, it is still a great adaptation.
This time Randall Flag is responsible for the superflu rather than military ineptitude. Nadine is a pure villain by the end of things (save for her redemption story) and a few important characters are ignored completely or merged into one. Even Vegas is less a fascist yet well-provided state but more party central.
Interestingly, if the series had been made only a year or so later, I think we would have had a very different take, knowing what we do now on how people react to global virus situations.
This version still works on a different level than the 1994 miniseries. It acts as a companion to the series more than anything.
Points Of View
That’s how I tend to see most adaptations. Different perspectives on the same story. Two stories can be told from a completely different perspective and offer unique insights to each one just like in the real world.
Sometimes things change for the better. It may be hard to believe, but I enjoy when characters are gender or race-swapped to more accurately reflect the diversity of the current era. Of course, that is one of the key issues that bother people about most adaptations. They don’t like seeing the character they have had in their mind portrayed in an unexpected manner.
When I consume media, I recognize it doesn’t belong to me specifically. It is someone’s version of a story. I am just along for the ride.
I think if more people accept this, more companies would be willing to take chances with risky ventures.
Besides, it’s so much more fun enjoying things rather than tearing them apart, isn’t it?
