The Stand: From Interesting to Disjointed
It didn’t take long for CBS’ The Stand to stumble hard. While episode 1 was a great retelling of a familiar story, episode 2 continued the very same format to its own detriment. Not to mention, familiar scenes we all love were recrafted.
Here’s the heart of it: Episode 1 creatively started in the middle, in the Free Zone, and then told the back stories. That was fun once. But hey, if it worked once, why not do another episode exactly the same? Well here’s why: Because it’s not fun anymore. By showing people arriving, their backstory isn’t that interesting because (drum roll. . . .) we already know they made it.
This is a format similar to the one employed so successfully in IT; but it's become tiresome already with The Stand. What's lost is a sense of progression. The story is jumbled. Along with progression, all tension is gone. It's like listening to an old man ramble about stories from the past. Whatever the story, you know already how it came out.
And hey, why would we want to see Larry climb through the Lincoln tunnel over dead bodies, when he could go through the New York sewer system? A scene that was a terrifying read was dumbed down to something ridiculous. He climbs out of the sewer only to discover Rita right there. Seriously, she’s there in the very spot he comes out. Of course, it never dawns on him (or the writers) that this means the entire sewer journey was pointless. They could have walked!
Upcoming Episodes of The Stand
Episode 2, “Pocket Savior”: Thursday, December 24
Episode 3, “Blank Pages”: Thursday, December 31
Episode 4, “The House of the Dead”: Thursday, January 7
Episode 5, “Suspicious Minds”: Thursday, January 14
Episode 6, “The Vigil”: Thursday, January 21
Episode 7, “The Walk”: Thursday, January 28
Episode 8, “The Stand”: Thursday, February 4
Episode 9, “Coda: Frannie in the Well”: Thursday, February 11
CBS The Stand Masters Story Telling
Stephen King's novel, "The Stand" ranks at the top of any Stephen King fans favorite novels. However, moving The Stand from the written page to the screen has proven difficult. The 1994 version was directed by Mick Garris. I thought it was great, virtually the novel in television form. It told the story; but failed to scare.
Josh Boon’s new version of The Stand is simply amazing. It easily surpasses the original miniseries for two reasons. First, not being on live television, the new series can dive deeper into the gore. Frankly, it can tell a Stephen King story that’s a little more gritty.
A second reason I like this version has to do with the story
telling itself. King wrote the original script,
so it moves just like the book; scene for scene, building for beginning to end.
Josh Boone’s version starts about a third
through the book, then uses flash backs to quickly tell the story of earths
end. (I thought starting with an episode
titled The End was brilliant.)
My wife aske which version I like better. Of course, I've only see one episode of the 2020 version, but the truth is, I think I'll like both (unless they go off the rails on this one. I mean, it is 2020 after all.) I told my wife, it's like I've been reading Matthew all the time, and now switched to John; same story, new perspective.
With a new retelling, there are naturally scenes I look forward to
- .Larry going through the Lincoln Tunnel.
- The finger of God striking the nuke.
- M-O-O-N
- Meeting the Dark Man himself.
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