Tired of global pandemics yet? CBS All-Access hopes not, and for a good reason: their nine-episode adaptation of Stephen King’s 1141-page behemoth, “The Stand,” is damn good. A sprawling post-apocalyptic epic about the flu-immune survivors of a deadly pandemic, and the figureheads of good and evil that draw these characters into opposing camps, the series spans several months, the full breadth of the United States, and contends with heady questions about the human condition and man’s struggle to define itself as either builders or destroyers. It’s also one hell of an exciting watch stocked with interesting, identifiable characters who, good or bad, allow the audience to see themselves in the action.
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Getting this tale out of the starting blocks isn’t a simple task; however, with no fewer than 12 main characters that need introducing along with a global epidemic to put them in play. Showrunner Benjamin Cavell wisely rations the introduction work to just three or four characters per episode during the front half of the series, offering glimpses of their lives pre- and post-pandemic to paint a broader picture of this world.
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“The Stand” doesn’t waste any time with this, either, using Episode 1 to give the viewer an on-the-ground look at the spread of “Captain Trips,” the nickname given to the government-engineered flu virus with a 99% fatality rate. Mindful of the massive cast that needs to be introduced and some of the more mystical elements that drive the narrative, the series waits until the second and third episodes to unspool broader breakdowns of society in dense urban centers (and the visions their survivors experience). The conflict between the camps, and the rot festering within groups of survivors on each side dominates the middle portion of the series, largely abandoning the flashbacks from that point forward so that the story’s true thrust can emerge.
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And while the scenes of social disintegration are some of the most famous and memorable portions of the source novel (and the 1994 mini-series), it is secondary both narratively and thematically to what comes after. This is a story about characters taking a literal stand against evil forces as personified by King’s recurring baddie, Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård). Still, more than that, it asks its characters to reckon with humanity’s great unasked question.
Has technology and the proliferation of wealth brought our species to the point of no return? If forced to do so, could we survive and thrive as part of a post-Hobbesian society free of our modern trappings? The frequent jumps back and forth between the “present” (five months after the pandemic) and the outbreak itself in the early episodes reinforce the importance of this query, for even as the audience is learning the details of what happened almost half a year before, scenes from the present keep emerging to key in on what these people are doing after the dust has begun to settle. Cavell and his writing team, perhaps aware that their audience might be over the whole pandemic vibe, swerve to make these loftier questions the focus, and the episodes are better for it.
The diverse roster of characters finds well-cast and cleverly-adapted counterparts in the new series, starting with James Marsden as Stu Redman, the nominal leader of what eventually becomes the “Boulder Free Zone.” Once Stu and co. set up shop in Boulder, the conflict between their spiritual leader, Mother Abigail (Whoopi Goldberg), and the evil Flagg in Las Vegas reaches a boiling point, leading to the eponymous stand between the forces of good and evil. Holy smokes, there are a lot of people and story threads to juggle, though, and with just nine hours to tell the whole tale, some characters develop and blossom more than others.
Some of this is due to the source material, which gives thoughtful, dynamic arcs and growth to some characters, and little to others. Stu, for example, is pretty much fully-formed from the get-go, and doesn’t change much from the start of this story to the end of it, and although his partner, Frannie (Odessa Young), suffers that same fate in the book, this new mini-series doesn’t make that same mistake. Just enough work is done early on to give Frannie a compelling backstory that’s capable of evolution. Like her fellow Free Zone Committee member, Larry Underwood (Jovan Adepo), she’s practically unrecognizable between her first appearance and last.
And it’s not just the heroes that are worth talking about; the antagonists get to have fun in this thing too! Flagg’s seduction of wanna-be super-bandit Lloyd Henreid (Nat Wolff) provides some of the most captivating drama of the series through the first six episodes (all that have been released for review consideration to this point), and illustrates the power of the “Dark Man” in this world. Owen Teague also lights up the screen in every appearance as Boulder resident Harold Lauder, whose forced-smile exercises hint at a growing darkness on the horizon. Tall, lanky Teague is a far cry from the chubby, greasy-faced Harold in King’s book, but what he brings to the on-screen character’s self-aggrandizing narcissism is ripped straight from the page.
A few other characters and story beats differ from the source material. While most serve a narrative purpose (Frannie’s backstory with Harold, moving Mother Abigail to Colorado pre-pandemic, Gen. Starkey’s encounter with Stu), a few will likely bug book loyalists. Nick Andros (Henry Zaga) is a far more aloof character in the show than he is in the book, for example. Like the series’ tweaking of Rita Blakemore (Heather Graham), it isn’t necessarily an improvement, and leaves a confusing taste in the viewer’s mouth. However, these are exceptions and not the rule, and most tweaks and shortcuts serve to move the characters and the narrative along to their destinations.
This is called “The Stand,” after all: the destination is rather the point. The series works because its story is elemental and timeless, yet the “friends made along the way” bits are what keep a viewer coming back for more each episode. Larry experiencing the first mature growth of his life, Harold embracing his darkest Incel fantasies, Frannie emerging from despair into a position of leadership, or even Teddy (Eion Bailey) realizing that he’s survived the apocalypse only to end up in one of the weed capitols of the world all shine a light on itches that different people would scratch if this came to pass. In this way, it is escapism at its finest, and puts to rest any question about COVID fatigue dampening enthusiasm for this one. It’s not perfect by any means, but the series does about as well as anyone might reasonably expect considering the source, and never suffers a boring minute. As Tom Cullen (Brad William Henke) would say, the series is M-O-O-N: that spells excellent. [B+]
“The Stand” airs on CBS All Access starting December 17.