A new "The Stand" television series

[mengstrom]

Lately, I've thought that "The Stand" would make an awesome television series - not another mini-series, but a true 5 to 7 season television series.

I don't know about the rest of you, but in reading "The Stand" I get the sense that SK had all kinds of other ideas and avenues to explore, and he got kind of stuck in not knowing which way to go (because it is just a novel after all) and got out of it by blowing up a house with our heroes inside. In the television series format, with SK himself as Executive Producer, he could explore those ideas, go down different paths, plant seeds in the fertile brains of his writing staff, and play in the world he created.

But everyone knows the story and how it ends, right? No so. In a television series, the story could have a different ending, a different climax. I don't know about you, but when I was in the process of reading the novel, I had no idea how it was going to end - I imagined a massive battle between good and evil, and it kept me turning the pages - anything would be possible in the television series, and we could all experience SKs world he created again with anticipation! I'd suggest that a different ending would be a mandate in doing the tv series - I'm sure SK had all kinds of ideas in how to resolve his story (or not resolve it).

So, I'm starting this thread to have a little fun fleshing out what a "The Stand" series would/could look like. I see it a little like "Jericho" with a supernatural twist. Here's some initial ideas to get it going:

1) Season 1 - the Superflu pandemic, beginning with its initial outbreak and ending with everyone dead.
2) More characters. All the existing main characters would be retained and more fully explored, but I'd like to see some new characters. Perhaps the doctor we see in Boulder, to better explore the chaos of trying to treat the sick and dying and all the conflicts involved. Perhaps a military man, trying to maintain order and following orders from the top, some reasonable, some dangerous. Maybe a preacher, questioning his faith. More ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, with the ability to explore the full effects of the superflu.
3) A slow build of chaos, corresponding to a slow build of the dreams of Flagg.
4) I'd love to see Flagg be a more seductive character, rather than just scaring the crap out of the people he visits in their dreams. I find it interesting that Mother Abigail didn't know she visited people in their dreams - perhaps there could be a character we are following through Season 1 (and maybe even Season 2) that does not know he is Flagg - who was Flagg before he became the evil leader, just as who Mother Abigail is before she became the good leader. I know that Flagg is "everywhere" in the books, but in the series we could play with the idea a little more, play with the audience expectations a little more, do what Lucas should've done with Anakin in becoming Dath Vader, so to speak. I've never really bought the idea that people flocked to Las Vegas when Flagg is such a scary and evil presence - we need to understand the reason why so many people were tricked into following him.
5) I think the dreams in Season 1 would be only Flagg, until the season finale, where our main characters would dream of Mother Abigail (thus giving them all hope). Flagg would symbolically offer a promise of order and security amidst the chaos of the plague (which I found really interesting in the mini-series), where Mother Abigail offers love and hope and freedom.

Any more ideas out there? In writing these initial ideas down, this could be a really fun exercise.

[dw1345]

You have a lot of great ideas, and I personally wouldn't mind seeing a 'The Stand' t.v. series. However, I do worry about 'The Stand' saturation. We already have two different published versions of the novel (the original and the uncut version), they already made a movie, there's already been a mini series, and Marvel is currently doing a comic book series. I worry that a television series would be overkill. We should just appreciate the genius of what Mr. King has written, and enjoy what's already out there in terms of The Stand.

[mengstrom]

Maybe that's why I'd be excited about a new tv series - because there has been two books, a mini-series, and now comic books all retelling the same story. I don't buy The Stand comics because there's nothing new, but I do buy The Dark Tower because it's mostly new material filling in the gaps, which is exciting.

With your comments and springboarding off my initial ideas, maybe a tv series with all new characters? There could be "cameo appearances" by Stu, Fran, etc. - but the only main characters that would return would be Mother Abigail and Flagg - everything else would be fresh and new?

I just think, since someone did something with Dead Zone, something new certainly could be done with the huge world of The Stand that King created...

[Wynter_21]

It sounds cool, but I think it could very easily get 'off topic' and have filler episodes. Not that it's a bad idea.....

[cwalrus]

I see what you mean, mengstrom, but we'd have to first assume that SK would want to do a tv series and that someone would pick it up (maybe USA or the scifi channel).

The story is big enough to do as you suggest, but the logistics of getting it done would take a lot. You would need a large ensemble cast of returning characters some of which may go weeks without reappearing on the show because there were so many story lines to follow. You'd have to assume that a mainstream audience unfamiliar with the books would follow it with the same tenacity as they followed The Sopranos, 24, or Lost, which given the attention span of mainstream audiences is not easy to do. The story would have to be completely restructured in a way that would make sense for the audience following for 1 hour episodes from week to week. Plus, you'd have to do more than just change the ending to keep it interesting because the ending isn't until the end of the series which could take a long time to get to.

I haven't seen the miniseries but there's a part of me that doesn't want to simply because I thought the story was told best in book form. Ultimately I feel like the best version of the Stand is the one that I read and that any attempts to remake it are just going to fall short or change it so much to the point where it's not the same story.

It's not a bad idea what you suggest. Who knows, maybe someone will do something like that in the future.

[Countrygirl_sass]

I would not like to see a regular network, ABC-CBS-NBC, do something like that. Quite frankly I loved the mini-series, but I suppose a series would be able to be more complete. I wouldn't want it to be something like the Harper's Island series. You can tell much wasn't put into it.

[Rabid Assassin]

I think they should just redo the miniseries and make it longer and add more of the stories for each person in the film. the reason I didnt like the miniseries was because they cut way to much out for each character and changed to much of the story.

[mengstrom]

The story is big enough to do as you suggest, but the logistics of getting it done would take a lot. You would need a large ensemble cast of returning characters some of which may go weeks without reappearing on the show because there were so many story lines to follow. You'd have to assume that a mainstream audience unfamiliar with the books would follow it with the same tenacity as they followed The Sopranos, 24, or Lost, which given the attention span of mainstream audiences is not easy to do. The story would have to be completely restructured in a way that would make sense for the audience following for 1 hour episodes from week to week. Plus, you'd have to do more than just change the ending to keep it interesting because the ending isn't until the end of the series which could take a long time to get to.

Agree with your analysis. Basically, The Stand the book would be a baseline, and you'd go from there, free to deviate wherever it made the most sense for a tv series. Heroes is able to juggle a huge cast, so it can work. And you'd definitely have stand-alone episodes, and then myth-building episodes that would deal with the overall story arc of the series. I could even see Roland make an appearance in one of the episodes! The potential is limitless.

Love your avatar btw.

[sgmonje]

I would love to see it as at TV show also!!! I think it would be able to work. As long as they add all the detail and perhaps keep Gary Sinise as Stu I would watch it from beginning to end excitedly!