THE STAND (2020) Ending Explained: Episode 9 Breakdown And Full Season Spoiler Review

[@heavyspoilers]

Correction - the grass is corn. Probably reaching comparing the two it just reminded me of the other King work and how it messed with time. Much love - Paul

[@lordvenjix3757]

Awesome video 👌

[@insaneone1942]

Sorry you had to go through that Paul...but thank you for sparing me and my nostalgia of the 90’s version I appreciate your hard work.

[@stevegordon5689]

They cut out one of my favourite parts of the book Tom Cullen nursing Stuart back to health And was nick andros even worth being in it?

[@edengardenlabs7773]

Correction this series is about God not some turtle carrying the world on his back

[@poultryprincessglam-ma9298]

It also made me think of King’s other work...”Children of the Corn”.

[@gswithen]

The 1994 miniseries was 6 hours and this version was 8.5 hours yet somehow the shorter one had twice as much story and character development.

[@josehinojosa9752]

I really don’t understand why the 1994 series gets dogged by many people. I don’t even think it’s dated that much either. Considering it was on an ABC 1993 tv budget and had to deal with the network’s standards and practices at the time, I think it was a home run of a movie.

[@josehinojosa9752]

Especially since the first 90 minutes did a great job of the release of the virus and setting up the end of the world and it’s impact of the main characters, both on the good side and evil side. This series sidesteps all that with a cliff notes version of it.

[@clairelaffar2859]

Agreed 100%

[@johnkabou]

Was really good and faithful to the book with very good acting

[@robertszekely8686]

94 version was definitely better. The story, the acting, and the character development.

[@kev7161]

I was VERY disappointed in not having the Tom/Stu time when Tom rescues Stu and takes care of him in a lodge somewhere during the harsh winter months. I missed not seeing the "ghost" of Nick talking with Tom and guiding him on how to find the right medicine for Stu. I feel this was a huge part of the post destruction of Vegas and should not have been omitted from the series. I too have stated in comments about how this could easily have been a 3-season series, giving time to explore all the characters and nuances of the novel much more thoroughly.

[@daveysaturn7232]

All I wanted was the Christmas scene with Stu and Tom.

[@15jorada]

They could have done four seasons, one for each part in the book.

[@ElizabethT45]

I was disappointed that they didn't include how Nick met Tom, in that town where Tom had set up all the decorations. Nick realizes inside Tom's house that although Tom couldn't read, he knew that credit card signs went together, that other objects complemented each other. That's why Nick suggested Tom go to Vegas, because he knew Tom would put certain things together in a way only he could see.

[@katnip526]

Them watching Rambo IV would’ve been clutch 🤣 This new version sucked and really could’ve been done well and thorough, but it wasn’t. I’d rather read the book a hundred times over.

[@monami5658]

The Tom character wasn’t played as an important part of the story… even his looks. The original The Stand book has so many intricacies that made up the whole story that I’m disappointed. I’ve read the book many times and was excited for this remake!

[@JaYoeNation]

I enjoy watching these just for the criticism you bring to this series. I love it.

[@KabbalahSherry]

Right?! 😆 I didn't watch the actual show at all, but these breakdowns were entertaining AF.

[@phatmantv]

Right? That's why I subscribed.

[@suncore598]

More entertaining than the show.

[@lena7623]

I always wanted a version of The Stand to give more focus to society falling apart like the book did, but this version somehow did it LESS than the original mini series. The majority of the actors were great (Ezra Miller excluded), but they weren't given enough to work with, like you said. Kind of sad, overall, as I had really been looking forward to watching this.

[@mhjmc]

I did too .. if they would've re-did the 1994 version but added the societal downfall it would've been better but this one was just a cliff notes of the cliff notes version!!

[@rachelcrawford1977]

I would agree except I really had a hard time with amber Hurd caricature in the 90s version you liked her understood she was broken and you wanted her to jump at the end to save her in this version I was like why does anyone like her she’s a block of wood that walks. When she talks that guy into the bomb I’m like why is he doing this and he was believed as angry about losing to franie once again but he kills his first and only friend and the whole time your wondering the same as the friend why. All the other caricatures where at least something not much and that whole lockdown in the bunkers for that first guy why?? But even still I got why they helped him I liked him.

[@AntoinMhicArtain]

I think the whole pandemic and falling apart of society is everybody's favorite part of The Stand, that's why people loved the first few seasons of The Walking Dead so much too, trust them to completely disregard the best part of the story!

[@anthonyvannoni2453]

Am I the only one that is glad the series is over. I checked out in Vegas. But I needed to know what happened without watching. You did a hell of a job, Paul.

[@vbmorris81]

Agreed this left me disappointed. I really love the source material and the 90s miniseries.

[@TheReverendJonnyNemo]

was a way better work; gave it a finality.....

[@VirtualSatyr]

This version was full of missed opportunities, rushed scenes, empty characters, bizarre changes, and odd narratives. The 94 adaptation reigns supreme. All Hail The Crimson King.

[@mandih2636]

The 94 one is so good

[@rachelcrawford1977]

I really liked that version I was hoping this would be similar it’s like the writers had no understanding of faith so they could not write about it. Trying so hard to use logic and just it was hollow they made evil normal and good faith people just weak

[@tytantyphlosion2910]

The huge atmosphere of loneliness and desolation is something the 90s miniseries really got down

[@BunderChowed]

I agree, the series promised so much but delivered little quality.

[@danplomaritis7720]

Totally agree with you..but you forgot to mention the best performance by far..KOJAK!!!

[@mhjmc]

KOJAK was by far the best performance!!

[@ericcartman7361]

The fact that the dog is a better actor than most actors on this series is just sad.

[@AnneAtHome]

Mick Garris, one of the directors of the 1994 miniseries, has a cameo in the community picnic/dance scene. He's the man with the long silver hair.

[@heavyspoilers]

Ah nice

[@wyrdness1]

'tall grass'... funny way of describing corn.

[@chrisprescott2273]

Yeah. Us Nebraskans didnt appreciate that.

[@trishaleigh6380]

I love the 90’s version to this day!!

[@corydale1665]

The well is also reminiscent of Delores Claiborne. Flagg showing Frannie the visions in the water reminded me of The Wind Through The Keyhole when a version of Flagg played with a kid. I wish they could have spent the time to let us connect with the characters more and I also prefer the 90s series.

[@FeletiMatagi]

"slightly disappointed?" OMG, this was disastrous. I just couldn't stop watching because I needed to finish it. Thank God, it's over.

[@mhjmc]

Me too!! but Very Disappointed!!

[@dkblack3461]

I couldn't agree more, Feleti. It truly was disastrous! So much talent and money involved, along with amazing source material...all gone to waste. :(

[@tammiepage6489]

I never seen this one I seen the original one it to me so I’m gonna watch the original one and then I heard they made a remake of it or whatever but I was trying to side whether or not I should watching reviews and everything is pretty bad and from that we love you are saying is pretty bad time to try to take a chance on or not

[@darleneroy2017]

Before the series aired I was telling everyone about it and was super excited. After the second episode when anyone asked I said don't bother watch the original or read the book. Truly unfortunate 😞

[@pathead9944]

Same here. I was so excited. And by the end of episode 3 me and my cousin were just watching it because we felt obligated to because of how much we loved the original. Everything about the 2020 series was dreadful. The acting, the pacing, the jumping back and forth , the emptiness of the characters, and the fact that it's like 2hrs longer and somehow has far less content

[@ericcartman7361]

Hoping HBO will adapt this and actually not make dumb decisions like the writers in this series. Gender bending characters instead of actually using female characters from the book, man these writers are uneducated.

[@jdgill77]

How about a video chronicling RF’s Story after The Stand.

[@tania-gb9be]

Your reviews are more enjoyable than the actual show . Thanks for the breakdowns

[@TheMelindaZombie]

I didn’t read the book or watch the old TV movie and I actually really enjoyed this series. I’m confident in saying 60-70% of what I like is Alexander Skarsgard. He is phenomenal in all things he does. I’ve loved him since he was Eric Northman.

[@MalindaPC]

I fell in love with the characters in the 90s mini series. This latest series though I just couldn’t connect with ANY of the characters.

[@pathead9944]

100 percent agree. I honestly couldn't stand most of the characters. Everyone was forgettable. And I absolutely hate how nick had no personality. And how flagg had zero charisma

[@ericcartman7361]

Really hated what they did to Lloyd Henried in this series

[@flibber123]

One of my issues with this ending is the reason they leave Boulder. Yes, superficially it's because of society going back to its old ways. In truth, it's because Frannie and Stu are kind of outsiders now. They are the leftovers of the old mystical Boulder. The Boulder that was compromised of people who were beckoned to follow a woman who talks to God. The Boulder Stu comes back is a human run, non magical community populated mostly by people who showed up after Mother Abigail and the Free Zone leaders were dead or gone. Frannie and Stu feel out of place. They used to be important people in that community and now they are curiosities more than anything else. I think them leaving would have worked better if it played out like that rather than they are afraid of crime, etc.

[@KipIngram]

i think your comments are all completely valid, and in a rational way I agree with them. I've just always had a soft spot for this story, though - I guess it makes me willing to overlook a lot. My own feeling was that the early episodes of the new version were better than the early portion of the '94 make, but the further into it we got the more than turned around. The main issue I have with the '94 version is it's camp - even when it was made it had a campy flavor to it, and that's just gotten more obvious as time has gone by. I've read the book several times too, so I can't help also comparing to that. I very much enjoyed seeing Fran get to make her own Stand against Flagg - that was good. And the inclusion of our last view of Flagg was good too. But,like you, I hated getting NOTHING about Stu and Tom's trip back east. That scene in the '94 version where Tom is crying on the bench and if you didn't know from having read the book you'd think Stu had died - that was POWERFUL and no matter how many times I see it it moves me. Maybe that's the key observation - in spite of its camp, the '94 version brings a deeply emotional reaction from me in certain places, and this one just didn't. I also wish it had been longer, but I'll blame that on CBS executives - someone chose a budget for this, and then the people creating it had to work within those limits. Both the '94 series and the '20 series completely ignore a proper development of Larry and Nadin's relationship, which I think is one of the most important ones in the book. The '20 series went BACKWARDS on that - at least in the '94 version they spent a LITTLE time on it - at least you'd seen Larry and Nadine (almost) be intimate earlier on. But without that back story it makes ZERO sense for Nadine to show up on Larry's step and throw herself at him. Also, in the book and in the '94 version Nadine is a deep and conflicted character, who doesn't want the hand she's been dealt but doesn't have the strength to turn away from it. 2020 Nadine seems like a willing accomplice of evil all the way along. Also, WHERE WAS LUCY SWANN??????? She was of key importance in Larry's decision to turn Nadine away. This gets me down to what I think neither series properly captures. The Stand is *really* a story of the redemption of one man, and God's consequent decision to give humanity another shot at things. That man is Larry Underwood. Larry is the only main character who actually experiences a change of character in The Stand. All the other "good guys" are good from the start, and don't really change at all. Larry, on the other hand, starts out as an asshole. Particularly in the book a lot of attention is paid to it - we get his mother's thoughts about how she'd hoped he'd change, and she even thinks to herself that, given his adult status now, "nothing short of a catastrophe" would be enough to change him. Well, one catastrophe, coming right up, ma'am. And gradually as the book unfolds, Larry comes around. The scene where Nadine offers herself to him, but he chooses Lucy instead, is the culmination of this change, and the '20 series just glosses right by that. You never really get a sense of Larry changing his course. And I do think that it was Larry's decision to live right and be true to the people he cares about that was *the salvation* of humanity in the book. I think that what God needed to see was a "lost soul" find the strength to change course, and when he saw that, he swept (most of) the evil off the table so that the remaining people could at least try to live in peace. Finally, one thing that has always baffled me about Stu and Fran leaving to return to Maine at the end - would you really be able to believe, in a situation like that, that EVERYONE who survived the plague was "accounted for" in either Vegas or Boulder? Wouldn't there still be some folks floating around out there like the rapists they encountered along the way (singular rapist in the '20 series)? Do you really want to go off alone to raise your children, where you'll have no access to medical care and no protection of numbers, when you just don't know what threats remain out there? I'd think long and hard before doing that. Of course, I know we're supposed to see it as Fran and Stu making sure their kids will be raised right, without the bad influences already creeping back into things. And I'm a big fan of parents choosing how to raise their kids - I think a whole lot of the problems we're seeing these days (increased emotional problems in our teens, etc.) can be chalked up to how we raise our kids differently - these days both parents usually work (so they're BUSY) and our technology gives our kids access to a world of ideas, generally before they're old enough to know how to separate the good from the bad. I wouldn't want to return to the "old ways" in total - there were lots of really bad problems back then that we've genuinely made progress on. But in some ways... the old ways were better ways. We've cast them aside, through choice and through necessity, and our children are paying the price. I found the words that Mother Abigail said to Fran in that last dream scene interesting. She told her that *her* children would fill the world. Not hers and the children in Boulder. I think there's almost an unwritten implication that things aren't going to go well in Boulder - they'll try, but the old habits will pull them down in time. And it will be Stu and Fran whose offspring inherit the earth. I don't think you need to worry about their kids making babies together, though - in the book it's actually stated that they know they'll need to return to Boulder someday, for the kids to be around other kids. I think what Fran has in mind is that they will go off to Main until their kids are old enough to have strong values, and then they'll go back. And the kids will find partners, and so on - but it's going to be those values that Stu and Fran taught them when they were young that really represent the future of humanity. They'll return to Boulder, and those children will mature and will help keep Boulder on a "path of rightness." Anyway, I had to watch this - I just care too much about The Stand not to. And I was braced going in for it to be... "incomplete." The '94 series was too - you just can't do a story as rich and complex as The Stand without (a lot) more time.

[@lukesittenauer4109]

I will miss you The Stand breakdowns, even if the episodes themselves were not great.

[@garysmith9677]

Enjoyed your coverage more than the show! Thanks for sticking it out till the end.

[@jondavidtheauthor6318]

"Compressed". I think you hit the nail on the head there. Sure, I like things to progress as a good pace and each episode moved fast, but like I've said in previous posts, we needed more to this story. It should be EPIC. We needed more with Boulder, I wanted to know more about the people there. One thing I always liked about the Stand was the fact that it seemed like "regular people" trying to overcome outstanding obstacles and rebuilding society. However, I gotta imagine a doctor or two survived, a cop, a military person, a scientist, etc. Maybe not the best of the best, but certainly skilled. Then there's the rest of the world. Maybe in this episode they mentioned other countries and the survivors there. With one BILLION people in China, gotta imagine that a few survived there for starters. Give hope that maybe we end up getting world peace. Sure, Flagg not being "DEAD" finally is a bummer BUT I like the metaphor of good and evil always existing. Maybe we'll get a director's cut or something, filled with plenty more material but I'm doubtful. Oh well.

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah exactly, a series could’ve expanded on it and introduced new communities and so on, just felt like we got the TLDR of the book

[@jondavidtheauthor6318]

@@heavyspoilers They showed enough with the New Vegas community. I dont think we needed anything more there. How ironic where we got TOO MUCH with the Hobbit and not enough here. They also never really addressed the fact that Flagg is a supernatural being. The characters, I mean. Imagine if Glenn realized "Holy shit, he's not human." and maybe someone else, one of Flagg's followers confessed "Yeah, he made promises and we followed him...now we're going to Hell."

[@fullfiledprophecies]

@@jondavidtheauthor6318 exactly! This show didn't need more, it needed to stick to the book (which has plenty of GREAT material to use) Totally agree with Flagg too. The show wanted to stay grounded (which I assume is why they cut out a lot of the dream sequences) but really should have addressed just how inhuman Flagg was/is.

[@dexpac]

I feel like even with just three or four more episodes this show could have been pretty good. They were so anxious to keep the plot moving forward that they mostly ignored the character work but without that character work the plot made very little sense. Still better than the Under the Dome adaptation, though.

[@bartrivezzi6704]

I am feeling that way too. There should have been more episodes.

[@ericcartman7361]

There should have been 3 seasons. Hoping HBO will adapt The Stand with 3 seasons, then adapt the Dark Tower with 5 or 6 seasons.

[@drbeckyweinshilboum]

I always enjoy your comments, with this series I’d have to say that I actually enjoyed your commentary better than some of the series episodes. I think it’s sad that they could’ve had something that was really awesome and took this material and did I don’t know what it is they turn it inside out and made caricatures of what we’re awesome characters.

[@superdani152003]

you know you made a good work when you don't watch the series,but watched all of your videos.thank you Paul 👏

[@heavyspoilers]

Ey thank you

[@NakedDow]

So I wasn't the only one thinking that this could have been like 2-3 seasons? Good to know....

[@ericcartman7361]

Hoping HBO will adapt this and make it 3 seasons.

[@TheCheekymunkee]

I love your optimistic viewpoint buddy, I can only say that I was so excited for this show, and it has hands down, been the biggest disappointment I've watched in years, and yep, can't agree with you more, the original 90's show is so much better and if I'm ever in the mood to rewatch The Stand then that'll be the series I watch, anyhoo, your coverage has been top notch, I look forward to watching your WandaVision reviews! 👍👍

[@heavyspoilers]

Ey thank you Paul

[@mercuryfighter]

I agree with everything this guy had to say. I wish it had been over multiple seasons instead of 9 part limited series

[@ericcartman7361]

@@mercuryfighter Hopefully HBO or any streaming service that isn’t CBS will buy the rights to The Stand and make a 3 season series out of it.

[@mrmagoozle]

Literally, there is pages and pages on the journey which Tom saves Stu and they head back. It’s really sweet... but we got... this

[@lorrainecampbell6448]

I knew it! Recycled stories from King's works. I also felt that the young Abigail was also a nod to Abra Stone from Dr. Sleep. Thank you for the spot on reviews. Your comments echoed my feelings.

[@kaspinet]

The Last Temptation of Frannie. It didn't help that I laughed a few times when I probably wasn't supposed to.

[@ericcartman7361]

No one including me cared about Franny throughout this series. She was just such an unlikable character. I really would have not cared if they killed her off in the last episode.

[@rodneymckay8860]

At one point Ben Affleck was attached to write & direct the project. I think he would’ve done a better job.

[@memyself898]

Couldn'thave done much worse. This was crap.

[@larryhatcher8927]

I don't know about Affleck. I will say this mini series was so bad that I made a special point to look at the producer. It was a guy, Josh Boone, who was signed to write and direct this in February of 2014. He had one movie under his belt....a very below average romantic comedy. So they hire this guy to write and direct The Stand. Six years later this is what we have. I wish I could get a great job that easy. This guy was a fraud and and a hack. BTW I was interested in the story about Affleck. My understanding is that he signed up for this project then figured out he had bitten off too much. I believe there were 4-5 directors who simply said "no"

[@dkblack3461]

@@larryhatcher8927 - I didn't know that, but it sure explains a lot. Why wouldn't they hire a show runner with a proven track record? There are some incredible television writers out there who could have done an incredible job. (Gawd, the writing was horrible!) What a squandered opportunity to create something amazing and memorable.

[@Tabodread]

Cracks me up how I have to come find this video even though I’m subscribed and notifications are on. I see what your doing KZbin.

[@LeAnimal65]

The 94 mini series was far superior and I'm re-watching it now to help wash the remake out of my brain. Damn sad as this had huge potential to outshine the original with a bigger budget and an R rating, but the writing was flat.

[@robertszekely8686]

I'm going to watch the 94 version as well. This series that we just saw left a bad taste in my mouth

[@ericcartman7361]

Hoping HBO will adapt this sooner rather than later and give us the remake and adaptation we have waited for. In my opinion I think they should keep a few actors from this version and recast the rest.

[@michaelpittengersr500]

Had a hard time with Whoopie sounding like Patty and Selma with a mop on her head. Good that FF worked.

[@ericcartman7361]

I had a hard time with Lloyd Henried being an annoying wannabe pimp.

[@ShadowSonic2]

@@ericcartman7361 That's how he is in the books, he's supposed to be this dim high school dropout. A young wannabe criminal, not some older guy like Ferrer was.

[@aveywilliams7761]

I agree. The 90s version was more depth. It felt real to me. I felt, the characters from the 90s extended storyline. But, us 90s kids knew about the Dawn of the network Mini Series, because we grew up on them. This mini series was on speed....

[@saky83]

You can't rush Steven king! Definitely could of done spreading over a few series... I did think there was going to be a cross over with the long grass & other Kings works , felt cut short ...love ya work @heavyspoilers

[@willmorris6946]

Without slipping into The Negative Zone, I will say that I was disappointed by the rush, rush, rush of it all. That constant need to advance the plot. At the detriment of these characters.

[@BostonMBrand]

I said this in another comment but I agree. This show needed at least a longer season or maybe even two or three seasons. The stand can’t be a miniseries, even if the series is 9 episodes.

[@willmorris6946]

@@BostonMBrand You are completely correct. I think three nine episode seasons would have felt about right. Watching this felt like we missed several episodes. Like we tuned in and out but never completely caught up.

[@ericcartman7361]

@@willmorris6946 Hoping HBO will buy the rights to The Stand and make 3 seasons out of it.

[@willmorris6946]

@@ericcartman7361 I'd rather HBO buy the rights to The Dark Tower. Way more story.

[@ericcartman7361]

@@willmorris6946 I think they should do both.

[@Cadcomputers]

I love how two people can have different interpretations of one singular story or event. In my case I saw the “tall grass”, which I thought was corn....and there was a child living in the middle of it. So I naturally thought it was a reference to kings book “children of the corn”. King also likes to put yin/yang symbolism in his stories and when I saw that Flagg was reborn, so too was mother Abigail. Good cannot exist without evil and vice versa. I like your version because it explains things in a better way. I liked parts of this mini series, but still prefer the original. Ezra bothered me the most and second was Lloyd. They just were played so differently than what I remember about the book and from the original miniseries that I couldn’t adjust to their new persona’s. How is it that a miniseries can have slow pacing and yet you still don’t learn that much about the characters. If I hadn’t read and watched the other versions, I don’t think I would understand most of the characters motivations or thoughts. I feel like the 90’s version did this much better. Anyone else notice that they hired Amber Heard to play the role of a backstabbing girlfriend who eventually turns evil and has the prince of darkness’s baby? Talk about type casting....I wonder if she thought about how that would look now with all the Johnny depp drama? Thanks for reading!

[@ericcartman7361]

Lloyd Henried was awful

[@denisetidwell3425]

There were a lot of issues with this remake and you voiced them perfectly. I do think it had its good points but you were more generous with your 5 out of 10. I fought through it, really struggling, wanting to like it but I couldn't quite do it. My score would be a 3 or 4 out of 10. Thank you for the reviews.

[@CuLOVR]

I was so disappointed by this show and the big silver lining was your videos after each bad episode. Thank you so much!

[@MistyWarden]

Fran’s ending in the book always bothered me, not because she had nothing to do but because of her insistence that she, Stu, and the kids (the first in the book was a boy named after her father and she’s already pregnant again when they leave) go back to Maine away from society. (In the book) She just had a c-section done by a vet and is very quickly pregnant again and going across the country away from any possible medical care?

[@MistyWarden]

Also they spent ages cleaning up corpses and trash in Boulder, Ogunquit is a smallish town but they’ll still be totally alone among the rotting dead with no assistance in case one of them gets injured or sick with even normal illness. Jeez Fran.

[@jodeanesullens6588]

Actually in the book they go back to Maine, but not to her town. They head to the western lake region. She doesn't want to go home yet.

[@sandrabaulch]

You know what really would have been cool? - Flagg disappears like the coward he is at the end. - The show finishes it's story, INCLUDING an entire episode of Stu and Tom's journey trying to get back to boulder and developing their deep friendship, in which Tom absolutely saves Stu, with the help of ghost Nick. - post credits scene: ONE YEAR LATER. The man in Black flees across the desert, and the Gunslinger follows. "Coming 2022: the Gunslinger" This opens up a new series to the Dark Tower books.

[@chadcognac5626]

Fair criticism. Thru n thru. Sadly, no Amber Teard jokes the last couple weeks. 😂

[@alcubs4159]

...5/10 -- Very Generous. stopped watching after 4 episodes & just watched your reviews to see what they did to this book adaptation.

[@jaketheberge1970]

You should do more Stephen King series or movie reviews. A lot of people I think forget that theres a mini series adaptation of Desperation. I'd like to see your thoughts on it.

[@KevinIsrael]

Awesome and spot on review. It should have definitely been a multi-season series. One thing, Flag is not the Man in Black.

[@goblin3810]

I recently listened to the audio book. It's interesting that I pictured some characters from the original mini series but some from the new series as I listened.

[@MamaBearAngela]

Totally agree with you. They had the cast and the budget and threw it away. I feel like the series as a whole was missing a lot of details and story-telling. For being roughly the same amount of runtime as the '94 series - I didn't check the actual numbers - the '94 series really made you feel the essence of the story more and fleshed out the characters a lot more. For a TV show in general, this was a good series to watch. I did like that Young Abagail said, "I'm in the way of knowing" Frannie and Stu will parent generations to come. I didn't LOVE it, but was happy to see the Stand retold. :) Thanks for the reviews!

[@BostonMBrand]

I said it in the comment section of the last video but I agree with what you said regarding that the series should have been longer. I often hear the complaint that while King’s works are adored, his stories are hard to adapt to the screen as they are too long to be films and too complicated to be made on a tv budget. Now of course, there are clear outliers so I’m not sure if this reigns true. Honestly if it were up to me, this show should have been at least two seasons or maybe just a single season with 30 something episodes. Also it should have been made by HBO. The first season could follow the spread of captain trips, the destruction of society and the journey of the characters, ending with all the characters arriving at the Boulder Free Zone. Than season 2 would finish the story by telling the rest of the book.

[@1953Johnnyp]

This reminds me of the endless reiterations of the story of "Ivanhoe" by Walter Scott. Some shows were good on their own merit but none actually seemed to capture the whole book. Somebody finally got it right in the "6-part, 5-hour TV miniseries, a co-production of A&E and the BBC. It stars Steven Waddington as Ivanhoe, Ciarán Hinds as Bois-Guilbert, Susan Lynch as Rebecca, Ralph Brown as Prince John and Victoria Smurfit as Rowena." (Wikipedia) The book is a long read but it is superb!

[@kevinraab3875]

I don't usually watch analysis videos, but this time I was so disappointed with the series that I wanted to make sure it wasn't just me. Strong analysis Paul, I feel the same way. Greetings from Germany

[@wadefromthawell942]

I enjoyed the series. I think The Stand needed this update. Not perfect but perfection is a piece of plastic cheese. Looks great, but you can't eat it. Also on a side note: there was some tapping in your audio track that I found to be quite distracting. Not a big thing, but big enough I felt to mention. I have enjoyed watching the episodes and right after your videos. Thanks. Best days & Best wishes to you & yours.

[@barbarafolk1854]

I have to agree on your take on this. The cast was wonderful, the story was way too compressed, and I didn't think episode 9 was so different than the end of the story, although I liked the addition of the stand for Frannie. I think this could have been so much better, but I do like it.

[@heavyspoilers]

Thanks and yeah I would love to have seen this cast get a full run at the story, one day we will get a 3 season long stand

[@ericcartman7361]

@@heavyspoilers Some casting choices were good and some were bad. Hopefully at some point another streaming service will buy the rights to The Stand, keep a few actors from the CBS version and do better. This show sucked and a great book like The Stand deserves better. I think HBO would be the best choice to adapt The Stand.

[@alapidge]

Where did you watch finale? Thought it wasn’t out in UK until this Sunday?

[@fortek13]

90s series was way better. It's strange when 4 episodes tell more of the story and give more to characters than 9 episodes. Wasn't total waist of time to watch it but yeah, not going back... unlike to 90s one.

[@jaketheberge1970]

Heres how I think the show should have been handled. Season 1 would be the plague and the fall of society. Season 2 would be people arriving in Boulder and Vegas. Season 3 can be longer and include the betrayal and the final confrantation in vegas. I have no idea how to make more story that takes place after the book ends. Game Of Thrones was ruined by a lack of books.

[@ericcartman7361]

I hope HBO will make 3 seasons out of The Stand sooner rather than later.

[@albertsimpson8405]

i wood like to see them make The Dark Tower in 7 seasons like book

[@rezamatic]

I tried with this series on many angles. I tried as a fan of the book but realized there was no way the series would be able to tackle it efficiently. You'd need 20 hours of episodes. Then I tried watching it as a newcomer to the content with no preconceived notions .... and I was bored out of my mind. Nothing had any impact and there was no drama/horror/suspense... Mother Abigail had no presence, the building of the Free Zone had no payoff.... I felt almost embarrassed for the book knowing this will be some people's first exposure to it. So THEN I tried to look at it as an experiment. Taking a complicated epic story and applying new story telling techniques... Could they pull it off? I watched hoping they'd recreate what "Lost" season 1/2 so great with flashback character building. And once we got to Vegas and the plot became more standard that all fell apart also. What a bummer.

[@ericcartman7361]

Hoping HBO will redo the show and give us a proper adaptation.

[@etownsend82]

Watched your final review Paul before the final episode...guess that tells you how excited I am! 😂 Pretty much agree with the assessment and score. I may give it a 5.5 for effort. Great review as always.

[@kristinesmith8776]

You did a great job of keeping us interested in this series

[@IYAMNI]

I want to use a scene from The Shining to show why I believe the time jumps and out of sequence chronology in The Stand 2020, dulled the dramatic edges of the story. WARNING: I am about to spoil a very tense scene from the novel The Shining. It's the Firehose scene. Some of you may remember it from the book. It's not a pivotal plot point or anything, but it is a very scary moment. I don't think this scene was in Kubrick's film, but in the film we do see Danny Torrance riding his trike through the hallways of The Overlook before he confronts the ghost twins. But in the book, when Danny is riding the trike, there is an excruciating scene that lasts maybe a page long... might not have been a whole page, been a long time since I read it, but I remember King invested a lot of time and build up to this moment... At one point Danny rides past the firehose in the hallway, if I remember right the firehose is coiled up on the wall.... but when Danny rides past it again, the firehose has uncoiled a bit and is laying on the floor. Danny stops and stares.... he's like 'wtf?'... should he turn around, go the other way.... or should he ride past it? So the tension comes in the context. We know something is not right with the hotel by now, that there is some supernatural threat in The Overlook... and then Danny's mind starts working as he stares at the firehouse.... and this goes on in the way King masterfully builds suspense; the way he can put you in the moment and keep you there... you're like OMG what's gonna happen???... (spoiler) then after all this build up and tension, Danny races past the firehouse and nothing happens at all. He turns to see it still laying on the floor. So what would have happened to the tension in that scene if King had first shown Danny looking back at the the firehose he had already passed, and then afterwards showing him remembering the beginning of that scene? No tension. So much of King writing is all about building up to a moment, the tension the suspense.... and that's why I think the biggest problem with The Stand 2020, is that they killed a lot of tension by breaking up the order of the story.

[@thearmchairjournalist566]

I have watched your videos each week before watching the show 🤣 Love your take on it and agree the story could of been a lot more in-depth than what we got! Thanks for these, they have given me more reason to watch them so I can think about your opinion compared to mine. Great to get me to think more about what I’m watching!!

[@leahv5892]

3 seasons to do the book sounds like. Better idea. The book is incredibly layered. There is so much going on with every character. You could do an entire episode for each character. It could take 3 seasons to do the book justice.

[@ericcartman7361]

Hoping HBO adapts this and does 3 seasons like you said.

[@fgz1]

Totally agree with your assessment. A real letdown given the epic source material. Definitely should have spread it over several seasons.

[@ericcartman7361]

HBO should adapt The Stand and give it 3 seasons.

[@bbwsweetpeaokla]

Yes the original was the best

[@lordvenjix3757]

Awesome Breakdown As Always 👌

[@joffreyreillers1336]

Really enjoy these thank you. Its not long grass though, its corn. Rich in symbolism in religious sense in many cultures. It generally denotes spiritual goodness.

[@unicornzombielove]

The source material already had all of this-Las Vegas wasn't a 24/7 Spring Break filled with Jerry Springer rejects, it was a town full of hard working people trying to rebuild society who happened to believe the wrong person. Flagg's people were told that Tom was rejected bc Boulderians didn't want him making babies and they loving accepted him (his cover story). They knew what Flagg was doing but it's just like so many people in the world know the atrocities carried out by their own leaders on their own society and other countries. Also Flagg's rebirth is truly a rebirth and no one comes back as a time traveling ghost to kill or save anyone. What a waste. One of my favorite parts in the books is when Tom saves Stu. Tom dreams of Nick who tells him what drugs to give to Stu. It's so bitter sweet bc Tom finds out that his best friend is dead and they get a moment together. Tom and Stu also have a Christmas together. It's like this healing salve after the destruction in Vegas. To throw out those scenes so Frannie can fall down a well and get sexually harassed by Flagg. Wow.

[@krispike6174]

I completely agree with your opinions about this show I gave up on it half way thru the Vegas episode. Poor story telling from the get go, and worse because it comes from such a great novel.

[@mhjmc]

Thank you for this!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated this .. this did nothing for character development like the 1994 version, I'm saddened by this version so much that I'm rethinking my re-reading of the book. The ending was not what was promised, there was nothing redeeming in it at all. I'm glad it's over!!! The one good thing I will say about this is that I FOUND your channel and have become a huge fan!!! Thank you Paul for suffering through this with us!!!

[@pagan.majere]

Spot on review... I feel sorry for people that had not read the books... they would have been lost.. way to compressed.. you cant feel for characters when its rushed like this was

[@darkdefender5759]

I'm just here to give a like, I'm looking forward to WandaVision tomorrow. Maybe I'll watch this show at some point in the future, when I'm old and have no life. But I loved all your breakdown and it made the show seem more enjoyable. Thank you

[@heavyspoilers]

Cheers

[@redjokerjd]

I don't watch this show, but always catch the breakdowns. Keep doing what you're doing.

[@moonlily1]

I'd say your rating was fair and I rather agree with you. The series wasn't the atrocity some of the reviews made it out to be, but it's by no means a can't miss. It was sufficiently entertaining to me, but it just felt hollow. It could have been an excellent series if it were less rushed, the characters more fleshed, the depiction of Vegas less campy and the Trash Can Man either written out or depicted extremely differently.

[@DRossGaming]

Love the channel man. And your comparisons and puns are awesome lol for real though. I lol at least 3 times a video. And your analogies are 🔥! Good shit bud. Keep it up, my fellow comic enthusiast! That being said, I'm super excited for the upcoming projects. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, shang-Chi, Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, Spider-Man: No Way Home. It's going to be a great year and I am so looking forward to all the content you're going to be putting out for all of it! From all of us nerds, thank you for your service good sir! I would have given the series solid 7.5 out of 10 pretty good, great acting, mediocre writing. Just like that certain something you know? As always peace ✌️ & love❤️!

[@mandih2636]

I agree that it would’ve been so much better as a multi season series to flesh out the characters. I wish someone would do it that way and actually do it right

[@ericcartman7361]

I think HBO would be a good choice to adapt The Stand and make it 3 seasons. There is 2 reasons why HBO should adapt The Stand. HBO does more R rated material and HBO is owned by Warner Brothers and WB makes good and faithful King adaptations.

[@Music-Axis]

Nice video series on this. Although I liked the series a lot more than the 90’s version, I never read the source material so I didn’t have that preconceived vision of what the story was missing.

[@michaelmarino334]

I must say, i could not agree more with your review of this mini series . so much missed lost potential.

[@chichivladinski]

Been watching your reviews the whole way through. I loved it! I even watched 1994's to compare them.

[@citycen01]

Thanks for the breakdowns. I got to enjoy this series through them.

[@Ogspotlite]

If you’re seeing this comment God bless you and your family!”

[@The_0nly_N0VA]

i couldn't agree with your overall criticism more...gave me so much hope in the beginning! the first episode filled me with glee! but even when compared to the dreadful (guilty pleasure) that is the 90s adaptation, it felt heartless. The world didn't seem as empty or afflicted (or all that different from the current apocalypses that face us)...i got half way though episode seven at which point i just relied on your summaries to "finish" the programme...deeply disappointing. CBS needs to do better to justify its streaming service....as it is, i'm one of the thirteen trekies who actually likes its newer trek manifestations so it makes me rather nervous to see them failing on non-trek properties as well.

[@pepsicooper9869]

I wanted to love this so much, but agree with everyone that it was too compressed. I have my own emotional attachment to the book characters, but with the exception of Larry, I couldn't make the connection with the characters in this retelling. Having said that, I found myself very sad it was over last night. I'll watch the whole thing over a weekend and see if the lack of a weekly break changes my view, but outside of that, I don't expect I'll revisit this one again. I'll always have my book, tho.

[@gladyshartmann9643]

Any possibility that you would do a series on HBOMax 30 Coins? I have been enjoying it more than I thought. Love your recaps.

[@kev7161]

It seems like they were setting it up for a second season (which would have been an original show as opposed to an adaptation) with the idea of how Fran and Stu's children would grow up to start repopulating the world (they'd probably have to return to Boulder to do so), how the dynamics of Boulder would start to be reshaped, a young Abigail (reincarnated?), Flagg is still around, etc. Lots of things to focus on in a second season. However, due to the bad response to this season, I'm sure they won't go any further with this. Good!

[@LordFalconsword]

The epilogue ending in the 1994 series was perfect, with Tom saving Stu, being talked to by Nick's ghost so that he got the right medicine then them travelling back to Boulder together is perfect. This ending, like the rest of the show, was disjointed and left me confused and disappointed.

[@jadapandy]

Loved it! Wish there was more. Solid and best adaptation.

[@Firedrake18]

I guess I don't understand the term mini series. I believed it to mean to expand what couldn't be shown in a movie. But I feel with some editing you would get the same in about 2 and half to 3 hour movie. Getting to know the characters then the struggle theyv went through before they even got to the mother Abigail is why I enjoyed the book.

[@ultronemperor3525]

I'm probably the only one who prefered this to the old version. The only thing I hated about it was Trashcan Man. Maybe is beacuse Arold and Flagg were my favourite characters from the book, and here they were absolutely perfect. I also really liked this ending for Frannie, since in the book she didn't really do that much against Flagg. Here she finally had her stand.

[@CatFanComicsMan]

Still haven't caught up on the stand (the new one) loved original. King is a favorite!

[@IvanoForgione]

I totally agree with your overall opinion, but I must say that I absolutely enjoyed this last episode. It moved me for the first time in the series, seriously. I'm a fan of the book that I read twice, years ago, and from a book standpoint this coda episode is fantastic: if I pretend the rest of the season does not exist and this is a short movie version of the very last chapter of the book it's brilliant, honestly. So, why don't you do a video on the 90's series and one on the Dark Tower movie? I know it's not great stuff, but it's interesting (and funny) to do those too :)

[@murphydtx]

Thanks Paul for saving me from watching the CBS. I read the book several times. Missed opportunities, nice way to say it

[@dannyfennell5707]

Good job dude!

[@pollypuffington2243]

The characters and the atmosphere needed more development if they would have stretched it over 3 seasons with a more linear storyline it would have been better. I couldn't finish it but just know your reviews are better than the actual show

[@marianburge2210]

I agree, there should have been at least 2 seasons but 3 would have been better. The mini-series was better.

[@ryanhoward9329]

Thanks for saving me time and money from subscribing to CBS all access. Being my favorite book of all time, I was looking forward to a more modern take on the novel. From what I watched from your reviews, I dodged a bullet. Truly disappointing