TV Recap & Review: ‘The Stand’ Episode 1 – “The End”

the stand miniseries
The Stand (CBS)

Having read and enjoyed Stephen King’s epic novel of the same name, the first episode of the new mini-series The Stand left me a little puzzled and confused. Part of King’s strength lies in his ability to build a story, and the novel is pretty relentless in its pace and the way in which he introduces characters. This new series starts at a different point, and the first episode suffers because of it, feeling more like a puzzle that’s been put together wrong.

The 1994 TV series, which had its own issues, managed to capture that feeling of desperation and horror whereas “The End” jumped all around and threw in some dream sequences to boot, making for a very strange viewing experience. We get to meet some of the key players, including Stu Redman (James Marsden), Frannie Goldsmith (Odessa Young), and Harold Lauder (Owen Teague), who are struggling to grasp what is going on under very different circumstances. There are also a few quick glimpses of Mother Abigail (Whoopi Goldberg) and Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård), representing the good and evil gatekeepers of what is left of planet Earth.

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In today’s current climate, the thought of a virus ravaging the planet and killing off ninety-nine percent of the population should have made this feel more relevant. Sure, COVID is nothing like this virus in terms of mortality, but one would expect it to feel more eerie and uncomfortable than it does. To be fair, there should be a sense of shock and disbelief, as the reality of the situation would be hard to grasp, but the tension in key moments feels flat and forced, something that needs to be the strength of the first episode of a mini-series like this.

Marsden plays his good guy well with Stu and Young is fine as Frannie, but it is Teague who steals the first episode as Harold, Frannie’s creepy admirer who sees the whole situation as more of an opportunity to blossom and show the world, and Frannie, who he really is. The situation, and his warped perspective on life, meld together to make one very interesting character. As Mother Abigail begins to invite people to Colorado and Randall Flagg rolls out the welcome mat in Vegas, the episode sets the stage for characters to get on the move, soon to meet others in the journey to amass forces of good and evil.

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There is some bouncing around in terms of the timeline, understandable for what has transpired, but in the end, it feels like we are either jumping into the middle of something or missing out on something altogether. It makes for a very messy and disjointed premiere, although they do touch on the actual beginning of the book, but only briefly and right near the end. I’m not sure what the plan was in terms of execution for this episode, but it missed the mark on many occasions. Still, there is such a huge amount of story to draw on, so here’s hoping The Stand becomes more focused and with a real sense of dread as it continues on its journey.

“The End” is now available on CBS All Access.


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