CBS All Access’s The Stand arrives with a grim promise: a plague sweeps the globe, leaving only a handful of survivors, and those few must choose between two forces of darkness and light. The setup sounds like the makings of a classic. The execution falls short of the source material’s ambition, and the result is a sprawling, uneven adaptation that fails to deliver the emotional weight or narrative clarity of Stephen King’s novel.
Based on the published critical score, the show earns a 5.6 out of 10.
Trailer, via Paramount Plus.
Opening With a Plague
The series opens with a pandemic sweeping across America. The virus kills 99 percent of humanity within weeks. The remaining survivors are scattered across the country, unaware of each other’s existence. Two figures emerge as the opposing poles of the story: Larry Underwood, a jazz musician from New York City, and Frannie Goldsmith, a college student in Boulder, Colorado.
Larry is played by Odie Adler, who brings a weary charm to the role. Frannie is played by Emma Booth, who carries the weight of her character’s moral center. The plague sets the stage, but the show struggles to establish stakes beyond the sheer scale of death. The audience sees the devastation, but the personal cost is rarely felt.
Nick And Mother Abagail
The central characters find their fates intertwined with two others. Nick Andros, played by Henry Zaga, is a mute handyman who can see visions of the future. He becomes a bridge between the two camps. His visions drive the plot forward, but they also slow the pacing when they become too abstract to follow.
The other central figure is Mother Abagail, played by Amber Heard. She is a grandmotherly figure who claims to be a prophet sent by God to guide the survivors. Her presence is meant to provide comfort and direction, but the show leans on her too heavily, turning her into a plot device rather than a fully realized character. Her scenes are often preachy, and her dialogue feels more like exposition than conversation.
“The world is full of suffering. I know this now.”
That line, spoken by Larry in the novel, captures the novel’s bleakness. The show attempts to replicate that tone, but it loses the intimacy of the prose.
The Dark Man
On the opposite side of the conflict is the Dark Man, played by Alexander Skarsgård. He is a mysterious figure who appears to be a supernatural entity, and he recruits followers to challenge Mother Abagail’s authority. His plan is to gather enough followers to break through the barrier protecting Boulder and destroy the surviving humans.
Skarsgård is charismatic and commanding, but the show’s script gives him little depth. He is a force of evil, but the nature of his evil remains unclear. The show rushes through his backstory, leaving the audience to wonder why he hates humanity so much. The conflict between him and Mother Abagail is the heart of the story, but it never quite ignites.
The Boulder Camp
The survivors in Boulder form a community around Mother Abagail. They include Glen Cook, played by Daniel Zovatto, a former police officer who becomes her chief protector. He is loyal, but his scenes are underwritten, and his arc never reaches a satisfying conclusion. The camp is meant to represent hope, but the show’s depiction of it feels static and unconvincing.
The show also introduces a subplot involving a young boy named Harold Lauder, played by Owen Teague. Harold is a survivor who becomes obsessed with Mother Abagail, but his obsession turns into a destructive force. The subplot is meant to explore the dangers of blind devotion, but it is handled clumsily, and his character’s motivations feel shallow.
Larry’s Journey
Larry Underwood is the character who connects the two camps. He travels from New York to Boulder, searching for his ex-wife, Nadine, played by Katrina Law. Their reunion is tender, but it is undercut by the show’s rushed pacing. The relationship between Larry and Nadine is promising, but the show never takes the time to develop it fully.
Larry also forms a bond with Stu Redman, played by Omid Elamin, a Vietnam veteran who joins the Boulder camp. Their friendship is genuine, but it is overshadowed by the larger conflict. The show’s focus on Larry is its strongest element, but even there the storytelling is uneven.
Where It Falls Short
The show’s biggest flaw is its pacing. The first season runs for ten episodes, and the story drags in the middle. The plague wipes out most of humanity in the first episode, but the show spends several episodes showing the aftermath without moving the plot forward. The result is a slow burn that never quite ignites.
The show also struggles with characterization. Many of the supporting characters are introduced and then abandoned, leaving the audience confused about their roles. The show’s attempt to compress a sprawling novel into a limited series results in a cluttered narrative that is hard to follow.
The visual style is ambitious, with wide shots of empty cities and dramatic lighting. The production design is impressive, but it cannot compensate for the writing. The show’s tone is also inconsistent. Some episodes are tense and gripping, while others are slow and talky.
Final Word
The Stand is a frustrating watch. It has moments of brilliance, especially in the performances of its leads, but it is let down by a script that cannot match the depth of King’s original. The show’s failure to capture the novel’s emotional core leaves the viewer feeling disappointed.
The show’s score reflects this tension. It is a flawed adaptation of a beloved novel, one that captures some of the grandeur of the story but fails to deliver the emotional payoff. The show’s strengths are its cast and its visual ambition, but its weaknesses are its pacing and its storytelling.
The final verdict is a 5.6 out of 10.
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