In the 1990s, Stephen King was an incredibly popular author, leading to numerous direct-to-TV adaptations of his works. His novels, such as The Shining, The Stand, and It, made King a household name among both children and adults, making it a no-brainer to bring his fictional worlds to the small screen. As a result, these books, along with his novella The Langoliers, were adapted into special event miniseries, drawing in a massive number of viewers and hailed by many as successful adaptations of their source material.
While these miniseries may be considered a time capsule back to the 90s, filled with cheap but charming horror and sci-fi TV productions, King’s popularity began in the mid-70s with his debut novel Carrie. King went on to write a plethora of classic works, such as The Dead Zone, Firestarter, and Pet Sematary, which became hugely successful and were adapted into films. However, due to the length of his later sprawling novels, such as It and The Stand, movie adaptations were out of the question, paving the way for TV adaptations.
The adaptation of It in 1990 kicked off the Stephen King miniseries craze, with Tim Curry’s Pennywise becoming an iconic image that haunted children for years. However, made-for-TV Stephen King adaptations were often watered down due to restrictions on prime networks like ABC. Despite this, some of these adaptations, such as the It miniseries with its famous sewer scene, still had some pretty great scares.
The Stand, released in 1994, was an even grander production than It, boasting a star-studded cast and clocking in at over six hours long. This adaptation has the advantage of being four episodes long, allowing for a more extensive exploration of its source material than It. While the miniseries may have mid-90s cheese, it takes big swings and provides plenty of thriller and drama elements.
One year later, The Langoliers premiered, based on King’s novella. Directed by Tom Holland, the miniseries follows a group of people trying to figure out what mysterious monstrous beings known as the “langoliers” are after the majority of a plane’s passengers disappear. While the CGI may be shoddy and the filmmaking uninspired, the langoliers themselves are truly otherworldly and captivating, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
