The Stand Episode Five

We are a week behind with our journey through the new Stand miniseries. It isn't a good sign when you put off watching a new episode instead of looking forward to each one.

The new Stand continues to up the ante in sex, violence, and outrageous situations. Rather than making the show more intense or effective, it just makes it tackier.

We are not the only ones with these reactions. People seem to be unimpressed with The Stand. Critics have not been kind, and viewers have very mixed feelings. I see a few King loyalists heaping praise upon the show. I wish I could join them.

Few people even seem to know about The Stand. The producers were undoubtedly hoping for the kind of buzz Stranger Things, It, or God save us all, Tiger King had. People I work with have no idea the show even exists.

Again: It isn't all bad. The scene in Episode Five where Harold has dinner with Stu and Frannie generates some nice tension. The overall production looks good, at least when it doesn't look like it was made on a computer.

Whoopi continues to induce cringes. Watching her as Mother Abigail almost makes me long for Sister Act 2.

We see more of Randall Flagg in Five. Alexander Skarsgård is perfectly adequate in the role, though he doesn't have the verve of Jamey Sharidan from the 1994 version. At one time there was talk about Matthew McConaughey doing the part. He has the potential to be the best of them all.

More is shown of Las Vegas. Instead of the coldly regimented and orderly rendition of the city in the book, New Vegas is a decadent Bacchanale. The Nazi-like order of King's vision is more chilling to me.

I'm still waiting to see Ezra Miller as Trashcan Man. Maybe he can partially redeem this mess.

Written by Mark Sieber