# The Stand (1994)

> After a plague wipes out most of humanity, survivors are drawn toward one of two opposing leaders in a sprawling struggle between good and evil.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/8383

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 90 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, drama, fantasy
- Created by: Stephen King
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Corin Nemec, Ruby Dee, Adam Storke, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108941/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: melancholic, epic, dread-filled, hopeful, sprawling

## What critics say

Viewers broadly find the miniseries gripping and faithful in its first episodes but feel the ending falls short of the source novel.

## Synopsis

The Stand (1994) is an American television miniseries created by Stephen King for ABC, adapted from his own sprawling novel. Across four ninety-minute episodes, a broken America struggles after a deadly plague has killed most of the population. Stu Redman (Gary Sinise) and Nick Andros (Rob Lowe) are among the survivors who gather in the wake of the collapse, while Frannie Goldsmith (Molly Ringwald) navigates the uncertain new world beside them. Their journey pulls them toward one of two opposing forces: a benevolent elder, Mother Abagail Freemantle (Ruby Dee), and the maleficent Randall Flagg (Jamey Sheridan). The engine of the story is the pull of a looming final confrontation, with characters forced to choose sides as the old order crumbles around them. Each episode moves through scattered communities, shifting alliances, and lingering dread, with the emotional register swinging between grief, tenderness, and mythic menace. Fans of The Walking Dead, Lost, and Station Eleven will find resonance in its blend of apocalyptic survival and human warmth. Its portrait of a world rebuilding under the shadow of an ancient battle makes it a memorable, if uneven, piece of genre television.

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