A classic book from the post-apocalyptic genre served as the inspiration behind one of Stephen King's best novels. Surprisingly, the book that inspired the King of Horror also has a one-season TV adaptation, which premiered in December 2024. Unfortunately, it remains underappreciated and deserves a lot more attention.
Stephen King has written a long line of original horror books that are often picked up for television and movie adaptations. However, like all storytellers, the King of Horror also often borrows from other influential literary works. For instance, horror authors like Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft have always been key sources of inspiration for many tropes and character beats in Stephen King's books.
Similarly, another author, who played a crucial role in defining the post-apocalyptic genre with his classic novel, also prompted Stephen King to write one of his best books. Despite being over seven decades old, the book recently got a TV adaptation, which remains obscure despite being a unique addition to the post-apocalyptic genre.
The Book That Inspired Stephen King's The Stand Has An Underrated TV Adaptation
The Stand is often considered one of Stephen King's best books, and rightfully so. Owing to its reputation, The Stand has also been picked up for adaptations on more than one occasion. Although The Stand was a unique addition to the post-apocalyptic genre, it was interestingly inspired by another incredible piece of classic fiction.
In Danse Macabre, Stephen King recounts that he was reading about "an accidental CBW spill in Utah," which instantly reminded him of George R. Stewart's 1949 book Earth Abides. The mere recollection of Stewart's classic novel eventually paved the way for him to write The Stand.
Like The Stand, Earth Abides also has a TV adaptation. Streaming on MGM+, the show premiered on December 1, 2024. In just one season with six episodes, MGM+'s Earth Abides tells the self-contained and well-rounded story of a bunch of humans who survive a global pandemic and set out to create a new life for themselves in a world where civilization has collapsed.
Despite Being Post-Apocalyptic, Earth Abides Is Nothing Like Stephen King's The Stand
Earth Abides and The Stand are similar in the sense that both unfold in a post-apocalyptic world after a disease decimates almost the entire human population. However, unlike The Stand, Earth Abides keeps things more realistic and adopts no supernatural elements.
Did You Know: Earth Abides was Jimi Hendrix's favorite novel and his song, "Third Stone from the Sun," was inspired by the novel.
With its portrayal of a post-apocalyptic world, Earth Abides tries to take a more grounded approach, where it highlights all the realistic challenges surviving humans would face while hoping to rebuild their world from the ground up. Owing to this, instead of encountering an overarching evil, Earth Abides' characters face everything from water shortages to the struggles of preserving knowledge.
MGM+'s Earth Abides Is A Unique Addition To The Post-Apocalyptic Genre
Similar to The Stand, Earth Abides struggles to match the critical acclaim and legacy of its source material. However, there is still something about the TV show that hits home. The simplicity and realism with which it captures the highs and lows experienced by the surviving humans is awe-inspiring and instills warmth.
Earth Abides also does not try to outstay its welcome and hardly lasts for six hours. Although the show falls short of reaching its source material's scale and potential, it is hard not to appreciate how it attempts to modernize the original story and reward viewers by ending on a conclusive note instead of forcefully setting up sequels.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Like Follow Followed Earth Abides Drama Sci-Fi 10.0/10 Release Date 2024 - 2024-00-00 Showrunner Todd Komarnicki Directors Bronwen Hughes, Rachel Leiterman, Stephen Campanelli Writers Todd Komarnicki, Karen Janszen, Tony Spiridakis, Evan Hart, Kyle Stephen Cast See All Alexander Ludwig Isherwood Ish Williams Jessica Frances Dukes Emma
In this post-apocalyptic series, survivor Isherwood "Ish" Williams navigates the desolate remnants of civilization after a mysterious illness decimates humanity. Despite his initial instincts for seclusion, Ish faces the challenge of rebuilding society and fostering community in a world that has drastically changed.
Seasons 1 Powered by Expand Collapse Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Like Follow Followed The Stand TV-14 Drama Fantasy Horror 15 7.2/10 Release Date 2020 - 2021-00-00 Network ABC Directors Mick Garris Writers Owen King Cast See All Whoopi Goldberg Lucy Swann Alexander Skarsgard Susan Stern
The Stand is a miniseries based on Stephen King's novel, depicting a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly plague has wiped out most of humanity. Survivors are divided into two camps, one led by a virtuous elder and the other by a sinister figure, culminating in a climactic battle between good and evil.
Seasons 1 Powered by Expand Collapse