I have now watched 8 out of 10 episodes and will watch 9 and 10 just to finish it but this was an insult to one of the greatest books ever written.
Fortunately I read this book every year so I know the plot like the back of my hand but for people new to this it would be so confusing., The story is simple. The Superflu wipes out 99% of humanity and survivors head to Boulder or New Vegas depending on their morals and needs. However we do not really see how this all starts as Campion doesn't arrives at Arnette at the start. The episodes jump from characters already being in Boulder back to their journey to get there. As a result character development is non-existent.
Mother Abigail calls her followers to her from the iconic Hemingford Home where she is transported to Boulder. We dont see that and she is in a Care home? Thus her status as the messenger of God is completely diminished. Goldberg is also hideously miscast and the 1994 Abigail was far far superior.
My main issues are with the character portrayals of Lloyd Henreid and the Trashcan Man. In the book Lloyd is a strong and intensely loyal right hand man to Flagg. He is full of menace and evil. This director has turned Lloyd in to a hideously camp weak willed goon. He has NO relationship with Flagg and barely speaks to him. Trashcan Man should be a mentally disturbed yet dangerous pyromaniac. This director has turned him into a pathetic creature who squeaks at people which is so crass it is very uncomfortable to watch.
Redman was far better played by Gary Sinise. Marsden is a good actor but fails to portray the charisma of Stu. Marsden's portrayal is vacuous and fails to capture Stu's horror and anger as the death of his friends is kept from him at the lab they are forced to go to. Plus in the book and 1994 series the head doctor is in a rage and wants to kill Stu for showing no symptons. This version wants to help Stu other than one cardboard cut out soldier character who is in it for barely 5 minutes?
As a result we have a generic soulless TV series which is an utter abomination of one of the greatest books ever written.
Fortunately I read this book every year so I know the plot like the back of my hand but for people new to this it would be so confusing., The story is simple. The Superflu wipes out 99% of humanity and survivors head to Boulder or New Vegas depending on their morals and needs. However we do not really see how this all starts as Campion doesn't arrives at Arnette at the start. The episodes jump from characters already being in Boulder back to their journey to get there. As a result character development is non-existent.
Mother Abigail calls her followers to her from the iconic Hemingford Home where she is transported to Boulder. We dont see that and she is in a Care home? Thus her status as the messenger of God is completely diminished. Goldberg is also hideously miscast and the 1994 Abigail was far far superior.
My main issues are with the character portrayals of Lloyd Henreid and the Trashcan Man. In the book Lloyd is a strong and intensely loyal right hand man to Flagg. He is full of menace and evil. This director has turned Lloyd in to a hideously camp weak willed goon. He has NO relationship with Flagg and barely speaks to him. Trashcan Man should be a mentally disturbed yet dangerous pyromaniac. This director has turned him into a pathetic creature who squeaks at people which is so crass it is very uncomfortable to watch.
Redman was far better played by Gary Sinise. Marsden is a good actor but fails to portray the charisma of Stu. Marsden's portrayal is vacuous and fails to capture Stu's horror and anger as the death of his friends is kept from him at the lab they are forced to go to. Plus in the book and 1994 series the head doctor is in a rage and wants to kill Stu for showing no symptons. This version wants to help Stu other than one cardboard cut out soldier character who is in it for barely 5 minutes?
As a result we have a generic soulless TV series which is an utter abomination of one of the greatest books ever written.