King novel stands tall on TV

“The Stand” has finally found the proper video medium in which to flourish.

At 1,153 pages, Stephen King’s epic adventure has too much going on to be condensed down into a two- or three-hour movie. ABC’s eight-hour miniseries, airing at 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, is closer to the needed length, although it does drag in places and seem overly long.

Still, the miniseries delivers plenty of suspense and special effects, the visual equivalent of one of King’s page-turner novels.

The opening two hours track what happens when a killer germ escapes from an Army base and decimates much of the population of the United States. The handful of survivors divide into two camps, based on the visions they receive, either that of the good Mother Abigail (played by Ruby Dee) or of the evil Randall Flagg (portrayed by Jamey Sheridan). The spread of the illness and end of civilization are graphically portrayed and visually riveting.

In the following two installments, King’s morality play continues with the two sides traveling either to Boulder (the site of good) or Las Vegas (the home of evil, naturally), as God and Satan struggle for their souls.

The whole production takes a healthy suspension of disbelief, especially the climactic scene.

But still the strong cast makes it an enjoyable ride. Standout performances include Sheridan as Randall Flagg, Gary Sinise as Stu Redman, the leader of the forces of good; Dee as Mother Abigail and Rob Lowe as silent, but strong, deaf-mute Nick Andros.

The supporting cast delivers other strong performances, especially Matt Frewer as the psychotic Trash-Can Man, Adam Storke as musician Larry Underwood and Ray Walston as retired professor Glen Bateman.

Lowe’s fellow former Brat Packer, Molly Ringwald, doesn’t fare as well, as Redman’s sniveling love interest, Fran Goldsmith. Also, some of the supporting forces of evil, including Corin Nemec’s Harold Lauder and Shawnee Smith’s Julie Lawry, don’t seem as well developed as the good guys.

Despite being on the small screen, “The Stand” comes through with sweeping tableaus, both of destruction and nature. The $28 million budget shows up on screen. The production is also enhanced by the music, such as Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” over the opening credits.

So while “The Stand” won’t take a place among the great miniseries of all time, it’s among the best network productions in the past several years.