The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.
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What Is It?
After a deadly virus is released that wipes out 99.4% of the Earth’s population, two sets of survivors receive visions in their dreams directing them to locations where they should meet. Those contacted by kindly Mother Abigail are summoned to Nebraska, while those contacted by the sinister Randall Flagg are directed to go to Las Vegas. Once they arrive at their respective destinations, they then prepare for a final stand; a battle between good and evil.
Aired: ABC, 1994, 4 Part Mini-Series
Starring: Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Miguel Ferrer, Ruby Dee, Ray Walston, Matt Frewer
Created By: Stephen King
Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:
Throughout the 1990s, there wasn’t much in the way of sci-fi or fantasy on the broadcast networks, as those channels had shied away from the genre in favor of more prime-time-friendly fare. But Stephen King carried significant name recognition, and ABC decided to take a chance on a big-budget miniseries adapting one of his most acclaimed works, The Stand. The production lived up to expectations, bringing the epic novel to life with an all-star cast and a script penned by King himself.
It begins as a viral-outbreak story, following the superflu that rapidly spreads across the planet and wipes out most of humanity. Then the series makes a dramatic shift, focusing on the survivors as they are drawn together by Mother Abagail or Randall Flagg to make a final stand between good and evil. While the story embraces strong spiritual and religious elements, it remains very much a character-driven drama, using its ensemble to explore themes of faith and morality, free will and destiny, and redemption and sacrifice. The post-apocalyptic setting provides a rich backdrop for these grand ideas, and for the most part, the series delivers, elevated by a stellar cast.
The ending feels somewhat anticlimactic, but so does the novel, and the journey remains worth it for the characters we come to know and their resilience as they face an eternal enemy in a final stand for humanity. The series captures the spirit of the novel beautifully and never feels rushed. King originally envisioned it as a film, but the miniseries format proved the wiser choice. And the end result stands as one of the greatest sci-fi epics ever produced for television.
Argument Against:
It was a definite advantage having Stephen King himself involved in writing the scripts, but even with his presence, the miniseries never fully did justice to his classic novel. The uncut version of The Stand runs over a thousand pages and could have easily supported ten, twelve, or even fifteen episodes. The adaptation might have benefited from spending two full episodes on the spread of the superflu and its impacts on the subsequent collapse of society. The series also could have delved deeper into key characters like Mother Abagail and Randall Flagg, both of whom received far richer development in the novel. And the ending left several elements underexplained—particularly the “Hand of God”—which weakened its impact. Despite the strong cast and solid production, the ABC version ultimately felt rushed and failed to capture the full potential of the source material. It’s not a bad adaptation by any means, but it falls short of the classic it could have been and doesn’t quite earn a place among the all-time genre greats.
Johnny Jay’s Take:
When The Stand premiered in 1994, I was not much of a Stephen King fan. I had seen The Shining and really liked that, but most of the other adaptations of his works were hit or miss for me, and I did not have much desire to read his books. But this mini-series production of one of his most famous works caught my attention, largely because I like post-apocalyptic tales. I tuned in for the first episode and watched with my eyes glued to the set as the world collapsed from the effects of the superflu. The second episode delivered a complete change in tone, but the characters kept me involved and drew me into the journey they were preparing for. And what a cast this was! Led by Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Ray Walston, Miguel Ferrer, Ruby Dee, and more, the actors each turned out to be perfect fits for their parts and helped carry the production to the next level. That included Rob Lowe playing against type as a deaf-mute (in what I consider one of his best roles) and Matt Frewer going bonkers as Trashcan Man. And of course, Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg and Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail perfectly represented the standard bearers of evil and good as they drive the survivors to their final confrontation.
I developed a whole new appreciation for Stephen King with this mini-series, and it did lead me to check out more of his works. And I have to give kudos to ABC for taking a chance with this series at a time when genre entries were not very popular on Prime Time. They paid out a lot of money for the production, but they delivered an excellent series that has stood the test of time and that counts as an all-time great for the genre. Don’t waste your time with the reboot from 2020, as the 1994 mini-series is the best version of The Stand, and it is certainly worth seeking out.
Where Can You Watch It?
The mini-series has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and you can also purchase it VOD. It is not currently available for streaming on any of the major services.
Do you consider The Stand to be one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy shows, or did it waste the potential of its source material? Chime in with your thoughts below or at our discussion thread at r/SciFiTV.
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