The Dreamy Stephen King Streaming Miniseries You Missed Has “Perfect Hues of Horror and Daydream”

Chad Collins |

Nov 17, 2023

Stephen King, master of horror that he is, isn’t hard to find. Turn on any streaming platform and, without fail, there will be something from King available to watch. Earlier this week, we spotlighted several fans thrilled to rediscover Mick Garris’ The Stand, adapted from King’s novel of the same name, on Apple TV. That’s not the platform’s only diamond in the streaming rough, as fans are now discovering Lisey’s Story on the same platform.

Per Apple TV: Based on the novel by Stephen King, this terrifying thriller follows widow Lisey Landon (Julianne Moore) as a series of disturbing events revives memories of her marriage to author Scott Landon (Clive Owen) and the darkness that plagued him.

Lisey’s Story first premiered on Apple TV in 2021. At the time, critical reception was mixed. While critics and audiences praised Moore’s performance especially (when is she not fantastic), they were less keen on what they considered to be a sluggish pace and confounding narrative. On the heels of several noteworthy Stephen King adaptations to come (see: Salem’s Lot, The Life of Chuck), now is as good a time as any to revisit the adaptations that slipped through the cracks upon release.

Fans online have been thrilled to check Lisey’s Story out, with some calling it a “beautifully haunting adaptation” of Stephen King’s source material. Check out what fans are saying about the series below:

It's been a rough few months doing my Kings Corner pieces but Lisey's Story has brought that awful streak to an end with a beautifully haunting adaptation https://t.co/KngIV1b9el
— Joe McElroy (@jmcelroy07) November 15, 2023

My “top-3 King adaptations” has been set in stone since The Mist came out.

Lisey’s Story on Apple+ may have forced its way in. This is just gorgeous television, in the perfect hue of horror and daydream – if anything it enhances my appreciation of the book.
— Talking Scared Podcast (@TalkScaredPod) November 15, 2023

Lisey's Story https://t.co/IVq7YJqCqO
— Jeff Whitmire (@JeffWhitmire1) November 10, 2023

Finally watched all of Lisey’s Story and I’m so glad. A really lovely adaptation of one of my fav King novels.

Also, whoever designed the Long Boy absolutely crushed it.
— Bene Jesserit (@JessLizBryan) November 10, 2023

Not for nothing, but if I were AppleTV+ I'd pick it up and up the budget accordingly. They're killing sci fi & horror (watch Lisey's Story! ?) but could use a fantasy show. pic.twitter.com/VwCGbyE7GK
— Dirk Lester ?????? ?? (@Dirk2112) November 16, 2023

Unconventionally, Apple TV has resisted the pattern of other streamers. Rather than inundating audiences with more and more new series, they instead choose to develop and spotlight a select few every year (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, anyone). Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story is exactly that. It doesn’t hurt that King wrote the teleplays himself. After all, he’s remarked before that Lisey’s Story might be his favorite among his expansive catalog of works.

What do you think? Have you caught Lisey’s Story yet? How does it compare to other Stephen King adaptations? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.

Tags:Stephen King

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