The Stand arrived on Thursday with The Circle Closes , a coda to the iconic story written by King himself. The episode was billed as being a new ending to the saga, a version of the story that King had been wanting to tell for three decades so, even going into things fans expected a unique experience. However, with a few details of the main story left after last week s The Stand , there are still enough elements of the novel to compare to how they re approached in the episode and the overall ending requires a little bit of explanation as well for what it changes and does not change from King s classic. Let s break it down.
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Spoilers for âThe Standâ finale
In episode 8 of CBS All Access adaptation of Stephen Kingâs âThe Standâ, Larry (Jovan Adepo), Ray (Irene Bedard), and Glen (Greg Kinnear) are subjected to an unruly kangaroo court. The trial that is broadcast all over Vegas sees Glen try to appeal to Lloyd Henreid (Nat Wolff) and all those watching that they may still have a chance to redeem themselves from their evil ways. As Glenâs words begin to have an effect on the people, Lloyd shoots and kills him.
Following the trial, Nadine Cross (Amber Heard) meets with a captive Larry alone. Last we saw her, Nadine was very pregnant, and reduced to a frail pale demeanor because of Flaggâs seed. When Larry forces Nadine to see her reflection the shock induces labor. But as Nadine realizes what she has become and how unholy their child would be, she flings herself from the penthouse, killing both her and the child.
Jovan Adepo as Larry Underwood, Alexander Skarsgård as Randall Flagg and Irene Bedard as Ray Brentner in The Stand . (CBS)
Following the trial, Nadine Cross (Amber Heard) meets with a captive Larry alone. Last we saw her, Nadine was very pregnant, and reduced to a frail pale demeanor because of Flagg’s seed. When Larry forces Nadine to see her reflection the shock induces labor. But as Nadine realizes what she has become and how unholy their child would be, she flings herself from the penthouse, killing both her and the child. This again is slightly different from what happens in the book where, in her final moments, Nadine prophetically tells Flagg that four men from Boulder would come and destroy him. Flagg subsequently loses his temper and hurls her from the penthouse balcony, killing her.
Worth Watching: Joel McHale on ‘Fast Foodies,’ ‘Legacies’ Sings, ‘The Head’ on HBO Max, ‘Stand’-Off in Vegas & TCM’s Kiss-Off
February 4, 2021 4:00 AM Matt Roush, TV Insider
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A selective critical checklist of notable Thursday TV:
Fast Foodies (10:30/9:30c, truTV): Among the tests of a true master chef: the ability to tailor their gifts for crowd-pleasing guilty pleasures. On this new comedy-driven series, having a deep-dish sense of humor is also essential.
Fast Foodies, challenging two former
Top Chef winners (Kristen Kish and Jeremy Ford) and an
Iron Chef winner (Justin Sutherland) to recreate his favorite Chicago-style hot dog from Portillo’s chain eateries. It’s no exaggeration to say McHale tackles this judging with relish, as the chefs first strive to recreate the dish as accurately as possible. In the second round, they refine and remix the ingredients to transform this “junk” food into something they might serve
What happened in Episode 7?
At Mother Abagailâs dying behest, Stu (James Marsden), Larry (Jovan Adepo), Ray (Irene Bedard) and Glen (Greg Kinnear) set off on foot towards Vegas to confront Randall Flagg (Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd). The Boulder four, however, soon run into trouble. While trying to cross a deep crevasse, Stu falls and breaks his leg. Unable to continue on the journey, he then convinces the others to leave him behind. As Glen, Larry and Ray move ahead, they are greeted by Lloyd Henreid (Nat Wolff) in a stretch limo. He captures them and takes them to Vegas.
Amber Heard as Nadine Cross in The Stand (CBS)