I’ve been a fan of Stephen King since I was young. Like, probably too young, actually. It wasn’t his books I was interested in back then, though, it was his movies. The Shining, Carrie and It were some of my favorites and later the epic miniseries The Stand also became a favorite. It was around when The Stand premiered in the early 1990s that I started actually reading some of his books, short stories and novellas.
I am of the belief that Stephen King is a great talent and has become a beloved American author; not just for his horror novels, but for sentimental, nostalgic stories like The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. He may have never written a line as legendary as, “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?” but Uncle Stevie’s collective work won’t be forgotten any time soon and he continues to write. Here are my five favorite movies or TV miniseries that are based on Stephen King’s written material:
It’s Good to Be King
Why You Should Visit Cougar Town
Are you looking for a hilarious show to watch? Cougar Town, starring Courtney Cox, is a kooky, funny show that you are sure to enjoy. Co-creator Bill Lawrence, who has had success in other popular television shows such as The Drew Carey Show, Spin City and Scrubs may be regretful about the name of this show, but don’t let that impact your decision to give it a chance. So many of the episodes are enjoyable and a little absurd that it’s difficult to choose my favorite ones, but these are some of my top picks.
Breaking Bad: Cooking Up Something Good
I rarely make mistakes in my life. I mean, I don’t mean to brag, but seriously. Since I was born, I’ve done pretty much everything right except for maybe the purchase of an MC Hammer doll when I was seven years old. But it came with a cassette single so, you know, I had my reasons. Anyway, that being said, I am also an extremely busy person. Rarely do I have the same night free every week in order to watch any given television show so I have a bucket list of things I’d like to watch before I die. Since its premiere, AMC’s Breaking Bad has been on this list. I didn’t know much about it at all other than that it starred the dad from FOX’s Malcom in the Middle, he portrayed a high school chemistry teacher who gets cancer, and he starts making meth. But with the great word of mouth it received and then, eventually, all of the award nominations it received, it was a given that it would be watched sooner or later. Once the fifth and final season started this year, I noticed a lot of hoopla on Facebook concerning the episodes. I decided it was time. I was going to watch this Breaking Bad.
Jessica Walters Reviews Once Upon a Time: Season One
The characters are like old friends; you know all their stories and can recite them with ease. Now after a long absence, they’re back but with new stories. Once Upon a Time tells the tale of how our favorite fairy tale characters are unknowing victims trapped between two worlds and need to be saved by the one woman who doesn’t believe in them.
“Man, I Hate High School.”
Stephen King once said that he didn’t trust anyone who enjoyed high school, and I have to agree. I mean, obviously, there are certain things you might enjoy. Maybe you had a favorite teacher, or an awesome class where you were lucky enough to learn something that’s actually stuck with you. Maybe you found true love during high school, or struck up a friendship with someone who still has your back to this day. Overall, though, what is there really to like? Freaks and Geeks covers everything you’ve tried hard to forget: being picked on in the locker room, awkward first relationships, even more awkward first break-ups, your parents giving you a hard time by ruining your good times – but watching it is way better (and way funnier) than re-living it.
Stop Reading and Watch Black Books
Bernard Black (Shaun of the Dead’s Dylan Moran) owns his own book shop in which he smokes, drinks copious amounts of wine, and informs his patrons that he’s closing for lunch with a bullhorn and swats them with a broom. Barnes and Noble it ain’t and that’s what I love about this British sitcom. Black Books is every retail worker’s fantasy. While most retail workers are more like the character Manny (Bill Bailey), who is trying to please the customer and his boss anyway he can, Bernard… well, let’s just say that he’s never uttered that phrase, “The customer is always right.”
