Stephen King praises a sci-fi adaptation of a sci-fi horror classic that went largely unnoticed when it was first released. As the year comes to a close, the seminal author shared some of his TV favorites. They range from Jamie Dornan's crime thriller The Tourist for the short-lived Apple TV+ series Constellation. But several of his recommendations tended to have one thing in common.
Whether it was the straight-up horrors of shows like Evil or Cup of tea or the more moderate discomfort of a drama like the one led by Billy Crystal BeforeSeveral of King's TV notables tend to revolve around disturbing situations that wouldn't seem at all out of place in some of his most famous novels. The author's last recommendation follows this line.
King highlights the Midwich cuckoos
The series is adapted from John Wyndham's 1957 novel
A British science fiction series based on the 1957 novel of the same name The Midwich Cuckoos premiered in June 2022 on Sky from creator David Farr. The story focuses on a group of strange kids who change a town forever. The city is a peaceful place where nothing happens until, one day, everything happens. The cast includes Keeley Hawes, Max Beesley, Aisling Loftus, Ukweli Roach, Lara Rossi, Synnøve Karlse, Indica Watson, Adiel Magaji and Samuel West.
King praised The Midwich Cuckooswhich is available to stream on AMC+ in the US., saying that the adaptation did not receive enough attention upon its release. The author found it to be a faithful adaptation of Wyndham's novel calling him “bright”as he notes in Topics post above.
Our opinion on Midwich cuckoos
Adapts a beloved book
Praised by The Handmaid's Taleauthored by Margaret Atwood, and also appreciated by King, The Midwich Cuckoos was turned into three films under the title The Village of the Damned. The only TV adaptation, directed by Alice Troughton, Jennifer Perrott and Börkur Sigþórsson, could get a second look after King's recommendation. This is especially true for horror fans who enjoy the subgenre of kids acting strangely.
Source: Stephen King / Topics