I’m writing this little preamble before seeing the new episode, a way of sorting out for myself and others what I’m expecting/hoping to be seeing in the third episode of this sprawling and yet limited series.
We have established most of the primary characters at least in their early stages - although I’m a little troubled that Stu’s entry into the story hasn’t yet brought Glen Bateman into the fold. As probably one of my favorite characters from the book and I think an important moral foil for the tale, I really hope he hasn’t been left behind.
The other character yet to show himself is Nick Andros, the young deaf mute who probably has one of the biggest ultimate impacts on the story. He brings with him Tom Cullen and through him one of the most important decisions that will be made in the course of this new society that is growing. And when Stephen King found himself drowning in plot-lines and nowhere to go, Nick was the one he turned to in order to reshape the story and spark his inspiration again.
So the performance for this character is going to be pretty important. Not to diminish the rest but for me, Nick is one that the series is kind of going to hang on. It would be easy to make the character too over the top or fall flat. It’s going to require finesse and understanding of this character’s soul so I hope the performance is informed by that fact.
Little interlude here. I haven’t seen all of the episode yet but this morning, either CBS’s or Amazon’s platform shit the bed and I wasn’t able to finish. From what I saw though, I’m still on board with how things are going. The actor playing Nick seems pretty right on with what I was expecting and I was very glad to see Glen Bateman entering the picture. Greg Kinnear is a touch younger than I think the character is in the book but I think his acting chops more than make up for it. And in a true sign of a stellar character actor, I wasn’t sure it was actually him until a few minutes after he appeared in the episode.
I also really like how they are playing Harold in the series. How he comes off as super awkward - to the point where you would probably feel uncomfortable being around him but also with a kind of swarmy confidence, like he’s keeping some secret from you. They also delved a little deeper into Nadine’s past, setting her up for where she is going but one decision did strike me as odd. Last week I was pleased to notice that they included Nadine’s childhood experience with a planchette- kind of a deep cut from the book that nicely foreshadows her relationship with Flagg later on. The planchette was referred to in episode two but it wasn’t really fully explained until this week. It just struck me that they could have just put it all into last weeks episode. I don’t really get the value in splitting it up like they did.
Okay, the entire episode is on board now and I would have to say that it did hit the major areas of interest that I was looking for.
Mostly.
I think they needed to go way deeper into Nick’s backstory and I really hope he gets some more attention next week. Especially since the producers have diverted from the book in the way they seem to be establishing him as having a closer relationship with Mother Abigail. But because they had to take up valuable time introducing Glen and also giving more texture to Nadine’s backstory, there wasn’t quite enough room for Nick’s story to really take shape.
The biggest sign of this is in how abrupt and kind of ham-fisted they brought Tom Cullen into the story. He was just there all of a sudden and while he and Nick do seem to have some nice chemistry, I wasn’t wild about his performance. Tom is one of those characters that seems simple but has deeper shades of complexity. The way they have portrayed him so far comes off a little cartoonish and is hinting at the possibility that they might be leaning on Tom for some comedic relief. I can only hope that this proves to be not so much the case as the recent film of IT demonstrates pretty clearly what a film can look like that relies too much on low humor. Nick and Tom have an important relationship and both have really crucial roles to play in the grand scheme of the plot. It would be a shame if those aspects are rushed too quickly.
Still, I have to admit that the actor is doing a good job of exhibiting the bitterness and road weariness that I think would be found in a character like Nick Andros. A person who has had all the cards dealt against him and who has been given very little quarter from anyone. I don’t know Henry Zaga’s work and to be honest, if I had just gone by what came up on a google search I likely would have dismissed him as another pretty face hired to inhabit a role. But whatever he brings to the table, I think it’s working so far.
One aspect that I think this episode nailed was in demonstrating the fear held in the community in Boulder of Randall Flagg and his far-reaching influence. There’s a scene towards the end of this that, while it wasn’t taken from the book, is pretty cool and disturbing to see unfold. This is a landscape upon which we will see the ultimate confrontation of good vs evil and the loyal followers and devotees which such concepts bring out in ourselves. This episode felt like it was highlighting this notion quite effectively. It also did a good job underscoring the uncertainty of these leaders in this new society. It brings forth the idea that visionaries don’t always necessarily realize that they have the inexorable qualities sought after by those around them.
And along the lines of Flagg’s menace, I also appreciated the complexity of Nadine and her relationship with the walking dude. She wants him but already her fear of him is also well telegraphed.
And yeah, I know. No Trashcan Man as of yet. But to be honest - shhhh - Trash is probably my least favorite part of the book. Don’t tell anyone!
There’s still more layers to the cake that need to be incorporated. I’m not going to pretend that I think this is perfect. Obviously if I were seated at a table and offered the choice, I’m still taking the book. But there’s still a lot more show left to air. And that’s what I find most perplexing about most of the criticisms I have seen. How can you bemoan all the things that have been left out when the show isn’t even finished yet?
But to each their own. Sadly, many people will show up at the party already hating it. Their choice. Speaking for myself, I’m looking forward to more.
