Stephen King’s Most Underrated TV Show Is Finally Streaming Free After Almost 30 Years

Hollywood is nowhere near close to being done with Stephen King. The famed horror author’s novels have served as the inspiration for countless adaptations ever since Brian De Palma’s Carrie in 1976, and now a Carrie TV miniseries and new film adaptations of The Stand and Cujo are on the way. Not all of King’s adaptations have received the attention they deserve, and some have been mostly lost to time, including a long-forgotten TV show that is finally streaming for free after nearly 30 years.

Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining movie may be the best-known adaptation of King’s book of the same name and really one of the most popular King adaptations ever, but in 1996, the scary novel was adapted for a three-episode miniseries. That show, directed by Mick Garris from King’s teleplay, started streaming on Tubi on November 1st. Like the movie, the series centers around the Torrance family as they move into the mysterious Overlook Hotel for the winter.

Stephen King Prefers The Shining Miniseries Over Kubrick’s Iconic Film

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King was a vocal opponent of Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation, voicing concerns over how the movie changed the core themes of his novel, but the famed horror author gave the 1997 miniseries his seal of approval, largely because he penned the script. King’s closer involvement with the production meant that he had the opportunity to right many of the wrongs he saw in Kubrick’s film. What resulted was a much more faithful adaptation of the book that King felt did the characters justice, particularly that of Jack.

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The miniseries was an overwhelming hit with critics, getting praise from Variety as a series with “edge-of-your-seat creepiness” and “surprising emotional complexity and depth.” But there was no understating the immense popularity of the movie adaptation, which contributed to the miniseries becoming a forgotten adaptation.

Some aspects of the miniseries don’t quite hold up today, including the dated visual effects and scares that are now downright bad, but the series is a great watch for any fan of King’s works. The three-episode show, which can be binge-watched in just five hours, includes details and locations from the novel that weren’t in the film, providing an expanded history of the Overlook Hotel and leaning into the supernatural elements of the book.

Other Horror Titles Now on Tubi

Horror fans looking for more scares after binge-watching The Shining miniseries have plenty of options on Tubi this November. Those looking for a multi-season binge can stream Dead Like Me, the beloved 2000s supernatural comedy-drama. On the movie front, Tubi’s November roundup included fellow King adaptations Carrie (1976), Carrie (2013), and Misery. Other horrors now streaming on Tubi include Child’s Play (1988), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), and Thirteen Ghosts.

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