This Time Travel Miniseries Based On A Stephen King Novel Was A '90s Hit

In 1995, a Stephen King novella became a 90s hit with an ABC miniseries adaptation titled "The Langoliers." The plot revolves around a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Boston that gets caught in a temporal rift, leaving passengers to awaken in a world devoid of humanity. The creatures responsible for this desolate landscape are sinister, time-devouring beings with razor-toothed features.

The two-part adaptation was written and directed by Tom Holland, known for his work in horror classics such as "Fright Night" and "Child’s Play." The ensemble cast includes notable actors like Patricia Wettig, Dean Stockwell, David Morse, Mark Lindsay Chapman, and Bronson Pinchot, with Stephen King himself making a cameo appearance as the villain’s boss.

Despite the miniseries' commercial success, garnering an estimated 17.5 million households, critical reception was less favorable. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 48% critic score, while viewers gave it a 46% audience score. The Seattle Times criticized the script for clunky dialogue and overacting, while the San Francisco Chronicle complained about cardboard characters rewarded with cheesy special effects.

Entertainment Weekly rated the series a B for its eerie setup before the CGI creatures emerged. King, known for his candid opinions on TV adaptations of his work, expressed disappointment with "The Langoliers," stating it was more of a TV project than a faithful representation of his story. However, he acknowledged that the adaptation gave Tom Holland and Richard Rubinstein the credibility needed to secure further projects, including "Thinner."

For those interested in witnessing the CGI monsters, "The Langoliers" is currently available for free streaming on The Roku Channel.