{
  "id": 20034434,
  "title": "This Time Travel Miniseries Based On A Stephen King Novel Was A '90s Hit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/this-time-travel-miniseries-based-on-a-stephen-king-novel-was-a-90s",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-14T19:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2313169/the-langoliers-time-travel-miniseries-stephen-king-novel-90s-hit/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nDespite 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.\n\nEntertainment 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.\"\n\nFor those interested in witnessing the CGI monsters, \"The Langoliers\" is currently available for free streaming on The Roku Channel.",
  "summary": "The lesser-known Stephen King miniseries \"The Langoliers\" was a big ratings hit for ABC when it premiered back in 1995.",
  "key_points": [
    "Stephen King's novella \"The Langoliers\" became a 90s hit as an ABC miniseries.",
    "The 1995 two-part adaptation features time-devouring creatures with razor-toothed features.",
    "Despite commercial success, critical reception was less favorable with 48% critic score."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}