The Stand is an American post-apocalyptic fantasy television miniseries comprising nine episodes, based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Stephen King and a remake to the 1994 adaptation. The plot centers on a pandemic resulting from a mishap at a military biological research facility, which allows the escape of a lethal strain of influenza. After the pandemic kills almost the entire world population, the few survivors are drawn to one of two figures, Randall Flagg and Mother Abagail, setting up a final good-vs-evil confrontation. The adaptation alters details (gender, ethnicity, age, etc.) of some main characters, moves the setting to modern-day 21st century, and features a new ending in the final episode co-written by Stephen King with his son, Owen King, making it the third variation of the story's conclusion. The first episode was released on Paramount+ on December 17, 2020, and on Starz on January 3, 2021. The series received mixed reviews.