In my opinion, the show improved from Episode 1 to Episode 2. I also feel that has a lot to do with how much I like Larry and Rita’s story. Now, it appears that we will get Nick, Tom, and maybe Nadine’s story in Episode 3 “Blank Page”. Tom is my favorite character in the story and Trashcan Man is my second favorite. So I am trying not to get too overhyped. Let’s see what The Stand 2020 Episode 3 “Blank Page” brings us.
Start Episode 3 “Blank Page”
It is nice and cool out, 39 degrees. I got some apples cut up and some cheese. I can just feel it. This is going to be good. And we start off with Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It”? Hell yeah! This is some type of home for children. There are 4 girls sharing a room, including young Nadine. They want to play with the Ouija board. Good idea! Oh, not an Ouija Board. But a thing like the Ouija Board has, but the thing that you touch has a pencil, which is called a planchette apparently. You really do learn something new every day. Off-topic, but why weren’t there Ouija Board horror films in the ’80s considering how crazed some people were about them and yet they were readily available at Toys ‘R Us and Kay-Bee Toys?
Well, they opened the door to the spirits and it spells out Nadine. She’s the new girl, and one girl in particular is getting all kinds of pissy. Well, shit got real, really fast. That planchette had a grip on those girls and it spelled out Nadine Will be My Queen and some other stuff. The other girls went running and screaming. Present-day Nadine wakes up in bed.
Larry and Stu were out hunting. This nice yellow car drives past them. The door opens and the driver slouches out. This dude is passed out but still alive and from Vegas. Oh man, he had been crucified. Suddenly, the guy wakes up. The guy tells them that he was told that he couldn’t be forgiven until he gave them a message. “He’s coming.” Okay, and…..? I think they all knew that in some form or another, this evil man would come at them.
Some lame song is playing at Nadine gets dressed and gets Joe for the first day at school. We get a quick flashback of Joe running at Larry with a knife when they first met and Nadine was taking care of Joe. Teddy shows Nadine around the school. Nadine told Larry that she found him just outside of Scranton. Okay, I can’t be the only person that wonders if Joe knew Michael Scott, or Jim, or Dwight, or most importantly, did he know Stanley?
Nadine wants to come with Larry, but he says he may be meant to go on this voyage alone after Rita’s death. Larry tells her that he is just following Harold’s messages. At the school, Joe is freaked out by Harold, and Teddy has the hots for Nadine. Eion Bailey plays Teddy in this version, and I like that they gave him such a bigger role. He thinks that he has a shot with Nadine and Harold kinda shuts that shit down.
We meet Steve, who will be assisting Dr. Sylvia Wen with Fran’s delivery. Steve used to be a veterinary technician. Steve doesn’t have a big role in this whatsoever. They’re doing an ultrasound. She pulls out a picture of her and Jess, and says to meet their kid. That felt really awkward, but I guess it really isn’t.
4 Months Earlier – Outside State College, Pennsylvania
We see Harold siphoning for gas while Fran takes prenatal vitamins. She also has Goldfish crackers. Nice. Harold goes to take a piss and Stu startles him. Stu has been stalking them. Stu introduces himself, Harold is being super protective and secretive. Fran introduces herself and Harold, and Harold is super upset. She’s like, dude, if you didn’t want people to know your name, why are you spray painting it? She has a valid point. Harold wants to leave Stu behind, and Fran doesn’t want to. In this moment, we see just how insecure Harold is at the slightest thought of having competition for Fran. At some point, you’re gonna meet other people, but I can’t begrudge him for keeping the hope alive in his mind, given his age.
Fran tells Stu that they’re heading to the CDC. Stu says that it’s been compromised. Harold theorizes that is just what they’re telling people. Stu says that he is gonna head west. And they say goodbye. That’s not quite how I remember it going down in the book or the 94 version. But you can never ever trust my memory.
Fran asks Dr. Wen if it will be enough for just one immune parent to pass down the immunity. Really? Did you not pay attention in school? Stu and Larry show up with the crucified dude. Nick is this there and asks Stu if the guy was from Vegas. Keep in mind, that Nick writes everything down. Stu suggests that whoever did the crucifying knew what they were doing because they didn’t do it in the palms, but rather between the bones in the forearm. Check out the big brain on Stu.
A quick observation. I feel that Stephen King must have had a doctor with a name close to Dr. Wen. Think back to FIrestarter and there was Dr. Wanless. The names are similar. I could probably ask Stephen questions for a solid week and then still have hundreds more.
5 Months Earlier in Shoyo, Arkansas
Alright, time for Nick’s story. Nick is at a bar and accidentally bumps into Booth, and Booth has a short temper. Wasn’t his name Ray in the 94 version? Did they change it because we now have a “good” Ray? Booth punches Nick up something fierce, with help from his buddy. He gets him right in the eye with his ring and then a stomp to the face to finish the job.
Nick is now in the dream world with Flagg. Flagg has a poker table in front of him and deals Nick a red Jack of Wolves and a 2 of Crows? It’s not a traditional deck of cards, obviously. He talks about Nick being dealt a shitty hand. His mom came from El Salvador and crossed the border in the trunk of a car. Flagg offers to make Nick his right-hand man and give him everything that his mom could have ever dreamed of. The 2 other suits are rats and the stone, but it’s red. Why are their 3 red suits? Why, if only one suit is going to be black, wouldn’t it be the damn stone? Flagg references how bad Nick’s eye is gonna be. He can make things right, but Nick just has to worship the ground that Flagg walks on. So Nick gives Flagg the finger.
Am I alone in thinking that Flagg could have made a better offer without being so condescending? You would think that Flagg knew how important Nick would be to the process, so maybe not be so demanding, right?
Nick wakes up in the hospital. His right eye looks rough. There was a nurse in the room with him, but she’s either dead or sleeping. I assume dead. Booth wakes up trying to get Nick’s attention. Nick sees the headline in the newspaper about the plague. Booth is just throwing a bunch of shit. Nick sees that Booth is handcuffed to the bed. Booth calls Nick a coward. Booth’s neck is swollen and Nick tries to care for the guy. Okay, I just have to say how sad I am that we didn’t get the scene with the Officer telling Nick how he was the second sorriest thing that he’s ever seen. It’s truly one of the best scenes in the 94 version.
Stu is out walking. A dog comes running toward him, it’s Kojak, and there’s Glen Bateman played by Greg Kinnear. I must admit, I was very skeptical of the casting of Greg. He was in his early 60’s when filming this. Ray Walston, the original Glen, was almost 70. Ten years isn’t big, but Greg looks much young and Ray looked older, so the eye test tells me that there are almost 20 years of age differences. It’s just weird for me. But Greg is a good actor. Glen asks Stu if he likes caviar.
They go to Glen’s and eat a nice meal, including caviar. Glen’s wife was a physicist and died 10 years ago. I find it interesting how they portray Glen here, almost as a different character. But it works. I think he and Gary Sinise would have been fantastic together. Glen asks if Stu has seen or heard any dogs and Stu says no. Apparently, Captain Trips took out many animals, except for deer, rats, and crows. Glen refers to this as Judgement Day. Glen’s approach is not to get society back up and running, but to play it down and let things kinda go back a bit.
Dream time for Nick. This time, he meets Mother Abigail. He tries to sign to her, and she tells him that he can speak here. She asks him about the dark man, and he admits to being scared. Nick asks who she is, like in the grand scheme of things. Nick says that he doesn’t believe in God and Abigail says that’s alright because God believes in him and has a job for Nick. To be the voice of Mother Abigail. Now ain’t that some shit? He says the world has never been interested in anything that he has to offer. She says that now the world is a…..wait for it…..blank page, just like the name of the episode. Drinks for everybody!! She tells him to go find her at Hemingford Home spelled M-O-O-N. Man, I just felt a twinge in my pants. M-O-O-N spells twinge in my pants.
Nick wakes up to this big moose of a man, who we know as Tom Cullen. Brad William Henke plays the role of Tom. Brad is probably best known as C.O. Desi Piscatella in Orange Is the New Black. Others may know him as Uncle John in Split. Or, to make another The Office reference, the angry guy that got super pissed off at Pam in the final season and wanted to hit her and the camera guy got involved. It was such a horrible storyline. Anyway, I loved the original Tom and immediately, I can see that Brad is going to do a great job just in his mannerisms.
“My name is Tom Cullen. I’m 42 years old and developmentally disabled. Please do not be alarmed by my behavior, for I have difficulty reading social cues. If you find my behavior inappropriate to the situation, please tell me, and I will endeavor to change. I am a hard worker, very strong, and capable of basic physical labor. I cannot read, but I can follow simple direction. If you know of employment opportunities, please contact Miss Sykes at the Center for Handicapable Workers… What’s the matter, mister?” The whole time, Nick is trying in some way to get Tom to stop for a second.
Bravo. That was perfect. They wrote that out in a way that was very realistic. Having worked with developmentally disabled people for a few years, this felt so realistic to me. He delivered the lines believably. And he has a red vest and a Dolly Parton t-shirt on. I haven’t been overly complimentary to this mini-series up to this point, but that was fucking great.
Tom says that Nick is quiet. “M-O-O-N, that spells quiet.” Nick tries to write to Tom about being deaf, but that isn’t very helpful. Hahaha, Tom, Tom with the “my laws”. At first, it doesn’t sound smooth like it did in the original, but with Brad’s voice, his intonations are really spot on. Tom talks about hitting his head and how the head doesn’t fully mesh until you’re 2 years old. I even love the glasses with the strap so it hangs off of his neck. He tells Nick it would be easier if he would say what’s on his mind instead of acting like he can’t talk. Stephen King has written many great characters over his career. Has he ever written a better buddy pairing as Nick and Tom? The idea that they’re the only 2 alive in this area and given their difficulties, it’s really a cruel twist and yet it works on every level.
Tom is now just realizing that Nick can’t hear or talk. He wonders why “she” didn’t tell him. He’s referring to Mother Abigail, of course. Nick picks up on the fact that he said Mother Abigail and how she’s the one who guided him to meet Nick. Tom then goes into his long spiel for a third time. It’s funny how he plays it due to the situation.
Larry, Nadine, and Joe are at a baseball stadium. Larry is playing a song and Joe takes an interest. Also, I like Larry in the leather jacket instead of the Canadien Tuxedo. Larry gets Joe to play the guitar and Joe can actually play. I feel like this is a cool addition to Joe’s character that was lacking originally. That’s something that this version had a real opportunity to do, and that’s to develop characters better and adding in Rita, for example.
Stu notices how good of a painter Glen is. Glen has painted a picture of Mother Abigail and this alarms Stu. Stu asks him about it. Glen explains to him that she was in his dreams. Stu asks what her name is, and Glen doesn’t know. Glen doesn’t believe that they’re having the same dream, that it is just a past memory. But the more Stu talks, Glen remembers Hemingford Home. Glen also has a painting of pregnant Frannie. Stu didn’t know that she was pregnant and Glen painted it 3 days ago.
Glen and Larry are discussing how to explain the crucified man’s presence to the community. Larry would prefer that they make up rumors, Nick suggests people will panic. Glen thinks that everyone should know. Larry has no idea why he’s on this committee, to begin with. And this is the flaw with the lack of a straightforward storytelling style. You skip over bits and pieces and yes, the viewer can add it up and infer many things, but wouldn’t it be preferable to just do it properly in the first place. Glen questions if this committee is God’s will. Glen is there to question all of the religious aspects. He’s the guy you need to ask questions and keep things honest, in many ways. Glen wants to have an election. Stu weighs in and says that Abigail chose them and it hasn’t changed since. Abigail enters and says it hasn’t changed. Glen tries talking to her and she says that she told him that if he had anything that he wanted to say to her, he was to tell it to Nick. She is awfully moody. She even gives Ray the business.
Abigail sits next to the crucified man. Looking at the casting list, I think the guy’s name is Heck Drogan. I think his brother, or maybe him, is a big part of security in the 94 version. Drogan sounds familiar. I looked it up and Barry Drogan was the head of security in 94. He sees Mother Abigail and says that he dreams of her. He talks of a man there, but he’s no man. He’s got lots of names: The Hardcase, The Walkin’ Dude (my personal favorite), and Flagg. Flagg made promises to help them out of the chaos. Then they brought in the slaves. What slaves??? He knew that he had to get out to get to Colorado. Flagg’s men caught him trying to cross the border. That’s when they put him up on the pole. Then Flagg came to him and whispered in his ear that he wanted him to send a message. Then he starts twitching and bleeding from his wounded. His neck contorts and his eyes are black. Flagg is speaking through this guy and tells Abigail to pray that God takes her before she hears his boots on her steps. He’s gonna blow her house down. He starts screaming. He collapses and dies.
Nadine has some candles and a planchette. We see Young Nadine with one of those stones on a necklace. Flagg was into them young girls. Kinda creepy. I’m not sure that I like that aspect, but it really does make sense to try to get a young naive girl with no hope to save herself for you. It really makes a lot of sense. Nadine puts her hand on the planchette and goes into a dream with Flagg. She doesn’t like being in Boulder. She can’t feel Flagg there. He needs her to be his eyes. She feels so lonely. Flagg says that the people in Boulder hate what they don’t understand. She wants to come to Flagg now, but he needs her to do one thing first. She says anything. He wants her to kill Abigail and the committee. He says that he already found her a weapon, she just needs to pull “his” trigger. Then he tells her to mind the boy. She wakes up and Joe is staring at her. She quickly hides the stone and tells him that she will teach him how to play the game with the planchette sometime. As she takes Joe to bed we can see that Harold’s name is written on the paper. Actually, that was kind of a cool moment.
Teddy is talking with Harold at night about how he used to think churches were for fairy tales for adults. Now, in the apocalypse, he ended up in Colorado with all the marijuana dispensaries. They are going to take care of Heck Drogan. This feels strange since he’s the first fresh body that they have had to take care of. Harold notes that this will be the first of many. Then Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” plays us out.
End Episode 3 “Blank Page”
Okay, they are steadily improving. Nick was different in some ways but was fine. I think I still prefer Rob’s portrayal of him, but this guy does well with his disposition. Brad is playing Tom exceptionally well. I liked the updated way that they told Nadine’s story. Glen’s introduction wasn’t what I was expecting, but the way that Greg plays the character, they needed his introduction to be done this way.
I do wish they would have established Mother Abigail creating the committee. A small scene would have been nice. If you think about it, if we didn’t know better, one may wonder why Harold and Nadine aren’t on the committee initially. They have spent an inordinate amount of time on Harold, which I find peculiar, but he’s such a good character that I don’t mind at all. If they can keep giving us episodes this good, this mini-series has a real chance to be quite good.
Final Rating – 1.0 – I can’t nitpick much here. This accomplished a ton. One thing that does need to eventually happen is that they need to really do more with Flagg.
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