“I Loved It”: Stephen King’s Favorite TV Show Of His Own Aired 25 Years Ago (& It’s Not Based On A Book)

Stephen King has many works that have become TV shows, but his favorite is one that aired 25 years ago – and isn’t based on any of his existing novels. The prolific horror author has had many of his works adapted into TV series, giving the original works plenty of room to develop over time. This includes classics like the 1990 miniseries adaptation of It, and an upcoming The Dark Tower show, based on King’s series of the same name.

However, the horror icon has also been involved in works that are not directly based on his novels. This includes everything from him directing 1986’s Maximum Overdrive to parts of his novels inspiring the original stories in the Castle Rock TV show. And, despite the number of classic adaptations of his works that have come out over the years, his favorite is still one that he specifically wrote for the small screen.

Stephen King Loved Storm Of The Century & Called It His Favorite TV Work

Storm of the Century is still his favorite decades later.

During an interview with The New York Times in 2020, King revealed that his favorite TV show based on something he created was the 1999 miniseries Storm of the Century. Scripted by the author specifically for television, the three-episode show documents the events of a destructive winter storm on Little Tall Island off the coast of Maine. However, the storm brings with it Andre Linoge, one of King’s greatest villains, who causes chaos in the town as he demands a sacrifice from its inhabitants.

King has lauded the miniseries for its story and characters, citing Colem Feore’s performance as Linoge as a particular highlight. He also praised the series for being shot in the winter, giving it an extra layer of fear-driven reality. The praise he has for the miniseries is shared by those who’ve seen it – on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a score of 83% with critics and 84% with audiences. While it’s not the highest-rated King adaptation of all time, its quality appears to speak for itself.

Why Storm Of The Century Is So Good (Despite Not Being Based On A Stephen King Book)

The miniseries is an original work with a terrifying villain.

Storm of the Century is aided by not being an adaptation of King’s existing work, making the events that unfold unpredictable and often scarier in the process. Linoge in particular stands out because of his villainous nature, and how the evil deeds he commits are motivated by his need to take someone from the town per his wishes. The island setting also makes the events unfolding feel isolating, as if there is no escape from Linoge nor the winter storm in his wake.

While it’s not as popular as miniseries based on King’s other works, Storm of the Century has stuck with the author for decades after its initial airing in 1999. This shows just how powerful a story it turned out to be, and how proud he is that his script was turned into such an impressively terrifying series. While other King adaptations are more familiar to wider audiences, it makes sense why the author holds the miniseries in such high esteem.