Stephen King's Desperation

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: May 23, 2006
Metascore
46

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 4 out of 12

Critic Reviews

  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Virginia Heffernan
    80
    It's King done right.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Clark Collis
    75
    Serviceably scarifying. [26 May 2006, p.100]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Adam Buckman
    75
    And if there's one thing I love in a movie, it's a sadistic sheriff. I also love wild dogs, feral cats and hungry vultures, and this movie has them all.
  5. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Barry Garron
    60
    The real surprise is that, for all the times King has taken us down this creepy path, he can still evoke chills and thrills over and over again.
  6. Orlando Sentinel
    Reviewed by: Hal Boedeker
    60
    The result is so-so King for television: neither a thrill machine like Storm of the Century nor a botch like Kingdom Hospital.
  7. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    40
    As often happens in this genre, the more you learn about the lurking evil... the less scary it gets.
  8. Variety
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    40
    The final leg proves something of a letdown.
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Robert Lloyd
    40
    The film goes along quite well, with the usual grabs and gotchas no less effective for being so familiar, as long as no one is talking.
  10. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    30
    Sadly truncated.
  11. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    30
    The more the script pushes its stock questions of faith, the more cerebral the movie becomes. And cerebral isn't a good thing when you're talking about horror.
  12. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Allison Benedikt
    10
    [King] expends way too much energy and dialogue on a shallow, sentimental exploration of faith.
  13. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Tom Shales
    10
    "Stephen King's Desperation" is showing on ABC tonight, and Stephen King's desperation is showing, too, even more than it did in "Kingdom Hospital."

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Best TV Season of 2006
82
#82 Most Discussed TV Season of 2006

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 34
  3. Negative: 6 out of 34
  1. Tss5078
    Feb 22, 2013
    4
    When Stephen King's work started being turned into movies, they were always great, but the newer stuff, has really been hit or miss. For theWhen Stephen King's work started being turned into movies, they were always great, but the newer stuff, has really been hit or miss. For the first hour, Desperation was great and Ron Pearlman was hilarious as the twisted sheriff, abducting people on the highway. Unfortunately, about half way through this film, the movie changes focus to young David, played by the kid from the Stacy's Mom video, Shane Haboucha. David is some kind of prophet who is more aware of things than the other. That was cool, but his constant ramblings about God, and spouting of all this religious bull got really annoying. By the time things built up to the end, I was so annoyed with this little kid and his ramblings that I just didn't care about what was going to happen. I just wanted the film to be over. Desperation is just another case of a writer and an actor taking things too far, to a point where it taints the whole movie.… Full Review »
  2. Cillian
    Aug 18, 2009
    7
    I applaud the movie for remaining so faithful to the novel, which is surprisingly rare for King adaptations (Shinning, I'm looking at I applaud the movie for remaining so faithful to the novel, which is surprisingly rare for King adaptations (Shinning, I'm looking at you). A good bit was left out (the middle of the book was cut down to maybe 10 minutes, but I imagine that this was to deal with time constraints. A lot was changed for the movie, namely Johnny's background, and his story about Vietnam was totally made up for the movie, but that was just to make it work on screen. Acting was so so, with Ron pearlman stealing it (musc to everyones shock *sarcasm*) As far as adaptations can go, it was good, just too short.… Full Review »
  3. XanderC
    Jan 4, 2009
    10
    Well.... Cristopher M you christian kooke I would rather worship a statue of 2 dogs having sex with a seahorse than your fly-by night Well.... Cristopher M you christian kooke I would rather worship a statue of 2 dogs having sex with a seahorse than your fly-by night unrealistic lame duck god. The bible makes about as much sense as Tom Cruise, the ambiguously gay couch hoping Scientolagist freakshow. The bible lies more than your parents did everytime they told you they loved you.... You convaluted gullable delusional Jesus humper. I guess I'd see you in hell if there was one stickybuns.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »