Memories of certain scenes from the 1985 cult film "Night of the Comet" took over my memory in a scene between two of the survivors, one of them a newcomer, not very bright, desperate to tag along with one of the established characters as he heads off to Kentucky to see Ruby Dee whose story is further developed. The theme is definitely more supernatural horror here as an evil spirit shows up in prison to let another character out, while Ray Walston is introduced as an elderly man, also on his way to see Dee. The story still focuses on the end of the bulk of human society with millions of dead people lying around New York City alone, but the theme has moved on from subtle sci-fi to obvious horror.
While the miniseries is still very good in the second part, it is not as realistic or parallel to real pandemic occurrences, although the eeriness of an earth carrying on with only a few humans is quite frightening. There's also a bit of a parallel to "Of Mice and Men" as one of the new characters (Bill Fagerbakke) is similar to Lon Chaney"s character in the 1939 classic film version, encountering the now mute Adam Storke. Steven King is obviously going for a bit more complexity but at times it's convoluted and weird. The romantic subplots really don't add much to the story I suppose are necessary to attract a certain type of audience or show that somehow the world will repopulate itself. However, Shawnee Smith is rather annoying as the dizzy girl who shows up in the middle of nowhere, like Sally Bowles from "Cabaret" without the charm, one of the few truly awful aspects of the story up to this point. Laura San Giacomo adds some intensity as a very troubled woman that Gary Sinise encounters out of the blue in New York and proves to be a dark presence.
While the miniseries is still very good in the second part, it is not as realistic or parallel to real pandemic occurrences, although the eeriness of an earth carrying on with only a few humans is quite frightening. There's also a bit of a parallel to "Of Mice and Men" as one of the new characters (Bill Fagerbakke) is similar to Lon Chaney"s character in the 1939 classic film version, encountering the now mute Adam Storke. Steven King is obviously going for a bit more complexity but at times it's convoluted and weird. The romantic subplots really don't add much to the story I suppose are necessary to attract a certain type of audience or show that somehow the world will repopulate itself. However, Shawnee Smith is rather annoying as the dizzy girl who shows up in the middle of nowhere, like Sally Bowles from "Cabaret" without the charm, one of the few truly awful aspects of the story up to this point. Laura San Giacomo adds some intensity as a very troubled woman that Gary Sinise encounters out of the blue in New York and proves to be a dark presence.