(Photo by Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection. SALEM’S LOT)
TV has been a favorite home to adaptations of Stephen King books and short stories into series and mini-series since 1979 TV series Salem’s Lot. Whether developed for television or straight-to-video — remember video tapes? — TV and movie translations of, or based on, the horror master’s work have long been fan favorites, even if they didn’t receive much critical acclaim.
But which is the best? Rotten Tomatoes dug up 30 Stephen King made-for-TV shows and streaming series and ranked them by their Tomatometer scores. The top 10 is made up of six of the most recent King adaptations — yay, progress! — including The Outsider, which hit HBO in 2020.
Some titles, like The Dead Zone with Anthony Michael Hall, that happened before Peak TV don’t have enough reviews of their seasons to get series-level scores and are listed alphabetically at the end of the list below (that is, you will see them first as you read down the page). Season 1 of The Dead Zone, for instance, has a 77% score on 13 reviews, but has no scores on its other five seasons and therefore doesn’t meet the criteria for a series-level score (at least half of a show’s seasons must have scores).
You may also note that while films that are Certified Fresh are clearly labeled here, TV shows are Certified Fresh by season, and season badges won’t show up in a mixed list of film and series-level scores — click through to the shows’ overview pages to find out how many seasons are Certified Fresh.
Have a look at all Stephen King TV and streaming series ranked by Tomatometer. Have we forgotten your favorite? Remind us in the comments.
Newly added: Salem’s Lot
#1
Adjusted Score: 93816%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to director Zak Hilditch’s patient storytelling and strong work from lead Thomas Jane, 1922 ranks among the more satisfying Stephen King adaptations.
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#2
Adjusted Score: 94749%
Critics Consensus: Carla Gugino carries Gerald’s Game‘s small-scale suspense with a career-defining performance.
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#4
Adjusted Score: 90106%
Critics Consensus: Director Tobe Hooper and a devilishly charismatic James Mason elevate this television adaptation of the Stephen King novel, injecting the vampiric tradition with fresh blood and lingering scares.
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#11
Adjusted Score: 64328%
Critics Consensus: Salem’s Lot is a bit anemic due to a dearth of proper scares, but its effectively creepy atmosphere and solid performances make for a respectable adaptation of Stephen King’s revered novel.
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#12
It (1990)
68%
Adjusted Score: 69352%
Critics Consensus: Though hampered by an uneven second half, It supplies a wealth of funhouse thrills and an idelible turn from Tim Curry as Pennywise.
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#13
Adjusted Score: 67196%
Critics Consensus: Tim Matheson’s gripping performance and a strong mood make Sometimes They Come Back an effective, if not wholly revelatory, Stephen King adaptation.
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#14
Adjusted Score: 67524%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#16
Adjusted Score: 50856%
Critics Consensus: While not without its fair share of thrills, The Langoliers suffers from a meandering pace and dubious characterizations.
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Adjusted Score: 43311%
Critics Consensus: Rose Red asks too many questions and provides too few answers to satisfy given its lack of scares — though King completists may enjoy wandering its somewhat mysterious halls.
#18
Adjusted Score: 31491%
Critics Consensus: Unlikeable characters, a bloated narrative, and drab scripting make The Tommyknockers a hard watch for even the most die-hard of Stephen King fans.
#19
Adjusted Score: 7774%
Critics Consensus: This made-for-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s classic fails to impress or bring anything new to the table, – or to the prom – paling even more in comparison to the 1970’s memorable version.
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#20
Adjusted Score: 4055%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#21
Adjusted Score: 6857%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#22
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#23
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#24
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#25
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#26
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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#27
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus:
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus:
RELATED: All Stephen King Movies Ranked
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