Summary
Stephen Kingtells it like it is, whethersharing his thoughts on a terrifying horror movieor admitting when he doesn’t love an adaptation of his own work. While hedoesn’t want people to sayThe Life of Chuckis “corny,“he’s praised the emotional Mike Flanagan movie, and he seems pleased withThe Long Walk, which will arrive in theaters in September 2025, too. Fans love hearing what horror storytelling King thinks is top-notch since he’s crafted so many excellent stories over his career.
Since summer is a particularly great time to get wrapped up in a thriller, it’s fun to hearKing’s recommendation about a series on Netflix that captured his interest. It has all the hallmarks of a genuinely creepy and memorable series:great characters, a captivating premise, and a thought-provoking ending.
Stephen King Loved The Netflix Thriller Based On Harlan Coben’s The Stranger
In March 2020,Stephen King praisedThe Stranger,the Netflix thriller adapted from the book by Harlan Coben.He called it an"excellent mystery” and “addictive.”
The fascinating thrillerseries has an impressive 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and tells the story of Adam Price (Richard Armitage), who is told by a woman that his wife Corrine (Dervla Kirwan) lied to him about something important. WhenAdam’s wife goes missing, he’s swept up in a big mystery.The Strangeralso starsAnthony Head, who played Giles onBuffy the Vampire Slayer, along with Ella-Rae Smith, Jacob Dudman, Paul Kaye, Kadiff Kirwan, Jennifer Saunders, and Siobhán Finnera.
The woman who talks to Adam is known asThe Stranger (Hannah John-Kamen), and she’s a fascinating character. She’s one reason why this seriesworks so well. Instead of being another run-of-the-mill tale about a missing spouse, or another story that feels like a carbon copy of Gillian Flynn’s beloved novelGone Girl, viewers wonder what happened to Corrine along with who The Stranger is. This double mystery keeps everyone invested.
If any author knows what makes a horror or thriller story work, it’s definitely King, whose memorable thriller bookBilly Summerswill be adapted into a movie. Whilenot every King adaptation has a solid ending,The Strangerhas a smart conclusion that answers every big question fans have. After all, a thriller is only as clever as its ending. No one wants to feel that they watched eight episodes and didn’t get the answers they wanted and needed.
In a 2020 interview withVariety, Harlan Coben answered a question about whether fans were binge-watchingThe Stranger, and he shared his thoughts on the difference between a streaming adaptation and a network drama. He said:
“I think when you have the freedom a streaming service gives you, you don’t have to make 22 episodes. It’s sort of like a novel. Each episode is like a chapter, you have cliffhangers, and you don’t want to put it down. Some people may take a week or two to finish it, some people will take a day. It actually has more in common with the novel than any format we’ve had before.”
Could There Be A Season 2 Of The Stranger?
While sometimes a thriller storyworks better as a miniseries or limited series, likeNetflix’sSirenswhich has six episodes, it can be tough not to hope to see these beloved characters again. AlthoughThe Strangerhas a satisfying ending, some wondered if a second season would happen.
What other Harlan Coben TV adaptations are on Netflix?
In his 2020Varietyinterview,Harlan Coben said he thought that the show told a complete story. He said:
“My guess is I won’t want to do that, unless I can come up with an idea that’s equally good or better. Part of the deal I make with the viewer is you get all the answers — it’s a full novel. But I never say never.”
LikeStephen King’s many TV adaptations, fans are always eager to see new TV shows based on Coben’s work. Next up isI Will Find You, which tells the story of a father who was jailed for killing his son… but whose son is possibly alive.It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Britt Lower, Chi McBride, and Sam Worthington.
