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IT, (aka STEPHEN KING'S IT), Tim Curry, 1990, © Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

(Photo by © Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection)

All Stephen King TV Series, Miniseries, TV Movies Ranked

TV has been a favorite home to adaptations of Stephen King books and short stories into series, mini-series, and TV movies 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 movies, 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 and movies ranked by Tomatometer. Have we forgotten your favorite? Remind us in the comments.

The Dead Zone (2002)
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#30
Synopsis: Following a car crash that leaves him in a coma for six years, Johnny Smith awakens to find that he... [More]
Directed By: Lloyd Segan

#29
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After her grandmother vanishes, young Jamie (Claudette Mink) decides to stay in the elderly woman's apartment in Nebraska in order... [More]
Directed By: Guy Magar

#28
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Grace Rhodes (Naomi Watts), who is studying to be a doctor, returns to her hometown as a strange illness is... [More]
Directed By: Greg Spence

#27
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: For years, Jon Porter (Michael Gross) has been repressing memories of how his older sister was murdered -- and how... [More]
Directed By: Adam Grossman

#26
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After learning of a disaster at a remote military base in Antarctica, the CIA sends Capt. Sam Cage (Clayton Rohner)... [More]
Directed By: Daniel Zelik Berk

#25
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Hannah (Natalie Ramsey) is the daughter of one of the original members of a murderous cult composed of children who... [More]
Directed By: Kari Skogland

#24
Adjusted Score: 6764%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Determined to save her estranged brother from a suicide cult, a young woman faces murderous children and worse.... [More]
Directed By: Ethan Wiley

#23
#23
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: While traveling through rural Nebraska, a couple (David Anders, Kandyse McClure) encounters a religious cult of murderous children who worship... [More]
Directed By: Donald P. Borchers

#22
Adjusted Score: 4021%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Dark forces invade a Seattle mansion where an industrialist (Steven Brand) lives with his submissive wife (Lisa Brenner).... [More]
Directed By: Craig R. Baxley

#21

Carrie (2002)
20%

#21
Adjusted Score: 7703%
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.
Synopsis: Tormented by her fellow high-school students, a teenager (Angela Bettis) uses telekinesis as a tool for vengeance.... [More]
Directed By: David Carson

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#20

#19
#19
Adjusted Score: 31448%
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.
Synopsis: ... [More]
Directed By: John Power

#18
Synopsis: A college professor and a team of psychics investigate an old abandoned house at the request of the man who... [More]

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#17

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#16

#15

Salem's Lot (2004)
68%

#15
Adjusted Score: 63664%
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.
Synopsis: A writer (Rob Lowe) encounters a pair of sinister new residents when he returns to his Maine hometown to research... [More]
Directed By: Mikael Salomon

#14
Adjusted Score: 50846%
Critics Consensus: While not without its fair share of thrills, The Langoliers suffers from a meandering pace and dubious characterizations.
Synopsis: Ten passengers on a red-eye flight from L.A. to Boston discover that they are not the only people on the... [More]
Directed By: Tom Holland

Haven (2010)
63%

#13
Synopsis: FBI Agent Audrey Parker arrives in Haven, Maine, on what she believes is a routine assignment. But the longer she... [More]

#12
#12
Adjusted Score: 67188%
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.
Synopsis: High school teacher Jim Norman (Tim Matheson) reluctantly returns to his hometown with his wife (Brooke Adams) to pursue a... [More]
Directed By: Tom McLoughlin

Under the Dome (2013)
68%

#11
Synopsis: Based on the best-selling Stephen King novel of the same name, "Under the Dome" follows the residents of Chester's Mill,... [More]

#10
Synopsis: A four-part miniseries tells the horror story of King's "The Stand." A supervirus that leaked from a lab kills most... [More]

#9

It (1990)
68%

#9
Adjusted Score: 69346%
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.
Synopsis: In 1960, seven preteen outcasts fight an evil demon that poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite... [More]
Directed By: Tommy Lee Wallace

The Outsider (2020)
91%

#8
Synopsis: Based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, "The Outsider" begins by following an investigation which at first... [More]

Synopsis: Mike Anderson, the constable of the isolated Maine island hamlet Little Tall Island, is facing the toughest challenge of his... [More]

11.22.63 (2016)
83%

#6
Synopsis: James Franco plays the role of Jake Epping, an ordinary high school teacher, who is presented with a chance to... [More]

Synopsis: Adaptations of short stories written by author Stephen King.... [More]
Directed By: Bill Haber

Castle Rock (2018)
88%

#4
Synopsis: The psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of his works,... [More]

#3

Salem's Lot (1979)
89%

#3
Adjusted Score: 90141%
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.
Synopsis: Based on the Stephen King novel, Ben Mears (David Soul) has returned to his hometown of Salem's Lot to write... [More]
Directed By: Tobe Hooper

#2

1922 (2017)
92%

#2
Adjusted Score: 93855%
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.
Synopsis: A rancher conspires to murder his wife for financial gain and convinces his teenage son to participate.... [More]
Directed By: Zak Hilditch

#1

Gerald's Game (2017)
91%

#1
Adjusted Score: 94777%
Critics Consensus: Carla Gugino carries Gerald's Game's small-scale suspense with a career-defining performance.
Synopsis: A woman accidentally kills her husband during a kinky game. Handcuffed to her bed with no hope of rescue, she... [More]
Directed By: Mike Flanagan


RELATED: All Stephen King Movies Ranked



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