Rob Lowe Starred In Two Stephen King Miniseries That Defined '90s And 2000s TV Horror

Some Stephen King adaptations are best suited for the television format, particularly of the miniseries variety. Notable entries include Tommy Lee Wallace's influential rendition of "It" and the underrated but effective "Storm of the Century," among others. But if we turn our attention to the miniseries adaptations of "The Stand" and "Salem's Lot" — released in 1994 and 2004, respectively — Rob Lowe emerges as the (surprising) common thread between the two. "The West Wing" star might not be generally associated with the horror genre, but Lowe has starred in not one, but two seminal Stephen King adaptations that have shaped TV horror and its evolving vignettes.

King was personally involved in Mick Garris' "The Stand" (he even has a minor role in the series), which was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards in 1994. While it doesn't comprehensively capture the layered brilliance of King's novel, it makes good use of its star-studded ensemble to bring this epic, surreal tale to life. Here, a military-created bioweapon with a high mortality rate breaks containment, ushering in the fall of civilization at an astonishing rate. But some remain immune, and are forced to survive an apocalyptic wasteland that opposing forces of good and evil have laid claim to. Lowe plays Nick Andros, a young drifter who survives the outbreak and plays an integral role in the show's events.

In TNT's version of "Salem's Lot," Lowe plays writer Ben Mears, who recounts the grisly events that take place in Jerusalem's Lot after his homecoming. This is a rather straightforward adaptation that sticks to the source material — a worthwhile effort save for the exposition-heavy opening where Mears prattles on and on about the titular location. Whatever changes director Mikael Salomon makes are inspired enough to fit comfortably into King's eerie, vampire-infested world.

While a vampire story like "Salem's Lot" hinges on visceral horror/competent character portrayal, atmospheric dread ultimately does most of the heavy lifting. The TNT version understands this, which is why the events are set in a desolate wintry environment, where the Marsden House emits a palpable aura even to those passing by. This house, occupied by the vampire Barlow (Rutger Hauer) and his human caretaker Straker (Donald Sutherland), looks appropriately gorgeous and moody, complementing the fantastical nature of the premise.

Salomon also ramps up the brutality, leaning into the grisly microdetails that precede vampire attacks and nasty falls through staircases. The talented cast ties everything together, with Lowe slipping into the shoes of a haunted artist rather well, and the Hauer-Sutherland duo brilliantly showcasing the hypnotic lull of darkness that their respective characters embody.

As for Garris' "The Stand," the miniseries opts for a languid pace, which ends up working in favor of characters who don't make it to the end. We end up caring about (almost) everyone alongside our central protagonists, including everyman Stu Redman (Gary Sinise), sociology professor Glen Bateman (Ray Walston), and the gentle-natured Tom Cullen (Bill Fagerbakke). Lowe's Nick can be grouped along with them, of course, as they represent a brand of morality that is drastically different from the villainous Randall Flagg (Jamey Sheridan), who is the literal embodiment of evil in the series.

This version of "The Stand" sports some glaring flaws, but it is the kind of cheesy, dated adaptation that is still worth watching today. It is also not subtle, because the source material itself isn't wired that way — it is a dense, sprawling examination of good versus evil that unambiguously underlines the people you should be rooting for.