One of Mike Flanagan‘s best horror TV shows on Netflix proves a Stephen King book would work incredibly well on the small-screen even though it has been adapted before.
Mike Flanagan started his journey on the small screen with a series of Netflix horror shows that, arguably, changed the landscape of the genre. His first show, The Haunting of Hill House, is easily among the best horror novel adaptations of all time and still has incredible rewatch value. Although Flanagan experienced a few hiccups as well with shows like The Midnight Club, his impressive line of work has earned him a massive following.
Since he heavily draws from literary works in the horror genre, especially from Stephen King’s stories, it is not surprising that one of his original series quietly reveals why one Stephen King book needs a TV remake.
Midnight Mass Proves Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot Deserves A TV Remake
Even though Midnight Mass is not specifically based on a horror novel like most of Flanagan’s other shows, many viewers could not help but notice how it came off as the perfect adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. Everything from its small town setting to the eventual “vampire” reveal seemed reminiscent of the King novel.
Interestingly, Salem’s Lot has been adapted several times in the past. While its first major adaptation was a TV miniseries that came out in 1979, another one was a 3-hour show in 2004. In 2023, it even got a movie adaptation.
Out of three, the movie adaptation had the worst reception because of its lack of heart and rushed monster reveal. While the TV adaptations received far better reviews, they, too, have been long forgotten. Also, from a visual standpoint, both miniseries seemed to have lost their appeal because of their dated television-bound production.
Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass proves a contemporary version of the Stephen King story can work just as well as the original book. All past adaptations of Salem’s Lot were also limited to a few hours of storytelling. Flanagan’s show, however, establishes that if given the 8-10 episode treatment, the Stephen King novel would truly shine as a slow-burn, character-rich horror story.
Hopefully, Salem’s Lot will eventually be considered for a modern TV remake some time in the near future.
It Is The Best Time For Stephen King’s TV Adaptations
2025 was a great year for Stephen King’s TV adaptations. The two shows based on his books, The Institute and It: Welcome to Derry, performed incredibly well on streaming and are set to return with more future installments. This marked the beginning of a new trend for Stephen King adaptations because shows based on his works have rarely left their mark in the past.
Even some of the most exciting Stephen King adaptations are TV shows:
- Mike Flanagan’s Carrie
- J.J. Abrams’ Billy Summers
- Paul Greengrass’ Fairy Tale
Since the future of Stephen King‘s TV adaptations already looks bright, it seems to be the perfect time for a modern Salem’s Lot remake. And if someone like Mike Flanagan hops on board to create the show, it would become even more exciting.
