Stephen King has penned dozens of books and hundreds of short stories, many of which have been adapted for the screen with varying degrees of success. That said, the author’s work is enduringly popular, and studios and networks can’t get enough of his twisted imagination. That’s why ABC came calling after he wrote an original screenplay for a miniseries called “Storm of the Century,” an underrated gem from 1999 that deserves more recognition. The good news, however, is that it’s available to stream on Hulu — and you really need to watch it.

If you had to judge “Storm of the Century” just by reading the summary, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a prototypical King story; however, this one packs more of a punch than most. The six-hour miniseries takes place in Little Tall Island, a sleepy town in Maine that becomes engulfed in terror following a blizzard and the arrival of the mysterious Andre Linoge (Colm Feore). The visitor knows everyone’s darkest secrets and turns the townsfolk against each other, but he’s a reasonable menace who agrees to leave everyone alone if they voluntarily give him a child. Will the residents of Little Tall succumb to his demand? Or will they find a way to overcome their supernatural enemy?

“Storm of the Century” wasn’t the massive ratings smash ABC wanted it to be in 1999, but the miniseries was critically applauded and holds up impressively after all these years. What’s more, it occupies a special place in Stephen King’s heart, and that goes a long way.

From the ice-cold atmosphere to its terrifying villain, there are several reasons why Stephen King fans should check out “Storm of the Century.” It’s a horror gem that boasts all of the hallmarks of a classic King story, but it’s arguably a cut above most of the author’s television work, which is a sentiment he agrees with. In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, the “IT” author declared “Storm of the Century” his favorite TV project — which is high praise considering that there are several great King miniseries out there. As King put it:

“That is my absolute favorite of all of them […] I loved Colm Feore as Linoge, and I loved the story. They filmed it in Southwest Harbor in Maine in the wintertime and they got the snow, so you get the sense of this awesome blizzard and the people trapped in it. They did a terrific job.”

While the miniseries has been largely overlooked compared to many other King shows and movies, it’s still made an impact on pop culture. “Storm of the Century” even inspired Mike Flanagan’s “Midnight Mass,” another acclaimed horror series about a supernatural presence wreaking havoc on a small town. If this underrated miniseries is good enough for both Flanagan and King, then horror fans with a Hulu subscription are bound to enjoy it.