{"id":2052840,"date":"2026-07-20T11:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T08:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2052840"},"modified":"2026-07-20T11:57:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T08:57:45","slug":"stephen-king-says-cape-fear-tv-series-is-more-fucked-up-than-peter-otoole-on-his-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2052840","title":{"rendered":"Stephen King says \u2018Cape Fear\u2019 TV series is \u201cmore fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Javier-Bardem-in-Cape-Fear.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><i class=\"tdb-bread-sep td-icon-right\"><\/i><span>TV News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Stephen King says \u2018Cape Fear\u2019 TV series is \u201cmore fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday\u201d<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>&#8220;I say that with love and admiration,&#8221; the author added<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Sam Warner<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-07-20T12:57:45+01:00\">20th July 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- .\/block --><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure>\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Javier-Bardem-in-Cape-Fear-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Javier Bardem in &apos;Cape Fear&apos;\" title=\"Javier Bardem in &apos;Cape Fear&apos;\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Javier Bardem in &#8216;Cape Fear&#8217;. CREDIT: Apple TV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Stephen King has given his verdict on the recent <i>Cape Fear<\/i> TV series, calling it \u201cmore fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The Apple TV show is the latest iteration of the classic story, itself based on the 1957 John D. MacDonald novel <i>The Executioners<\/i>, and features Javier Bardem as sociopathic ex-con Max Cady as he sets out on a mission of revenge against the lawyer who defended him years earlier.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Also featuring Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson, the show is currently in the middle of its run, with author King weighing in while responding to fellow author Linwood Barclay \u2013 who wasn\u2019t a fan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<i>Cape Fear<\/i> is undeniably entertaining, but it is the most sloppily and ridiculously plotted series I have ever watched,\u201d the latter wrote on X.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It&#8217;s entertaining because it&#8217;s more fucked up than Peter O&#8217;Toole on his birthday. https:\/\/t.co\/SR7I3Fav5T<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 18, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I say that with love and admiration. https:\/\/t.co\/yzZg9OAh8l<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 18, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>King then responded: \u201cIt\u2019s entertaining because it\u2019s more fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <i>Misery<\/i> writer further clarified: \u201cI say that with love and admiration.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Cape Fear<\/i> was previously adapted into a 1962 film with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen, and a 1991 remake with Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange.<\/p>\n<p>King is known for sharing his opinions on TV, recently revealing his praise for Apple TV\u2019s <i>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed<\/i> as he compared it to hit show <i>Widow\u2019s Bay<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>WIDOW\u2019S BAY<\/em> is good,\u201d he wrote on X. \u201cMAXIMUM PLEASURE GUARANTEED is even better. It\u2019s like Hitchcock came back to do it one more time. And Tatiana Maslany is so good. The play of emotions on her face is pretty incredible. She goes from comic to terror in an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The author has also unveiled his 10 favourite films of all time, including <i>Sorcerer, The Godfather Part II, The Getaway <\/i>and<i> Groundhog Day<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>In <i>NME<\/i>\u2019s three-star review of<i> Cape Fear<\/i>, we said: \u201cThis take on <i>Cape Fear<\/i> sticks closely to the source material (John D. MacDonald\u2019s 1957 novel <i>The Executioners<\/i>) but the melodramatic orchestral swells that underscore the more emotional moments strike a strange note.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Apple TV+<\/li>\n<li>Cape Fear<\/li>\n<li>stephen king<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<div id=\"taboola-below-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-sidebar  tdi_92 td_block_template_2\">\n<p><span 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News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Will there be a\u00a0\u2018Silo\u2019\u00a0season four?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-image-container\">\n<div class=\"td-module-thumb\"><span class=\"entry-thumb td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Silo-Rebecca-Ferguson-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Silo-Rebecca-Ferguson-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">What happened at the end of\u00a0\u2018Silo\u2019\u00a0season two?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>                    <span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span>                <\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Stephen King has given his verdict on the recent <i>Cape Fear<\/i> TV series, calling it \u201cmore fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The Apple TV show is the latest iteration of the classic story, itself based on the 1957 John D. MacDonald novel <i>The Executioners<\/i>, and features Javier Bardem as sociopathic ex-con Max Cady as he sets out on a mission of revenge against the lawyer who defended him years earlier.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Also featuring Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson, the show is currently in the middle of its run, with author King weighing in while responding to fellow author Linwood Barclay \u2013 who wasn\u2019t a fan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<i>Cape Fear<\/i> is undeniably entertaining, but it is the most sloppily and ridiculously plotted series I have ever watched,\u201d the latter wrote on X.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It&#8217;s entertaining because it&#8217;s more fucked up than Peter O&#8217;Toole on his birthday. https:\/\/t.co\/SR7I3Fav5T<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 18, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I say that with love and admiration. https:\/\/t.co\/yzZg9OAh8l<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 18, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>King then responded: \u201cIt\u2019s entertaining because it\u2019s more fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <i>Misery<\/i> writer further clarified: \u201cI say that with love and admiration.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Cape Fear<\/i> was previously adapted into a 1962 film with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen, and a 1991 remake with Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange.<\/p>\n<p>King is known for sharing his opinions on TV, recently revealing his praise for Apple TV\u2019s <i>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed<\/i> as he compared it to hit show <i>Widow\u2019s Bay<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>WIDOW\u2019S BAY<\/em> is good,\u201d he wrote on X. \u201cMAXIMUM PLEASURE GUARANTEED is even better. It\u2019s like Hitchcock came back to do it one more time. And Tatiana Maslany is so good. The play of emotions on her face is pretty incredible. She goes from comic to terror in an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The author has also unveiled his 10 favourite films of all time, including <i>Sorcerer, The Godfather Part II, The Getaway <\/i>and<i> Groundhog Day<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>In <i>NME<\/i>\u2019s three-star review of<i> Cape Fear<\/i>, we said: \u201cThis take on <i>Cape Fear<\/i> sticks closely to the source material (John D. MacDonald\u2019s 1957 novel <i>The Executioners<\/i>) but the melodramatic orchestral swells that underscore the more emotional moments strike a strange note.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/tv\/stephen-king-cape-fear-tv-series-more-fucked-up-peter-otoole-birthday-3957974&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Javier-Bardem-in-Cape-Fear.jpg&#8221;] NewsTV News Stephen King says \u2018Cape Fear\u2019 TV series is \u201cmore fucked up than Peter O\u2019Toole on his birthday\u201d &#8220;I say that with love and admiration,&#8221; the author added By Sam Warner 20th July 2026 Javier Bardem in &#8216;Cape Fear&#8217;. CREDIT: Apple TV Stephen King has given his verdict on the recent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2052840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2052840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2052840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2052840\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2052840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2052840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2052840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}