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Stephen King's work has often contemplated the inevitability of death, but the latest King

adaptation, The Life of Chuck, isn't a horror movie. It's life-affirming, and it will challenge

the cynic in everyone. And it's got a big cast that includes Tom Hittleston, Chuitel

Egyaphor, Jacob Tromblay, Mark Hamill, and narrator Nick Offerman.

I'm Linda Holmes, and today we're talking about The Life of Chuck on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour.

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Joining us today is B.A. Parker. She's one of the hosts of NPR's Code Switch

podcast. Hello, Parker. Hi, thanks for having me. Oh, thank you for being here. Also,

joining us is writer, comedian, and co-host of the Bad Romance podcast, Jordane Searle.

Hello, Jordane. Welcomeles. Hello, Jordane.

Welcome back.

Thank you for having me back.

Delightful, as always.

So The Life of Chuck is based on a Stephen King novella of the same name.

It's presented in three chapters.

In the first, a teacher named Marty, played by Chuitel Egeofhor, is living in a town where the world seems to be ending as a result of mysterious environmental catastrophes.

One day, a billboard appears. A man with glasses sits at a desk, smiling, and the billboard says, thanks Chuck for 39 great years.

...