CASTLE ROCK: A Worthy Delve Into The Arcane “Severance”, “Habeas Corpus” & “Local Color”

If, like me, hearing that a main part focuses on Shawshank Prison, or catching references to various Stephen King works excites you – the new Castle Rock is the show for you. If it doesn’t, but you’re a fan of macabre and mysterious programming, I’d still recommend it.

With Hulu’s most recent original show Castle Rock, a fictional town referenced and used throughout King‘s work, the streaming service creates something new while intersecting details from the writer’s published pieces.

Airing the first three episodes at once, wetting the appetite of fans appropriately, we’re able to get a good grasp on the show’s core tale, without fully knowing the depths of this thrilling new series by creators Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason.

As a longtime fan of Stephen King’s the prospect of this show was exciting – and suffice to say, I wasn’t disappointed. I’m even willing to let go of the mispronunciation of my local towns for the greater entertainment good.

Meet The Cast

Episode one begins with a missing child, a suicide, and an unknown man found locked away in a closed off part of Shawshank. There’s an abundance of setup, with many fascinating characters and possible answers to be found.

The warden of Shawshank Prison, Dale Lacy (Terry O’Quinn) takes his life which leaves new warden (Ann Cusack) picking up the pieces. She has her hands full with the sins and secrets of her predecessor, specifically when she discovers he had shut down a whole section of the prison. Guard Dennis Zalewski (Noel Fisher), a rarity at Shawshank (one with a conscience), expecting his first child, is exploring these uncharted grounds when he comes across a man locked in a cage. Enter the unnamed, spooky, Bill Skarsgård (who recently played Pennywise in the new IT). No one seems to know who he is or where he came from, and the only thing he says is “Henry Deaver”.  It turns out, warden Lacy was keeping him prisoner since he was a kid (aptly referred to as “the kid”) but why?

André Holland is Henry Deaver, a death row lawyer with a sordid history with the home town that he can’t seem to escape. Now in Texas, he couldn’t save his newest client from the death penalty and is forced to watch the botched execution. When he receives a mysterious phone call from a Shawshank guard, he’s brought back home. His reunion isn’t exactly welcoming. When he was younger he went missing in the middle of winter, and his adoptive father (the local pastor) died, and he can’t recall the events after reappearing on a frozen lake.

It’s a story everyone in town knows, and seems to blame him for, despite his youth at the time. His mother, Ruth Deaver (Sissy Spacek) is suffering from some memory issues herself, and when he returns she’s shacking up with retired sheriff Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn). King fans will recognize the name as the main character in novel Needful Things with stops in various other works (previously portrayed by Ed Harris in the film adaptation of Needful Things). He was also the one who found Henry when he was younger, one of the opening shots of the show.

Melanie Lynskey is Molly Strand, local realtor and childhood neighbor of Henry. She’s trying to rebuild her life, and more specifically – the town, with plans to revitalize the neighborhood. Unfortunately, she has difficulty around people, especially Henry, as she tends to feel what others feel. Molly also has a chemical dependence, which she says helps drown it out, purchasing the drugs from local teenagers. In a flashback, we learn she’s haunted by her past, with incidences directly connected to Henry.

There’s also a character played by Jane Levy named Jackie Torrance. I’m not sure if there’s a connection to the Torrance family (from The Shining), but it’s a curious thought. Jackie works with Molly, and also does some things for the local church. Her story isn’t really yet underlined, but its clear she’ll be crucial. Frances Conroy also has a small role as Dale Lacy’s blind widow.

Nothing Stays Secret For Long

Michael Uppendahl directs both episode one and two. Episode one, “Severance”, focuses on Henry, and his arrival back home. It also introduces us to Shawshank Prison as it’s portrayed in Castle Rock. It’s clear that it’s a formidable presence in this town, as most of the locals work there, and that it is the anchor for which things build from. As is Henry, his past, the specifics of which will surely be revealed with in time, and the man (Skarsgard) found in the bowels of the penitentiary.

There’s something incredibly odd about the newest prisoner at Shawshank. No one can seem to figure out his identity, and there’s something chilling about his presence. The warden and her group want him to disappear, and try to avoid acknowledging his presence when it comes to Henry. In episode two, “Habeas Corpus” they even try to hide him in solitary with another inmate, but when his bunk-mate dies, riddled with cancer, the plot thickens further. Guard Dennis Zalewsk and Henry work together to try and get him help, but it’s not an easy road.

As episode two unravels we’re given some fantastic narration by Terry O’Quinn, which by the end, we realize is a letter written to Scott Glenn‘s Pangborn. The two were obviously working together, but to what end? With lines like “Every inch is stained with someone’s sin” and “Evil outlasts us all” it’s clear that there are some malevolent threads at work here. Through the flashbacks and narration in episode two we’re given a window into the very disturbing past of warden Lacy and his indignation of the boy he’s locked up, because he believes that he is the root of evil in Castle Rock.

Henry visits his widow and, before being kicked out, looks in his office desk. In a moment of pure eerie sustenance, he finds several copies of the same “verse a day” calendar page. “Even at that hour of night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.” (Acts 16-33). There’s also a locked basement, but we’ll have to wait to find out what lurks in there. As with so many things in Castle Rock – I can’t wait to discover.

With episode three, “Local Color” directed by Daniel Attias, our introduction to Molly Strand is further explored. She is a strange, but fascinating addition. She’s reunited with Henry, though the circumstances aren’t ideal at first, and she’s preparing for her visit to a local television special called Local Color. Whether it be her hunt for the prescription drug that helps her (leading her to some unsavory and creepy children), some distressing memories, or her eventual declaration on television, it’s clear Molly is an integral part of the mystery at the heart of the town. Henry also finally meets with his client, “the kid,” though he isn’t saying much.

All of the cast is at the top of their game, many of which have starred in some form of a Stephen King adaptation prior, or are not strangers to television. Specific standouts are André Holland and Melanie Lynskey. Lynskey, who seems to be frequently underappreciated in her roles, gets an opportunity to really shine here.

The writing, collaboratively by Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason, maintains a steady line of tense thrill, feeding just enough to keep us engaged, while remaining on the precipice of some jaw-dropping conclusions that we will have to wait week to week to uncover.

Conclusion: Castle Rock Episodes 1-3

Easter eggs are abound, with references to Shawshank and Cujo (to name a couple). There is a simple but melancholy score that holds the focus even in its quietest moments of contemplation. A choice lighting design gives us a dark, ghostly, Castle Rock, proving a powerful and lingering first entry.

From the very first frame Castle Rock makes good on its promise to be moody and intriguing, with choice moments of inclusion on its intended narratives. There’s a lot to garner from the first three episodes, but even more to crave. Something’s brewing in this small Maine town, and it isn’t good (for those involved) but great for us viewers.

What did you think? How did the first three episodes rank for you? Let us know in the comments below!

The first three Castle Rock episodes are available for streaming on Hulu now. New episodes premiere every Wednesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXsKCQenpt0