CASTLE ROCK “The Queen” (S1E7): A Personal & Daring Block Of Television

In episode seven of Castle Rock, “The Queen”, we take a stroll in Ruth Deaver’s (Sissy Spacek) mind. As we’ve seen, she’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and it has caused her a lot of heartache. Well, prepare for more.

The Queen takes a break from what is going on outside of the Deaver household. We don’t get insight into the machine, or what’s going on with Henry (André Holland).

Instead, we get an unexpected approach that lends a hand to a more gentle, dramatic, element of human existence: the fragility of one’s mind.

An Enthralling And Insightful Addition

That’s not to say we don’t get a splash of the supernatural and plenty of creepy with The Kid (Bill Skarsgård) making his rounds. Or that we don’t get a response to last week’s cliffhanger, which we do. You might say the events of Castle Rock are on hold for right now, and in a way this episode is self-contained, a sort of stand-alone, but it does sink its claws into the overall season.

What’s different about “The Queen” is also what is amazing about it. This isn’t an hour like the previous six episodes of Castle Rock. It is heart-wrenching and bold because it bites down on a real disease and flushes it out from the inside, giving us a very raw and emotional look at how this can affect someone.

Ruth has a system, using her chess pieces, gifted by her love – Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn). To help her remember she leaves them in varying places, keeping track of time and her memories. As we move through the episode we see some scenes that we’ve already witnessed, but now they are from Ruth’s point of view, and they become something else. It is an intriguing mode of storytelling because we stay within the Deaver home, so it seems like it should be restricted, but as we venture through time with her the possibilities become endless. There’s nothing small about “The Queen”.

Of course, it would be nothing without the queen herself, Sissy Spacek, giving a breathtaking performance. Let’s talk about that for a second. She’s clearly a masterful actress, who has done many impressive films.

The reason this episode stands out in comparison to the last six where she was a co-star, is the depth of her portrayal. In “The Queen” every bit of nuance is squeezed out of Ruth as we link arm and arm with her, traveling through memories of joy, pain and fear. Many of the emotions bring out subtle changes from the actress, but they are there, in each expression and tear, giving us unforgettable sequences.

Grounded With Feeling

A lot of her backstory is ascertained too, which enrichens not only Ruth’s story, but by extension her son’s and her late abusive husband. We learn a bit more about who the reverend was, and how he treated his family. There’s also The Kid, who is claiming to be her husband for part of it, but something tells me it’s a manipulation because of her state.

She’s a lot smarter than that.

There’s a lot of clicking together of puzzle pieces. Ruth connects the dots in varying ways, and her perspective expands the the world of Castle Rock. Written by Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason, it is a remarkably crafted piece of art. It not only stands out in terms of Castle Rock but within television itself. Rarely can you manage an episode so moving, let alone have it amid a season like this, within a show of Castle Rock’s genre. Am I gushing? I’m gushing.

There are some excellent choices with lighting and camera work, and director Greg Yaitanes makes this space seem much bigger than it is. Each decision, from the score to the angles, engages and ensnares the audience. In “The Queen”’s final moments there’s a real gut punch, with the perspective we’ve gained from the last hour rushing back to us.

Suddenly things make sense, and it makes it that much harder to swallow. We get answers to some earlier question marks, such as the dog bones in the backyard, but there’s also new questions. Is there more to this – more than just her illness? Perhaps she can move through time? Anything is possible when it comes to a town created by Stephen King.

Conclusion: Castle Rock’s “The Queen”

While we move on to the last few episodes of season 1, I couldn’t be more hopeful. Castle Rock has managed to cleverly blend realism with the paranormal, and “The Queen” especially keeps me optimistic for a credible dramatic conclusion.

We needed The Queen. It’s a reminder of what makes television a viable and extraordinary storytelling platform. It also shows that creators Sam Shaw, Dustin Thomason don’t need King’s direction to stand out.

What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments below!

A new episode of Castle Rock premieres every Wednesday on Hulu.

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