SERIES PREMIERE: The name of Stephen King, attached to this new series, lends some anticipation, as does the name of executive producer J.J. Abrams. And the premise is indeed a winner: the mythical town of Castle Rock, one of the most familiar New England locations from many King stories, is the setting and mood-setter for a season-long anthology series, with one extended narrative told each season. Think of it as FX’s
Fargo, with the inspiration being the novels and stories of King rather than the movies of the Coen Brothers. Also, based on the first three episodes of
Castle Rock, think of it as a potential
Better Call Saul, which peppers its own narrative with references, shout-outs and revisits to the
Breaking Bad universe from which it sprang. In
Castle Rock, the touchstones are many, and range from the overt (a newspaper clipping of a rabid dog alludes to
Cujo, and much of the early action takes place at Shawshank prison) to the enjoyably playful (one of the co-stars in
Castle Rock is Sissy Spacek, playing a different character than she did in her breakout role as the star of King’s breakout project as well, 1976’s
Carrie). Other stars include Bill Skarsgard from the recent remake of King’s
It, Scott Glenn, Terry O’Quinn from Abrams’
Lost, Andre Holland from
Moonlight, Jane Levy, and Melanie Lynskey. The three episodes previewed for critics are all scene-setters, way too early in this season-long story to judge its effectiveness or value. But if you’re after a true TV creepshow, there’s one scene in the pilot that works frighteningly well, and it has nothing to do with special effects or the paranormal. It’s a scene when a young boy, safely separated by a fence and raised deck from a nearby alligator, taunts the alligator by dangling a live chicken above it. The primordial creature lumbers to life, making its way slowly to just below the chicken, and opens its jaws almost reflexively.
Castle Rock establishes early, in that scene, that unforgettably scary moments can come at any time, and from anywhere.
For full reviews, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower and
Ed Bark's Uncle Barky's Bytes.