I wasn't going to write a review, but after seeing the majority of people giving this 5 stars or less, I felt like I had to. Preface - I am not an avid reader of King's books, but I appreciate the films I have seen. This show was well written, acted, and had really beautiful cinematic moments. And yes - it's confusing, but it all gets explained in episode 9 and 10. Now, if you're not a fan of mystery or supernatural-ish/alternate realities, this is not for you. And if you want an answer to something right away, forget it. In my opinion, I disagree with those stating that it's poorly paced, slow, boring and written badly. There is a reason why the show flows the way it does. It kept my attention the entire time, so much so, that I didn't ever look at my phone (that's saying a lot).
581 Reviews
Intriguing, but could have been better.
johannes2000-14 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I was highly intrigued by season 1, due to the sinister and menacing atmosphere and the weird goings-on, that became more and more unfathomable with every new episode. Unfortunately even the last episode of season 1 didn't deliver any solutions, leaving me puzzled and a bit disappointed. This in spite of all the positive things to praise, like some fine acting, especially by Sissy Spacek and by Bill Skarsgård, the latter playing the pivotal, intangible Kid from... well, from hell, heaven or maybe from nowhere. So I placed my hopes for answers on the second season.
The second season seemed to start with multiple new story-lines and a totally new set of characters. The storyline of Annie being on the run with her daughter Joy, and the gradual revealing of their background, was exciting; the other major storyline of the Somalian community unfortunately turned out as rather tedious. At last, with some flashbacks, pieces of the puzzle from season 1 were put together with the new ones from season 2, but to call it rewarding answers? Not really, it all turned out as a hotchpotch of farfetched ideas, with things like zombies, sorcery, and religious mania, to name a few. And although the mysterious Kid (aka Angel), is forever being mentioned by everyone, actor Bill Skarsgård was only made to show his face two times, for about 5 seconds each, which maybe was the biggest let-down to me.
Anyway, as a positive thing I have to mention Lizzy Caplan as the tormented Annie, she was really great, and young Elsie Fisher was equally impressive as Joy. To me their storyline was the biggest asset of season 2.
The second season seemed to start with multiple new story-lines and a totally new set of characters. The storyline of Annie being on the run with her daughter Joy, and the gradual revealing of their background, was exciting; the other major storyline of the Somalian community unfortunately turned out as rather tedious. At last, with some flashbacks, pieces of the puzzle from season 1 were put together with the new ones from season 2, but to call it rewarding answers? Not really, it all turned out as a hotchpotch of farfetched ideas, with things like zombies, sorcery, and religious mania, to name a few. And although the mysterious Kid (aka Angel), is forever being mentioned by everyone, actor Bill Skarsgård was only made to show his face two times, for about 5 seconds each, which maybe was the biggest let-down to me.
Anyway, as a positive thing I have to mention Lizzy Caplan as the tormented Annie, she was really great, and young Elsie Fisher was equally impressive as Joy. To me their storyline was the biggest asset of season 2.
Train came off track
stevedownsrph-5008511 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Loved 1st season and the 1st 7 or so episodes of season 2. It really went downhill by the last 3 episodes, the finale was like we are waiting for a large suspenseful ending that never really came. Worth watching but tried too hard to tie into the 1st season by the ending of season 2.
Worlds upon worlds upon worlds
graham-5798720 October 2018
If you have read The Dark Tower series, Needful Things and The Talisman, chances are you will 'get' Castle Rock. If not, you will probably sympathize with - or be one of - the many reviewers here who are fond of words like Plotless, Aimless, Boring and Confusing. If you liked those particular novels I urge you to watch this series, and dare you not to be intrigued by it's cleverness, complexity and continuity. Of course feel free to reach the same conclusions as those unfortunately lacking in understanding who gave Castle Rock the thumbs down, though I very much doubt you will. If you are fluent in the King universe, you CAN'T.
First off, this is NOT another Stranger Things. Nor is it IT. It's not quick, but the tension builds steadily. It's not action packed, but it's rich in intrigue. It's not a conventional jump-scare horror story scattered with random King references as many seemingly expected it to be. Yes, there are many shallow references to names and places familiar to King readers, but these just make up a thin pretty layer of glitter sprinkled on top of a thick dark writhing rope of interconnecting themes and subplots that keep the viewer guessing right until the end. What it is, is a dark, devilishly smart, adult, contemporary psychological thriller accurately set in the King universe.
The main deep references in Castle Rock, the conceptual ones, are unmistakably End-World / The Territories influenced. Amazingly the writers have even tied these concepts in with the effects of dementia, providing a grounded analogy that explains King's familiar concept of multiple worlds and timelines through the experience of Spacek's character in a subplot. This genius achievement in itself is worthy of at least 5 stars to anyone with half a brain.
The plot is complex and many stranded, unexpectedly divergent at times, yet never loses it's continuity - every digression always finds it's way back to where you left off. And the twists are unexpected, you won't see them coming until they have sped past. I recall 4 major *gasp* moments throughout the series which caught me by surprise. Without giving anything away, it's fair to say the storyline itself is the biggest twist of all, a twist that winds through from start to finish like a steel cable - and one that asks the two biggest questions: IS he or ISN'T he? and: Who plays those Jerry Bledsoe changes daddy-o?
I don't need to tell you about the cast and crew, there are some big names and they all do their jobs very well, with King watching over the whole process. Cinematography, direction, sound, score and production - all exceptional for a TV series, it's all big budget movie quality. Season 2, as I understand it, will be a different story that has interplay with some of the same characters as in the first. Highly recommended to seasoned King readers and anyone who is thinking of picking up The Dark Tower or The Talisman for the first time.
Go then, there are other worlds than these.
First off, this is NOT another Stranger Things. Nor is it IT. It's not quick, but the tension builds steadily. It's not action packed, but it's rich in intrigue. It's not a conventional jump-scare horror story scattered with random King references as many seemingly expected it to be. Yes, there are many shallow references to names and places familiar to King readers, but these just make up a thin pretty layer of glitter sprinkled on top of a thick dark writhing rope of interconnecting themes and subplots that keep the viewer guessing right until the end. What it is, is a dark, devilishly smart, adult, contemporary psychological thriller accurately set in the King universe.
The main deep references in Castle Rock, the conceptual ones, are unmistakably End-World / The Territories influenced. Amazingly the writers have even tied these concepts in with the effects of dementia, providing a grounded analogy that explains King's familiar concept of multiple worlds and timelines through the experience of Spacek's character in a subplot. This genius achievement in itself is worthy of at least 5 stars to anyone with half a brain.
The plot is complex and many stranded, unexpectedly divergent at times, yet never loses it's continuity - every digression always finds it's way back to where you left off. And the twists are unexpected, you won't see them coming until they have sped past. I recall 4 major *gasp* moments throughout the series which caught me by surprise. Without giving anything away, it's fair to say the storyline itself is the biggest twist of all, a twist that winds through from start to finish like a steel cable - and one that asks the two biggest questions: IS he or ISN'T he? and: Who plays those Jerry Bledsoe changes daddy-o?
I don't need to tell you about the cast and crew, there are some big names and they all do their jobs very well, with King watching over the whole process. Cinematography, direction, sound, score and production - all exceptional for a TV series, it's all big budget movie quality. Season 2, as I understand it, will be a different story that has interplay with some of the same characters as in the first. Highly recommended to seasoned King readers and anyone who is thinking of picking up The Dark Tower or The Talisman for the first time.
Go then, there are other worlds than these.
King is king
lenny-2295917 September 2018
Yes yes yes. I loved it I mean had me on edge the whole time. Srory is original and creative I'm still left wondering, who is in the right.
Intertwining storylines that get blurred or in some cases cleared up gripping plot.
I really liked it. Seeing the reviews ppl either loved it or hated it.
The last episode got some stick as it it didn't answer the questions u have but for me perfect.
Roll on season 2
Intertwining storylines that get blurred or in some cases cleared up gripping plot.
I really liked it. Seeing the reviews ppl either loved it or hated it.
The last episode got some stick as it it didn't answer the questions u have but for me perfect.
Roll on season 2
Great show.
seaniesoprano25 January 2020
intriguing
SnoopyStyle5 November 2020
The recently dissolved rundown town of Castle Rock, Maine is controlled by the Shawshank State Prison. It's the town's main employer. The warden commits suicide and the new warden Porter reopens an abandoned wing of the prison. Guard Dennis Zalewski finds a mystery prisoner (Bill Skarsgård) locked in a bunker who refuses to give his name and only says Henry Matthew Deaver. Henry Matthew Deaver (André Holland) is a defense lawyer in Texas. He returns to Castle Rock after Dennis calls him and takes up the mystery boy's case. His adoptive mother Ruth Deaver (Sissy Spacek) suffers from dementia and he's wrongly suspected in the death of his adoptive father. Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn) is the former sheriff who has been living with Ruth. Henry's childhood neighbor friend Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey) suffers from her own mental issues and takes illicit drugs to alleviate the symptoms. She intents on using her inheritance to renew the town. In the second season, nurse Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan) is on the run with her daughter Joy (Elsie Fisher) and they arrive in Castle Rock. Pop Merrill (Tim Robbins) is the head of his crime family and adoptive father to Somali siblings, Abdi Omar and Dr. Nadia Omar.
This is an intriguing series especially for Stephen King fans who recognize various Easter eggs scattered all around town. The first season creates a nice murkiness which permeates this town and this series. The narrative gets a bit muddy. I would prefer a clearer story telling but it is intriguing nevertheless. The second season comes with a whole new story. It's an anthology series and I really like Lizzy Caplan's Annie Wilkes. Overall, it's one of the better TV series in the Stephen King world and fully supports his darker sensibilities. As with many shows nowadays, it's canceled after two seasons for whatever reason. This is a show that could have mined the King library for more stories.
This is an intriguing series especially for Stephen King fans who recognize various Easter eggs scattered all around town. The first season creates a nice murkiness which permeates this town and this series. The narrative gets a bit muddy. I would prefer a clearer story telling but it is intriguing nevertheless. The second season comes with a whole new story. It's an anthology series and I really like Lizzy Caplan's Annie Wilkes. Overall, it's one of the better TV series in the Stephen King world and fully supports his darker sensibilities. As with many shows nowadays, it's canceled after two seasons for whatever reason. This is a show that could have mined the King library for more stories.
Chaos (not) under control
zjernej1 October 2018
I gotta say that most of the past comments writers have not seen all the episodes since it become clear on the end what was going on. I don' t want to spoil you some fun watching it, but I can say I saw them all in two days and now I am sorry that I finnished season 1 so fast :D
Disappointing Finale
tommccarthy00114 September 2018
Had to wait a few days to write this. I loved the series leading up to the finale. The penultimate episode was the best of the lot. Great expectations for the end but I was let down. I understand the need to allow the audience to write their own conclusions but could you have at least offered better clues to enable them to do so? The ambiguity was totally unnecessary. Reward your fan base with some type of resolution. I'll give season 2 a go for now but I'm sure some people won't even bother.
Believe The Hype
mf281226 July 2018
As a lifelong Stephen King fan, I've been awaiting this for an age it seems. Only 3 episodes in but it has a real "King vibe" about it. The nods to various works by the man are plentiful, and the cinematography seems plucked from a King fans mind. Cannot wait for the next episodes to drop. If you're reading this and still not sure whether to give it a go as many King adaptations are a hit or a miss I urge you to watch. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Brooding, with a sense of doom, without much meaning
Matt34527 July 2018
Stephen King isn't my favourite kind of writer, even for adaptations, however one could expect original material by him to have at least some kind of recognizable, coherent structure. This feels distinctly different even to someone with only passing knowledge of Stephen King stories, as it is clearly not an original.
This series is full of a sense brooding and doom, however without any coherence or anything to justify one's interest, instead it does what is the norm nowadays in TV writing: it simply assumes one's interest, takes it for granted, because watching stuff is practically a civil duty nowadays. What one is fed then is merely a pastiche of vague thematic references to Stephen King stories.
Aside from lacking any hooks, and generally a sense of believability, it also has these little signs of inferior writing: when a prison guard walks around in the semi-dark with a drawn gun, while the alarm is blaring, a colleague silently creeps up on him from behind to touch him on the shoulder, and because this moment of "surprise" formally ends the clichéd moment of fake-tension, it is supposedly the fault of the guard with the gun when he reacts hostilely, rather than the idiot's for not announcing himself (or saying the other's name) like an intelligent human being. People behave as demanded by the structure, not by any sort of logic or realism. This sense of banality defines all the proceedings and characters.
Aside from lacking any hooks, and generally a sense of believability, it also has these little signs of inferior writing: when a prison guard walks around in the semi-dark with a drawn gun, while the alarm is blaring, a colleague silently creeps up on him from behind to touch him on the shoulder, and because this moment of "surprise" formally ends the clichéd moment of fake-tension, it is supposedly the fault of the guard with the gun when he reacts hostilely, rather than the idiot's for not announcing himself (or saying the other's name) like an intelligent human being. People behave as demanded by the structure, not by any sort of logic or realism. This sense of banality defines all the proceedings and characters.
Not as advertised.
donaldricco22 June 2019
Overall, it was a disappointment. I felt like it was advertised to be a piece that was going to connect a lot of the Castle Rock stories, and even the title sequence references that idea. But this is a stand alone story, that mentions places and familiar names in Castle Rock, but doesn't connect anything. Sure, there is good ol' Shawshank and the Mellow Tiger, and you have Jackie Torrance and Sheriff Pangborn and several references to Cujo, but that's all they are - references. As a long time Stephen King fan, I was looking for so much more.
In addition, this story isn't very good, and is very slow. The bright spots are Sissy Spacek's amazing acting (especially in the episode "The Queen"), and a nice, grumpy turn by Scott Glenn. But that's where it stops. The rest of the cast is just so-so. It's like a sports team: the money was spent on two awesome players, and the rest of the roster is just okay. Those two are nice to have, but the team isn't going to succeed. That's how I feel about this series. Not a success.
In addition, this story isn't very good, and is very slow. The bright spots are Sissy Spacek's amazing acting (especially in the episode "The Queen"), and a nice, grumpy turn by Scott Glenn. But that's where it stops. The rest of the cast is just so-so. It's like a sports team: the money was spent on two awesome players, and the rest of the roster is just okay. Those two are nice to have, but the team isn't going to succeed. That's how I feel about this series. Not a success.
Fantastic.
carruthersophie30 September 2018
Loved this. Perfect amount of dark and mystery! I always struggle to stick to most shows. But this! We were gripped from episode one and watched the whole season in one weekend. Brilliant acting, love the style of it too - feels like I'm back in the 90s. Love this new tv Stephen King universe and can't wait for s2.
I Couldn't Even Blink
tdwillis-2627326 July 2018
They often say it takes a team to make anything succesfull and it is evident here. The actors are top notch, best of the best. The directing is A+. The camera work and cinematography are excellent. The story line and plot are at once a slow burn, yet sufficiently creepy and intellegent to keep you glued. One reviewer suggested they feel asleep it was so boring. He must have had a hard day at work, or narcolepsy because I dont think I even blinked.
So slow paced I find my self getting distracted.
shaunshow18 August 2018
Stephen King's Genius Mind
YoungbloodRN26 July 2018
The first three episodes are available as of today and I found myself stuck on the couch, leaning forward, mouth open practically drooling until the credits roll. This is the most intriguing, exciting, riveting, thrilling, mesmorizing, mind baffling thing I've ever watched. Castle Rock will pull you into the mind of Stephen King and it won't let you go. The references to King's books are perfect and well put together. The story line is absolutely amazing. I didn't think a TV show could surpass Stranger Things or The Walking Dead but we may have a dispute on our hands. I cannot wait a week for another episode, I am craving to watch just one more! Castle Rock is beautifully mastered. This show is a thriller book that you cannot put down, something that has been twisted up, mixed with King, added with a dash of insanity and poured into your television.
Mixed feelings after two seasons
rlaine21 January 2020
I've watched seasons one and two now. Quite different, both had good and bad things to them. Overall I think they were a mess. The problem for me was that many times I didn't know what I was watching, who's story is this. I gather Castle Rock is basically the center of Stephen King novels and we have many familiar (and not so familiar) places and characters, but especially in season two the storylines didn't seem to have any real connection other than possible earlier appearances. Sure a connection happens in the end, but the only real connection is that they happen in the same "universe", which seems quite popular these days in popular culture.
The story about Annie Wilkes was pretty good tho, it was what made season two interesting, but everything else didn't seem to serve much purpose. Season one was maybe a bit more straightforward with less different storylines, but it was boring and confusing, much less engaging.
I ditched season one once and came back to it after watching a few other (better) series. Season two kept me glued better, mostly due to the Wilkes story. Honestly I have no clue what possible season three will offer, probably more unrelated storylines, lot's of characters without real purpose and one main story that is utterly confusing, because of all unnecessary clutter, red herrings and plot twists coming out of nowhere. JJ Abrams style. I will still probably watch it, god knows why.
The story about Annie Wilkes was pretty good tho, it was what made season two interesting, but everything else didn't seem to serve much purpose. Season one was maybe a bit more straightforward with less different storylines, but it was boring and confusing, much less engaging.
I ditched season one once and came back to it after watching a few other (better) series. Season two kept me glued better, mostly due to the Wilkes story. Honestly I have no clue what possible season three will offer, probably more unrelated storylines, lot's of characters without real purpose and one main story that is utterly confusing, because of all unnecessary clutter, red herrings and plot twists coming out of nowhere. JJ Abrams style. I will still probably watch it, god knows why.
Good Atmosphere
giorgosflouris12 August 2018
I cannot say more after two episodes but good atmosphere is quite observable after even 10 minutes. I am optimistic for the future of the series.
For the guys said it is boring i have to put two points in the table:
1)In the first episodes we need to see the world of the series..so a slower plot is needed in order to set all the characters up
2)Too early to say anything.5 episodes have been released.
PS:My advice to those who find it boring..Try reading IT, or The Shining the plot goes in the same speed but I never heard somoeine complaining about them Just be patient.
PS:My advice to those who find it boring..Try reading IT, or The Shining the plot goes in the same speed but I never heard somoeine complaining about them Just be patient.
I rarely write reviews so.....
palistineroyal31 July 2018
That being said, I was excited to watch this show, thinking it was going to be scary and thrilling or just entertaining. All I found out was that it was the most boring tv show I've ever watched. It had so much potential in my eyes but it was like watching paint dry. Every interesting scene is dragged and when they finally get to the good parts they cut to another scene. After that, the good parts last maybe 10 seconds. If they focused less on dragging and used that time to stretch the better scenes and cut all the useless time fillers. This would definitely be a great show.(Update) I'm very happy how the show ended and it did pick up a little but they still took a while to get on.
Season 2: Lizzy - Stay Away!
westsideschl29 October 2020
Usual caverns w/ancient bodies & symbols on walls. Usual insects (beetles) as harbingers of evil. The insects know! Undead with the help of ancient evil spirits take over bodies & haunt the town. Interesting sub-plot of using a Somali community.
Would have rated this as well done, but done before script. However, Lizzy Caplan as a bipolar, autistic spectrum, schizophrenic all rolled into one Annie (no disrespect meant to those who have to live w/those disorders) was creepily phenomenal. The looks, the walk, the range of emotions so disturbing that Anthony Hopkins & Kathy Bates combined would be a tame little ducky compared to her. Lizzy was so creepy that, even as an actress, please don't move into my neighborhood. Wait, expand that to city. She's deserving of an award for her performance.
Had An Intriguing Start But Goes Nowhere Interesting
plasticanimalz11 September 2018
First of all, I do not get the impression the two creators of the show ever read a Stephen King book other than the synopsis on the back of some of his books. There is little elements of Stephen King in here or his books, other than keeping the names of certain buildings, and off-handedly mentioning things, here and there. I feel like the creators sold the idea on the interesting concept explored in the first episodes...but had no idea where it was going beyond that. It shows. You're intrigued at first and follow along despite the show being slow, because Bill Skarsgard is just so creepy, weird, and intriguing, and Sissy Spacek is great, and you feel like it's going somewhere...but then you realize, maybe it's not...and then eventually you don't care where it's going because it just seems like a ship adrift that doesn't know where it's going either.
Also, the main character, Henry is seriously out classed by his fellow actors which as the show goes along stands out more and more. You begin to wonder how the heck this guy was hired to lead a cast of Sissy Spacek, Melanie Lynsky and other big name TV actors, and the excellent performance of new star Bill Skarsgard. I also was finding it hard to believe that every women he encounters seems to be throwing herself at him or flirting with him. He looks like he had a chest hair graft put on his face as a beard and it's very distracting. It eventually became all I could focus on when I saw him because his acting was so one-note. His character is also such a jerk, always angry, it is hard to believe why anyone would like him, including the audience. It's like the actor is stuck on one emotion the whole time which makes it really hard to follow him through most of the show.
I really got the impression the creators are big David Lynch fans and not Stephen King fans. But even David Lynch could follow a steady, engaging plot the majority of the time and was great at creating mood. The mood in this show is also one-note. There's simply no depth. No evolvement. The people think it's a crap town from the beginning of the show and it only gets worse. Why? The town looks cute. It's Maine. Maine is beautiful. It just didn't make much sense and didn't seem to be going anywhere worth going.
Also, the main character, Henry is seriously out classed by his fellow actors which as the show goes along stands out more and more. You begin to wonder how the heck this guy was hired to lead a cast of Sissy Spacek, Melanie Lynsky and other big name TV actors, and the excellent performance of new star Bill Skarsgard. I also was finding it hard to believe that every women he encounters seems to be throwing herself at him or flirting with him. He looks like he had a chest hair graft put on his face as a beard and it's very distracting. It eventually became all I could focus on when I saw him because his acting was so one-note. His character is also such a jerk, always angry, it is hard to believe why anyone would like him, including the audience. It's like the actor is stuck on one emotion the whole time which makes it really hard to follow him through most of the show.
I really got the impression the creators are big David Lynch fans and not Stephen King fans. But even David Lynch could follow a steady, engaging plot the majority of the time and was great at creating mood. The mood in this show is also one-note. There's simply no depth. No evolvement. The people think it's a crap town from the beginning of the show and it only gets worse. Why? The town looks cute. It's Maine. Maine is beautiful. It just didn't make much sense and didn't seem to be going anywhere worth going.
Season 1 is great, season 2 I don't know what to say...
lmcalbuquerque-5281014 June 2020
Well, I have to start saying that I enjoyed season one pretty much. The first thing I want to give credits for is Bill Skarsgård. He is proving one more time that he is an excellent actor and he does amazing in horror/thriller movies/tv shows. I will keep watching everything he does. Second thing...Stephen King has an amazing mind and creativity. I love watching everything related to him. The story is unique, has a very dark ton and is very engaging. I enjoyed very much!
Season two hasnt done the same to me. I guess I was expecting a more realistic story and...well, I'll try one more time.
Season two hasnt done the same to me. I guess I was expecting a more realistic story and...well, I'll try one more time.
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