If you’ve been watching "It: Welcome to Derry," you might be so immersed in all things Stephen King that you’re already hungry for another series that references the sprawling universe the horror master created.
Netflix is delivering on that promise after adding both seasons of "Castle Rock" to the platform today (Dec. 16). Originally debuting in 2018, the series tells a different story each season, with both narratives anchored in the ominous town of Castle Rock, a location longtime King readers know all too well.
What makes "Castle Rock," set in the same town where "Cujo" and "The Dead Zone" unfold, such an enthralling watch is how it deepens and recontextualizes characters and locations vital to the Stephen King universe. If you’ve ever wondered how Annie Wilkes (the main character in "Misery") became a deranged murderer, "Castle Rock" offers some unsettling answers. It’s less about retconning and more about excavation, peeling back layers that were always lurking beneath the surface.
Then there are the Easter eggs. How many can you catch in the opening title sequence alone? Keep an eye out for book covers from a dozen King stories, along with a map pointing to notable cities that populate his novels, quietly reminding viewers just how interconnected this universe really is.
Below is a spoiler-free summary of both seasons coming to Netflix.
Uncovering the prison enigma
The first season stars André Holland as Henry Deaver, a lawyer who returns to Castle Rock after decades away, only to learn that nearby Shawshank Prison has discovered a silent prisoner (Skarsgård) locked in a basement cage. No one knows how he got there or why, and the mystery deepens with each episode.
Other characters orbit Deaver’s uneasy homecoming as he digs deeper into the prisoner’s origins, including drug user Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey) and Ruth Deaver (Spacek), Henry’s adoptive mother, who is battling Alzheimer’s and harboring a dangerous secret revealed only in later episodes. Each character feels tethered to the town in ways that are emotional, psychological, and deeply unsettling.
The moody darkness and shadowy atmosphere of "Castle Rock" season 1 perfectly set the stage for an experience you can’t help but binge. Who is this prisoner, and what does his presence mean for the twon? It’s a question you’ll ask more than once. Without veering into spoiler territory, let’s just say the payoff is worth the hours you spend following Deaver and his increasingly disturbing investigation.
Are you Wilkes’ No. 1 fan?
If you loved the novel "Misery," or still believe Kathy Bates rightfully earned her Oscar for playing the terrifyingly overzealous Annie Wilkes, "Castle Rock" season 2 will feel like twisted comfort food.
Lizzy Caplan plays a younger Wilkes, a nurse on the run from multiple personal tragedies who seeks stability — and perhaps absolution — in Castle Rock with her daughter, Joy (Elsie Fisher). The season’s central conflict revolves around a bitter land dispute between the town’s wealthy, established Somali-American community and its traditional white residents, led by Ace Merrill, a familiar King antagonist who also appears in "The Body," the novella that inspired "Stand By Me."
Season 2 also brings in the infamous Marsten House (introduced in "Salem’s Lot") and a vampire-like presence that adds a heightened supernatural edge to the story, blending historical grievance with old-school King horror.
Caplan deserves all the flowers for stepping away from her comedic pedigree to deliver a chilling, deeply human performance. You can see echoes of Bates’ take on Wilkes in her work, but Caplan also brings layers of sadness, regret and quiet desperation, particularly in how Annie’s fractured relationship with Joy continues to unravel.
Hardcore Stephen King fans will also spot additional references woven throughout the season, tying the story back to other novels and short stories without ever feeling like empty fan service.
"Castle Rock," which was never officially canceled, remains a worthy addition to the growing library of projects riffing on King’s characters and themes. Thankfully, it’s been given new life just in time to spook you silly and provide a welcome counterbalance to the more saccharine Christmas fare flooding streaming platforms during the holiday season.
Stream "Castle Rock" on Netflix
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