Castle Rock (2018)

:

Season 2
  • Network: HULU
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 25, 2018
Season #: 2, 1, 1
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Stream On
Stream On
Stream On

Critic Reviews

  1. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Nov 6, 2019
    50
    The clash between grounded psychological horror and bump-in-the-night monster mania delivers fewer shivers than shrugs of confusion. [28 Oct - 10 Nov 2019, p.9]
    All this critic's reviews
  2. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Steven Scaife
    Oct 23, 2019
    50
    Opting for more recognizable, overt King references hasn’t enriched the show’s storytelling so much as clarified the gap between the author’s best work and this TV imitation.
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Daniel Fienberg
    Oct 22, 2019
    50
    I can't tell if the new season is over-reaching, under-reaching or if the Annie Wilkes of it all is just overshadowing the story to an unanticipated degree.

Awards & Rankings

95
#95 Best TV Season of 2019

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
  1. asmanraj
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    I thought the first season was strictly okay. I watched it because I'm a horror fanatic, but I thought it was far from captivating. However,I thought the first season was strictly okay. I watched it because I'm a horror fanatic, but I thought it was far from captivating. However, the second season is absolutely riveting so far, mostly thanks to Lizzy Caplan and her fascinating character. I also appreciate how the show acknowledges the presence of Somalis in Maine. I've watched the first six episodes and I can't wait for the next one.… Full Review »
  2. Davrosdaleks1
    Jan 4, 2020
    6
    Half of this I rather liked, but the other half didn't work for me.

    Let me cover the overlapping parts first. What I like about this season    Half of this I rather liked, but the other half didn't work for me.

    Let me cover the overlapping parts first. What I like about this season is that the pacing is a lot better than its predecessor. It took a cue from season 2 of Fargo and added a higher character count in order to fill things up.

    However, I did miss the more eerier and crazier feel from the first. Don't get me wrong, the threat in here is decent and scary.

    I felt that like the last season the ending was weak.

    Now I'll focus on the two halves: I liked the part involving the residents and community of Castle Rock. We are introduced to complex drama and tension within an extended family and a growing struggle between Ace Merrill (Paul Sparks), who has inherited his uncle's business hold on the town, and his uncle's foster son Abdi Howlwadaag (Barkhad Abdi), who along with the town's Syrian immigrants are building their own economic area. There is just a lot of strong backstory to this.

    Tim Robbins plays Pop Merill and he hands down has the best role. It's too bad you don't see Robbins in stuff a lot these days. Merrill is a great character, an intelligent man and the most powerful in town, who is having everything slip from his fingers.

    What I wasn't fond of were the parts with Annie Wilkes (played by Master of Sex's Lizzy Caplan), the antagonist from Stephen King's Misery. The problem is that this known character doesn't work that well when given an expanded role and becomes a main focus. The show tries to replicate her traits from the film with Kathy Bates, but they are limited. I got tired of seeing her repeatedly say the word "dirty-birds" and getting unreasonably upset with people. Her storyline didn't have as much going for it, except for the episode on her background which was really well done. You can tell where things are going pretty early on. It doesn't help that more focus is given to Wilkes than the rest of the cast.

    I can see some people liking this more than me. Just temper expectations.    … Full Review »
  3. kgiverso
    Oct 25, 2019
    8
    Season two builds tension much like the film "Misery" did, but it is surrounded by other content from King's work.
See all user reviews »