TV Review: Castle Rock - Series One Episode Four "The Box"

"There Is A Lot Of History In This Town. Not All Of It Is Good"

With the previous episode of Castle Rock dedicated primarily to the development of Molly Strand and her key involvement in the death of Henry Deaver's father, it seemed wholly necessary that "The Box" would once again revert back to Deaver himself for a forty-five minute episode which included mysterious discoveries, a superb jukebox soundtrack and a concluding set piece which provided evidence for when the show is at its' best, Castle Rock can be a harrowing and powerful work of horror. Beginning with the haunting nightmares of Deaver and his flickering memories of youthful captivity being presented in a superb retro-style sensibility, the eerie wailing of the voice of Tom Waits pierces the mood of the episode to perfection as Deaver's willingness to return home begins to take a toll on Chris Coy's Boyd, the Shawshank whistle-blower regarding the discovery of "The Kid" whose psychological toll regarding the treatment of the many prisoners inside begins to showcase itself early on as we see his character begin to crack under the pressure of seemingly being the only guiding light within the metaphorical hell-house which is Castle Rock's local prison facility. 

With Bill Skarsgård finally having a bit more to do than just stare idly at the camera this time out, his characters' reaction to threats made by the Shawshank lawyer-type figure resulted in a ferociously unsettling reminder of not only Skarsgård's freakishly tall body structure but the fact that amidst the unjust incarceration and unfair treatment. there is still something undeniably evil surrounding his character, even if as of yet, the evidence hasn't surfaced to back up such a claim. With Deaver more adamant than ever to understand they grey area surrounding his disappearance, his discovery of an a-typical murder house reminded everyone that newspaper reels are still the best cinematic form of historical exposition, even if it was more fun to see if any Stephen King-laden Easter Eggs popped up in the many articles which were examined. With the episode mulling towards a sense that it fell justly into the realm of "solid, just not spectacular" with five minutes remaining, how timely it was therefore for a concluding set piece which immediately evoked the murderous rampage in Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here this year, albeit set to the brilliant backdrop of Roy Orbison's "Crying", a scene which was admired with a gaping dropped jaw and a resounding sense that now Castle Rock is halfway through its' stay, the real action begins now. 

Overall Episode Score: 8/10