New 'Castle Rock' Episode Cements Series as Best Show You're Not Watching

Easter eggs abound on Castle Rock. In fact, the show’s opening title sequence is littered with newspaper headlines outlining stories from King’s other novels. And real King fans will take note of one-liners that reference films like Stand By Me or Pet Sematary.

The first was 11.22.63, a sci-fi thriller about the JFK assassination and the consequences of time travel. No Emmys, but the miniseries did take home a Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation and currently holds an 80% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s a show centered on mysteries, the majority of which the audience doesn’t even realize is a mystery until they’re given the answer. Instead, there’s a lot of, “Huh. That’s kinda weird,” moments. Moments that will almost immediately be forgotten until two weeks later, when something monumental happens that’s directly related.

Like why would ex-warden Dale Lacy have just offed himself when he’s been keeping some kid locked in a cage in an abandoned portion of his prison? And who is that kid, anyways? Why is it the only things he can seem to say are cryptic bible passages?

Set to Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” Dennis’ shooting spree is shown from the very same perspective that he’s been forced to witness every prison abuse so far: through Shawshank’s security camera system. In and out of frame, from one camera to the next.