Castle Rock Review: Let The River Run (Season 2 Episode 1)
Annie Wilkes isn’t in Bakersfield anymore on Castle Rock Season 2 Episode 1, “Let The River Run.”
The first season still runs through the show’s veins, with Shawshank prison reopening and the uneasiness of Salem’s Lot just down the road. But this episode goes for something different, by planting a Stephen King fan favorite into the chaos. While the first season dabbles in physical manifestations of evil, the second season appears to be dealing with the manifestations within.
Annie Wilkes is battling internal demons, caused by her past and her own mind, and while she’s searching for information on bipolar disorder and psychopathy, her deep-seated fear of others does bear some fruit: the new cast of characters are a whole lot of “dirty birds,” as Annie would put it.
The episode does fantastic work creating the inciting dilemma: is Annie the one to fear, or is it everyone around her? Taking the events of Misery out of the equation, it does start to feel like it’s the world that might be mad, not her. Or perhaps it’s both, and she’s a product of the madness.
Annie has enough awareness to know what works to silence the demons that grip her in the dark, and is doing everything in her power to do so. The cross-country trip, breaking into hospital stockpiles and self-medicating, shows a severe lack of trust of anyone beyond herself and Joy, her daughter, which makes Nadia choosing to help her completely foreign and confusing to Annie.
Annie is so used to fleeing and being on her own that an act of kindness is suspicious.
Annie’s relationship with Joy is based on her own skewed view, placing pressure by being overly protective and isolationist. She says that it’s for Joy’s own good, but it’s only after Nadia’s help that Annie considers Castle Rock as a longer stay than anticipated. A lot of story potential could come out of Annie using Joy’s best interests as a shield for her own issues needing fixing.
Something that becomes crystal clear is Annie’s determinism when she’s made up her mind: nothing is getting in her way. Murdering Ace with an ice cream scoop comes as shocking not only as the episode sets him up as the villain of the season, but with its sudden violence. The blunt force is almost warning us that this is not a story with a happy ending; a new setting with Annie in it is not ready for her.
The larger story of Castle Rock and Salem’s Lot as neighboring towns is something that is full of potential. Adding Pop Merrill into the mix as an aged and dying gangster with his offspring all fighting for their share as his grip loosens allows for a larger story on the state of both towns. The Somali angle adds extra perspective to a town’s shifting identity, and opens up to stories not normally found.
The battle between Abdi and Ace may be closed due to Annie’s intervention, but both men and their power grabs will only lead to larger questions with his disappearance. The collapse through the construction site ground, Ace’s body in tow, leaves Annie in a predicament she may find it difficult to climb out of.
Lizzy Caplan makes perfect casting for Annie Wilkes, able to morph into an overbearing and unpredictable force. From her mannerisms and way she walks, to the way she speaks, Caplan is able to turn on the charm and go completely cold in an instant. It’s an impressive performance, and one that holds the show tightly.
There’s a boldness to Annie, causing power outages and stealing the key card from Nadia’s home, that makes her unpredictable and justifiably terrifying. We know what she’s capable of during Misery, and for those jumping into the show without that knowledge, this episode shows how far she’s willing to go.
The episode continues the excellent work from the first season of creating a vibe and an atmosphere that feels right at home in the King universe, keeping the eccentricities and strange goings-on as wonderful details that help complement characters and reveal so much about them.
Castle Rock Season 2 Episode 1, “Let The River Run,” does an excellent job of setting up expectations and veering left to take everything into surprising territory. With a talented cast, careful writing, and precise direction, the episode manages to show a story of two towns on the verge of change, with some not ready to move on just yet. But they may not have a say, not if they stand in Annie’s way.
Some stray thoughts on the episode:
- “Let The River Run” by Carly Simon effectively becomes Annie’s theme song on the episode, equal parts a homage to the film Working Girl (where the song is most famously used) and as a ballad for Annie’s trailblazer journey of sorts.
- Locusts appear to be a rising concern. It remains to be seen if it’s a reference to the Bible and Annie’s guilt personifying, or if there is something larger at play.
What did you think of this episode of Castle Rock? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Castle Rock airs Wednesdays on Hulu.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.