Castle Rock, the town, is dead, but no one's told it yet, so it keeps on breathing.
Reading Stephen King, with whom I share the New England childhood experience, I always envisioned Castle Rock and Derry, as horrible as they could be, as having some sunlight, some happy days. But so far, the Castle Rock of this series is unremittingly dank, and shadowed, and whispering. If you drove through by accident, your foot would unconsciously hit the accelerator right after the "Welcome To" sign. This is so far a very bleak vision, bleaker than I normally I expect from King. But it works very well in generating an atmosphere of fear and anticipation.
As of this episode (2), the sets are still being decorated and the machinery of horror is laid out unassembled, but you know something wicked this way is coming, that's for sure. The acting is flawless (look at the cast!), with a special nod to Noel Fisher who seems like he's always good no matter what he does. (You know Scott Glenn, Sissy Spacek, Terry O'Quinn and the rest already - they have this stuff down.) Shawshank prison is here, too, and what looks like Cujo's cousin - it's a reunion of sorts but with a new direction, and you can't wait to see where it goes.
The town, though, is so far as important a character as anyone else in the story. I remember what seems like a million old, dead mill towns in New England, and they all looked like Castle Rock. Dark and closed, but with something or someone behind every faded curtain and warped front door, watching.
