A beloved Stephen King series has made its way to a major streaming platform in the United States.
As HBO Max’s It: Welcome to Derry completes its production, another cherished King series has been revitalized by its addition to Netflix.
With uncertainty surrounding the fate of Welcome to Derry, this ‘captivating’ two-season series could provide entertainment until more information on the IT prequel emerges.
This Stephen King series, now available on Netflix, first premiered on Hulu in 2018, with a second season following in 2019.
Set in the fictional Maine town frequently featured in King’s works, the psychological horror series offers a unique spin on his universe.
Instead of focusing on a single novel, the anthology series blends original narratives and characters with elements from King’s broader fictional world.
The first season follows Henry Deaver (André Holland), a lawyer for death-row inmates, returning to his hometown after receiving an enigmatic message about a peculiar prisoner.
This prisoner is discovered in a concealed cell beneath Shawshank State Penitentiary and insists on speaking solely to him.
As Henry delves deeper into the enigma, he must face his own haunted history and uncover disturbing truths about both the prisoner and the town.
The second installment reinterprets Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan), the notorious nurse from King’s novel Misery.
After a car accident leaves her and her daughter stranded, she finds herself caught in a conflict between local families and dark supernatural elements linked to the town’s past.
If you haven’t already guessed, the series being discussed is Castle Rock.
Upon learning of the show’s arrival on Netflix, fans expressed their excitement on Reddit.
They also hoped the renewed interest in Castle Rock might lead to a potential third season.
One fan commented, “Man I’d love for this to be charting for a few weeks on Netflix so they can consider picking up season three,” acknowledging it was a ‘long shot’.
“Right? I loved this show and was so disappointed they only did the two seasons,” another agreed.
Another fan expressed hope, saying, “Hopefully it might happen now Netflix have put in the highest bid for Warner Bros & HBO.”
Netflix has previously revived shows from other networks, such as Manifest, Cobra Kai, and Arrested Development, so it’s not unprecedented.
On the same discussion thread, some fans suggested that Castle Rock’s second season surpasses Welcome to Derry.
On IMDB, viewers have also praised the series.
One ‘lifelong’ King fan rated it a ’10/10,’ stating: “Believe the hype.”
“The nods to various works by [King] are plentiful, and the cinematography seems plucked from a King fans mind.”
They also mentioned, “If you’re reading this and still not sure whether to give it a go as many King adaptations are a hit or a miss I urge you to watch. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”
Another viewer described it as a ‘slow burner’, but ‘intriguing’ nonetheless, while a third said they were ‘gripped from episode one’, finishing the entire season ‘in one weekend’.
Castle Rock is currently streaming on both Netflix and Hulu in the US.
Find out where it’s available in your region here.