Castle Rock Season 2: Every Stephen King Easter Egg

Castle Rock season 2 is filled with Stephen King easter eggs, just as a show based on the horror master’s work should be. Like the first season, Castle Rock references various characters, locations, and events related to King’s work. Nevertheless, some of them are not easy to spot or fly by so quickly they can be missed in the blink of an eye. With that in mind, here is every Stephen King easter egg from the second season of Castle Rock.

Castle Rock is a horror drama television series produced for Hulu that is set in Stephen King’s fictional town of Castle Rock. It features a number of characters and themes from the Stephen King universe. Season 1 included references not only to King’s fictional town of Castle Rock but also The Dark Half, Needful Things, The Green Mile, The Shining, Cujo, and a host of others. Although the general storyline of the season was new, it feels like a part of the Stephen King universe. Similarly, season 2 has its own original storyline but is based on themes, characters, and ideas from King’s work, including a plethora of easter eggs.

For instance, the opening credits alone of Castle Rock season 2 are packed with Stephen King easter eggs. Although the general style is similar to season 1, there are several new references, including text from Misery, a chapter page from ‘Salem’s Lot, and a ripped page from Dolores Claiborne. There’s also a blueprint of Shawshank Penitentiary, the words “Misery Returns“, which is the book within Misery that fictional author Paul Sheldon writes, and a shot of the words “They float, Georgie” from It. However, this only scratches the surface of the easter eggs in Castle Rock season 2.

Stephen King Easter Eggs In Castle Rock Season 2

Castle Rock season 2 begins with Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan) from Misery driving into the town of Jerusalem’s Lot from King’s second novel ‘Salem’s Lot. Even before the opening credits, she sees a sign that says “Shawshank State Prison“. Then, the show introduces other important characters, mainly the Merrills, Pop (Tim Robbins), and Ace (Paul Sparks). Pop appears in the short story “The Sun Dog” as the owner of the Emporium Galorium (also featured in Castle Rock) and Ace is a character from King’s Needful Things and The Body, famously portrayed by Keifer Sutherland in Stand By Me. Some other locations mentioned include Nan’s Luncheonette from Needful Things, The Dark Half, It, and “The Sun Dog”, The Mellow Tiger (also Needful Things), and the Marsten House from ‘Salem’s Lot. Derry, Maine is also mentioned, appearing in numerous works of King’s, and a horrific place every 27 years according to It.

As the season unfolds, Annie Wilkes doesn’t kidnap anyone as she did to Paul Sheldon in Misery, but she’s clearly the same character and highly overprotective of her daughter to the point she’s willing to kill. Also, her famous line “I’m your number one fan” is repurposed as something Annie’s father said to her when she was little. Nonetheless, the parallels don’t stop there. For instance, both Annies, from the book and the show, have killed their fathers, and refer to The Laughing Place from Misery. The show, Castle Rock, also shows flashes of a sledgehammer, has Annie tie someone to a bed with the intent to torture them, and even has her find the book Misery’s Quest by Paul Sheldon, that will apparently lead her down the path to becoming the fictional author’s number one fan.

Other easter eggs include the song “Molly Malone” played on a loop in episode 4, which contains the line the protagonist in The Long Walk recalls in his head, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o”, a painting in the Marsten House that looks like The Dark Tower, and a kid in clown makeup holding a balloon (IT). There are also several indirect references to “The Body“/Stand By Me, including a quartet going in search of a dead body and several mentions that recall walking on train tracks and fleeing from trains. Overall, Castle Rock season 2 is another grand foray into the universe of Stephen King that will, hopefully, be further explored in season 3.

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