"The Box" is the fourth episode of Castle Rock. It aired on Hulu on August 1, 2018.
Synopsis[]
Henry prepares for his day in court; a coffin arrives in Castle Rock.
Plot[]
Henry Deaver begins to look into his own disappearance as a kid. He and Alan Pangborn have a frank conversation when they go to relocate Matthew Deaver's remains. Henry states that he is taking his mother to Houston when he leaves. As the two talk, Henry questions why Alan was still out looking for him since everyone else presumed he was dead. Alan wanted to keep Ruth happy, which leads to Henry believing they were having an affair before his adopted father died.
Molly Strand begins to wonder if Henry's interest in "The Kid"'s case is because of his own disappearance. As they talk, she appears to be close to confessing her part in his father's death, but they are interrupted by Dennis Zalewski. He wants to tear the system at Shawshank down, but Henry is adamant that the case needs to focus on the prisoner first.
Dennis goes to see The Kid in prison. He talks to him but receives no answer, encouraging him to be strong. After getting a fist bump from the prisoner, he returns to duty and stats drawing smiley faces on monitor screens.
Investigating his own disappearance, Henry examines old newspaper stories at the library. He comes across a story about Vince Desjardins being released from prison just before his disappearance. He asks Ruth about Desjardins, and why they never talk about the eleven days that he was gone.
Henry heads out to the Desjardins house near Castle Lake. The house is near where he was found and has a creepy vibe, including a structure in the backyard that looks like it could have been where he was kept. As Henry investigates, Vince's brother arrives. He states that he has always lived in the house, and that he was not responsible for Henry's disappearance.
Henry confronts Alan about not investigating Desjardins, and he reveals that he has suspected that Henry killed his father. Before he died, Henry's father wrote "Henry Did It." All along, Alan has been trying to protect Henry. Henry is understandably confused and finds comfort with Molly.
The next day, Henry decides to head back to Texas. He calls Dennis and tells him the news and that he is advising the Kid to take the settlement. Already under strain, Dennis cracks and begins shooting fellow prison guards. He makes it to the Warden's office where Henry is waiting and tells him that he wants to testify. A flashbang grenade stuns both of them and a guard fires a shotgun right next to Henry, killing Dennis.
Cast[]
With
- Jane Levy as Jackie Torrance (credit only)
And
Special Guest Star[]
Guest Starring[]
- Noel Fisher as Dennis Zalewski
- Mark Harelik as Gordon
- Adam Rothenberg as Reverend Matthew Deaver
- Chris Coy as Boyd
- Lauren Bowles as Lilith
- Josh Cooke as Reeves
- David Selby as Josef Desjardins
- Caleel Harris as Young Henry Deaver
Co-Starring[]
- Joe Bonamico as Bored Guard
- Art Hennessey as Cemetery Clerk
- Anna Rizzo as Female Guard
- Kim S. Gordon as Chatty Neighbor
- Peter Gannon as Excited Guard
References to other Stephen King works[]
- While investigating his own disappearance, Henry comes across the name Vince Desjardins, who was a member of Ace's gang in "The Body". Henry then visits the house of the Desjardins family where he suspects he was held in the past. Henry also meets Vince's brother Joseph.
- Molly mentions that she lives in the house where a serial strangler killed himself, referencing Frank Dodd from "The Dead Zone".