In 'Castle Rock,' Stranger Things, Secrets & Stephen King Fanfic

Stephen King's stories have been turned into films and TV shows for decades. From "Carrie" to last year's blockbuster "It" remake, bringing the prolific author's novels and short stories to the big and small screen is nothing new. In fact, so many of his spooky stories have been brought to life that it wouldn't be hard to create a thematic Stephen King Cinematic Universe.

For Hulu's eerie new anthology series "Castle Rock," debuting on the streaming service Wednesday, creators Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason get to play in King's massive oeuvre. Like "Stranger Things," which samples pop culture from the 80s (including films and TV shows that were made from King's work), "Castle Rock" does the same sort of "sampling" but within King's own multiverse. Set in the present day but with flashbacks to the 90s, the show's title refers to the fictional Maine town where King sets some of his stories, like "The Dead Zone" and "Cujo." Shaw and Thomason weave together King references with a haunting mystery that has several moving parts.

For all of its winks and nods to King's work (sort of playing out like King fanfiction), "Castle Rock" doesn't feel like a nostalgic cash-grab. King's stories provide the groundwork for what is otherwise a compelling - and adult - drama with an excellent cast. Andre Holland ("Moonlight," "The Knick") plays death row attorney Henry Deaver, who returns to his hometown of Castle Rock under mysterious circumstances. Henry had previously left the isolated town after the death of his father and when the townspeople turned their backs on Henry. Now an adult, Henry encounters the ghosts of his past, including his former next-door neighbor Molly, played by Melanie Lynskey ("Togetherness," "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore"), his mother Ruth, played by Sissy Spacek (who was the tortured teen in Brian De Palma's King adaptation of "Carrie") and her love, Alan, played by Scott Glenn ("The Leftovers"). Henry's return also comes not long after Dale Lacy (Terry O'Quinn), the warden of Shawshank State Penitentiary in Castle Rock, takes his own life, leaving behind his wife, played by Frances Conroy.

At the center of "Castle Rock" Season 1 is a mysterious young man only known as "The Kid," played by Bill Skarsg�rd - yes the same Bill Skarsg�rd who played Pennywise the Clown in the 2017 "It" remake - who shows up in the Shawshank Prison after Dale's shocking death. Skarsg�rd and the rest of the cast bring their A-game, giving fantastic performances across the board and it's thrilling to see impressive talent appear together on one show.

Delving more into the plot of "Castle Rock" would give away some major spoilers and it's best to go into this knowing as little as possible. Over the four episodes provided for review, the show methodically deals out information about its characters, their relationships and their back-stories. When "Castle Rock" reveals a twist or something unexpected, it hits hard. But these moments come far and few between and what is a 10-episode season could probably have been whittled down to something more compact and lean. Maybe going the "Stranger Things" route and having six or eight episodes would make "Castle Rock" a stronger season of TV. Like most prestige TV shows, "Castle Rock" also has a pace you'd expect - it's slow and patient, taking its time to explore its characters, the town and the mystery bringing them all together. Nevertheless, King fans will not be disappointed with Shaw and Thomason's take on the author's dark world. And those who are not as familiar with King's writing will not be lost or confused about plot in the slightest.

Not all King adaptations have been hits; nor do the duo try to recreate the technical impressiveness of "The Shining" or the wonderment of "Stand by Me." Instead, they follow the same path of inspiration Noah Hawley did for his FX anthology series "Fargo." Hawley didn't simply create a world that's based of the 1996 drama - instead he used the Coen brothers' filmography as a blueprint for the TV show, and was influenced by the filmmakers' themes, tones, sense of humor and the feelings they inject into their characters. For "Castle Rock," the showrunners pull a similar feat, showcasing King's ability to highlight humanistic stories that are at the center of an otherworldly nightmare. "Castle Rock" has the kind of depth and intrigue the best King adaptations have - that's in part to it's stellar cast and that J.J. Abrams serves as an executive producer - unfolding with dread and suspense. For its first season, "Castle Rock" is an exciting mystery that explores small town ennui, estranged family relations and haunting mythologies.