Lizzy Caplan as Annie Wilkes on Hulu’s Castle Rock season 2.
As soon as I started season 2, I was completely mesmerized by Lizzy Caplan’s portrayal of Annie Wilkes. Her performance was so real and compelling each week and she had this wild eyed stare that would certainly make Kathy Bates proud.
**Please note major spoilers have been left out for your convenience.
While this story of Annie Wilkes is not necessarily a prequel to Misery, it does provide us with some fun Easter Eggs throughout the season leading up to the season finale. Lizzy Caplan is able to show off the psychotic sides of Annie with accuracy, but she also somehow makes this character real and sympathetic, as you start to root for her as an anti-hero on the show.
Annie’s darkness comes in and out, but her daughter, Joy, is her one shining light, constantly motivating her to be good and to be better. While Annie may not be able to overcome the darkness within her ultimately, she continues to fight and struggle, which is no easy task, especially after we are introduced to a Salem’s Lot inspired group to shake things up.
I thought that from start to finish, Annie was such an intriguing character with many layers. My favorite episode was “The Laughing Place” (season 2, episode 5). I thought this particular episode was so interesting because we got to explore Annie’s past to understand her a little bit more, but her younger self was played by another actress, who somehow managed to be just as brilliant as Lizzy Caplan. This really elevated her character that much more for me, as we continued with the rest of the season.
While the show started to get off track with some of the Salem’s Lot drama in later episodes, the end of the season was able to come full circle, allowing us to truly see Annie’s character development toward the character we all know in Misery, but the writers didn’t hit us over the head with this, which I appreciated.
Everything was subtle and well done, which really made me want to re-watch Misery that much more, but I also felt like I was introduced to a completely new side of Annie Wilkes, as her character came alive across the screen.
What’s next for Annie? Well, it looks like we will be closing the book on her chapter for season 2, as we will most likely explore a new character/plot if Castle Rock is renewed for season 3, but I may have just become Lizzy Caplan’s “number one fan.” She immersed herself into this role with disturbing perfection and I loved every minute of it!
Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
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