Castle Rock season 1, episode 8 recap: ‘Past Perfect’

In “Past Perfect,” Hulu’s Castle Rock enters a murderous bed and breakfast, and The Kid and Henry Deaver seem to have death in common.

“Past Perfect” is as perplexing as it is dark. Seemingly out of nowhere, the episode focuses overwhelmingly on a man named Gordon (Mark Harelik) who finds freaky basement art, all looking eerily similar to The Kid’s (Bill Skarsgård) likeness.

Gordon, a history teacher, is trying to escape his recent past, wherein he attacked someone for sleeping with his wife. Trying to pick up the pieces, Gordon and his wife Lilith (Lauren Bowles) are trying to run a Castle Rock historic B&B, where some of the town’s actual murders are recreated with mannequins (one has an ax firmly planted in its head!).

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Interestingly, their happy home is where Warden Dale Lacy (Terry O’Quinn) used to live, and Lacy is likely the source of those creepy paintings. In other words, it’s Gordon and the Warden and mannequins like Borden.

Anyway, after showing the freaky murder mannequin exhibit to a young couple, something about those paintings seems to haunt Gordon, leaving him (and no doubt the audience) disoriented and confused.

As if in a fever dream, Gordon “snaps” at night and kills the young lovers. Gordon and Lilith don’t understand what made him do it, but they do understand the need to hide the evidence. Obviously, this may not be the best B&B for your tourist dollar.

Molly’s Deaver Sense is Tingling

In the previous episode of Castle Rock, Henry Deaver (André Holland) had been placed in a strange room called “the filter,” designed to help Henry hear the voice of God. Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey) receives psychic signals (which I will call the “Deaver sense”) telling her where Henry is, and she frees him from the bizarre device.

They leave the RV and the woods, not knowing where the two men who put there went. When Henry discusses the situation he says, “I sound crazy.” Molly simply responds, “People have been calling me crazy my whole life.”

Molly and Henry part ways, and Henry heads home. The Deaver place is eerily quiet, though there are signs of things gone wrong. Although Henry’s mom Ruth (Sissy Spacek) is asleep, the house is alive with creepy vibes.

When Henry sees The Kid, he sends his son Wendell (Chosen Jacobs) to his recently designated room. Indeed, things take a dark turn as The Kid shows Henry the body of Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn ), telling him they need to hide him.

Also, yet again, he asks Deaver, “Do you hear it?” He also elaborates that he rescued Deaver from the basement and waited for him for 27 years. You know, guy talk.

D.O.A. from the B&B

As we get back to Gordon, we know he is busy sawing up corpses. Unfortunately, he has a guest. Who? Why, none other than Diane “Jackie” Torrance (Jane Levy)! After some nervous chitchat from Gordon and wife, Jackie sees suspicious garbage bags in Gordon’s truck bed and a blood-covered tiara (or some other object) on the ground.

Jackie leaves the issue alone for the time being. Why? Possibly because they’re murderers, but also because it’s Castle Rock. Killing is kind of what people do there.

Lightning Rods for Death

Back in Deaverland, Ruth wakes up as Henry and Wendell talk. Before long, Ruth’s mixed up mind offers up a semi-confession regarding Pangborn’s death, and her future seems unclear.

In fact, Henry’s future is also unclear, much like his past. One of the officers who show up, Daria Reese (Jayne Atkinson), puts her manners aside and calls him the black death, saying he’s like a lightning rod for it.

This was an opportunity for Henry to call himself a Castle Rock O.G., but he instead asks for her badge number

Then, as if taking a page from officer sunshine, Henry and Molly discuss how death follows The Kid. Indeed, earlier news broadcast mentioned Juniper Hills psych ward residents setting their mattresses on fire – likely due to The Kid’s presence in the place.

Meanwhile, as Wendell leaves on a bus, a crow smacks the windshield, suggesting that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (or, in this case, the crow doesn’t fall far from the kid).

Then, like a detective, Henry Deaver sneaks around in Gordon’s basement, presumably looking for clues about The Kid. In the process, we see that The Kid artwork was signed by Warden Dale Lacy.

When Gordin and Lilith encounter Deaver, they’re a little bit freaked out by his, you know, breaking and entering (which would be troublesome even to non-murderers). Understandably, Henry tries to de-escalate the situation.

However, rather than be assuaged by Deaver’s demeanor, Lilith stabs Henry. She, in turn, gets neck stabbed, albeit accidentally and in self-defense. Still, rather than finding peace, love and understanding, Gordon chases after Deaver. However, Jackie plants an ax firmly into Gordon’s head – almost exactly like what was in the mannequin!

Finally, the kid talks to Molly, who knows way too much about her past. He points out to the distance and says, “Out there in the woods. That’s where you died.”

That’s it for this dark and murderous Castle Rock recap! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.