Ep 3. Local Color

In episode 3 of Castle Rock season 1, titled "Local Color," we see Henry Deaver struggling to come to terms with his past and the strange events happening in his hometown. As a child, Henry disappeared for 11 days, and when he returned, his adoptive father committed suicide. Now, as an adult, Henry is a successful lawyer, but he still can't shake his hometown's hold on him.

The episode opens with a scene of Molly Strand, a local realtor, injecting herself with heroin. Molly has psychic abilities and can feel the emotions and thoughts of the people around her. She's particularly attuned to Henry, whom she's had a crush on since they were kids.

Meanwhile, Henry is summoned to the Shawshank prison to meet with a new client, Dennis Zalewski. Dennis is a prison guard who has discovered a strange man locked up in a cage in the basement of the prison. The man has no ID and doesn't seem to speak English, but Dennis is convinced that he's dangerous and wants Henry's help in figuring out what to do with him.

Henry agrees to take on the case and begins to investigate the man's identity. He discovers that the man's name is Odin Branch and that he's a former art dealer who has a reputation for being able to "see" the true colors of people and objects. Odin has been in a catatonic state ever since he was apprehended by the police, but Henry believes that he may be faking it.

As Henry delves deeper into the case, he begins to have strange visions and flashbacks to his childhood. He remembers being lost in the woods and hearing strange, otherworldly noises. He also recalls a moment when his adoptive father locked him in a room and told him that he was "the voice of God."

Meanwhile, Molly is struggling to cope with her addiction and her feelings for Henry. She decides to visit him at his office and ends up confessing that she killed his adoptive father. Molly explains that she was in love with Henry as a child and that she killed his father because he was abusive and she wanted to protect Henry.

Henry is stunned by Molly's confession and doesn't know what to do. He tells her to turn herself in to the police but also warns her that their friendship is over.

The episode ends with Dennis making a terrible mistake. He becomes convinced that Odin is a danger to society and decides to take matters into his own hands. He arms himself with a machine gun and goes on a rampage, killing several people before returning to Odin's cell.

"Local Color" is a tense and unsettling episode that explores themes of guilt, loss, and redemption. It's also a showcase for the show's impressive cast, especially Andre Holland as Henry and Melanie Lynskey as Molly. The episode keeps the audience guessing until the very end, leaving us eager to find out what happens next in this mysterious and eerie town.