Stephen King masterfully tapped into the terrors of childhood with his terrifying novel, It. The face of this fear, Pennywise the Dancing Clown, became an iconic horror figure, unforgettable and frequently adapted for both television and film. Now, audiences are taken to the very origin of this terror: Derry, Maine.
Pennywise Undisguised
For those familiar with the story, Pennywise and “It” are one and the same—an ancient entity that arrived on Earth centuries ago and developed a voracious appetite for a particularly unpalatable delicacy. As the Stephen King Wiki notes, this hunger culminates in a pivotal moment:
“About 300 years after coming to Earth, it would devour Georgie Denbrough after dragging him into a storm drain.”
It is this very act that ignites the story, serving as the inciting incident for both the 1990 miniseries and the 2017 film adaptation.
The Craft of Extensibility
Adapting a dense narrative often requires more than one or two films. In fact, the concept for an It origin story was already in development during the production of It: Chapter 2. As Deadline reported,
Director Andy Muschietti and star Bill Skarsgård were fantasizing about the character of Bob Gray, feeling a strong “enthusiasm to go back and explore the complexities” of Pennywise.
Derry Welcomes You
The series immediately establishes its 1960s setting, a portrait of small-town life where the local cinema is both a community hub and the epicenter of a growing evil. Our guide into this world is a lonely boy, hiding in the dark of the movie theater to escape his difficult home life. When an usher finds him, we see a child the town views with pity. His desperate attempt to hitch a ride out of Derry that night doesn’t lead to freedom but instead plunges him into the heart of a terror that is just beginning to awaken and infect the town. This pivotal moment is our welcome to the very start of the nightmare.
Welcome to Derry: Where Nightmares Stalk
From its first frame, “Welcome to Derry” is a stunning and brutal visual experience. It pits its nightmarish imagery against the postcard-perfect setting of a small town, creating a dissonance that is both beautiful and unsettling. The series never lets up, delivering a harrowing story where the monster’s cruelty is magnified by the innocence it preys upon. But the true horror runs deeper, offering a compelling commentary on the social inequities and poisonous politics festering beneath the town’s surface.
Two episodes in, the show has already proven its terrifying potential, leaving viewers desperate to see where the story leads. “Welcome to Derry” is premium, must-watch TV—a shocking and engaging expansion of Stephen King’s iconic horror story. For fans of the genre, it’s a virtual feast. Catch up now on HBO Max; the best—and worst—is yet to come.
Uncut Diamonds 