You Should Watch This Legendary Stephen King Movie Prior to It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode
HBO's It: Welcome to Derry is packed with nods to the author's vast collection of tales. Beyond the obvious links to the original story, the series also features a direct connection to King's famous novel via the cameo of a young Dick Hallorann. Now, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is weaving in another beloved King story which merits another look.
The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption isn't typically considered a horror film, especially compared to a lot of the author's additional writing, it remains a gripping story about an innocently imprisoned man condemned to live his remaining years in a notorious prison. And it's this specific institution which is central in this context, since the Shawshank facility possesses significant history across King's stories — a pattern which persists in It: Welcome to Derry.
Some of the tales that reference the prison are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these stories, we learn about the terrible conditions inside the state penitentiary plus some of those imprisoned there, including the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's early victims, who had been found guilty for robbery with a weapon.
So far, though, the majority we have discovered concerning Shawshank was through the perspective of the protagonist from The Shawshank Redemption, played by Tim Robbins in that 1994 movie. The character Andy ends up at the prison following being wrongly convicted, and experiences beaten and raped by fellow inmates, while exploited by the officials in power for his expertise in finance. He requires nearly three decades to dig his way out from Shawshank, prior to making his way "through sewage" to reclaim his liberty.
The Prison's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, viewers first learned of Shawshank's involvement via an early trailer for the show, where a prison bus was seen bearing the title painted on the side. In episode 2, it is revealed who is probably headed to Shawshank.
Though we know he was not responsible for the child deaths initially, Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. The preview for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows an officer informing Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what they do to child murderers at that prison?"
The Implications for the Character and Ronnie
Considering that the real killer in Derry is an ancient power originating elsewhere preying on and killing children, Hank's chances of clearing his name appear slim. And even if he does go in the prison and the audience don't follow him there, knowing what we do regarding Shawshank indicates that his time there would not be pleasant.
More importantly, however, this situation could threaten his daughter. Hank is her protector. Horrible things are occurring in the town that nobody, young or old, comprehends and Ronnie just has her recently formed circle of pals to depend on. She will require her father in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank has any say, she could be without help.
One thing seems clear: Hank doesn’t have 28 years to tunnel his way out.
It: Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are streaming now on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
