It: Welcome to Derry Season 1 Review: A Terrifically Terrifying Return That Haunts

When fans were wondering what a return to Stephen King’s mystifying world of the iconic supernatural Creature, they perhaps weren’t expecting something so big as It: Welcome to Derry. However, given King’s stamp of approval and the returning Muschiettis back, It: Welcome to Derry certainly has a lot to prove.

Fortunately for fans, this new installment in the franchise not only keeps up with King’s level of terror, but also provides a genuinely interesting look at supernatural fear through social paranoia. At its core, the series asks what it’d be like if “IT” feasted on people putting prejudices on each other with the 1960s aesthetic.

Although, instead of focusing on a single group, It: Welcome to Derry is spread across multiple storylines that consistently intertwine. When it comes all together, it creates an intriguing narrative that’s got its own surprises to spare.

In its first five episodes, It: Welcome to Derry is given enough time to build up its tension through some peculiar interactions here and there. This particularly surrounds the newcomer family of the Hanlons and their moving into Derry.

Leroy, the Hanlon patriarch, and his high military position ties into this inevitable investigation that may initially seem like it has some deep racial undertones. Given the time period and its social stigmatization regarding people of color, it was really intense to see Leroy getting placed into these precarious situations.

It may initially lead you to believe that Leroy is a target for specific reasons, but the way he’s gradually established to be this turning force for “IT” is an optimistic bright spot.

This is really shown in his friendships with the chill, somewhat determined, Pauly and Leroy’s commanding officer, General Shaw. Moreover, the “mentor” bond that Leroy and Shaw share really provides this nice charm due to the fact that they’re rooted in this universal social right that some other characters dismiss.

On the other end of things, Charlotte, Leroy’s wife, is trying to live day-by-day in Derry despite the prejudice and stares that Derry’s citizens constantly give her.

Yet, her courage really shows through this arc of redemption for another character, Hank, that tests the waters of racial injustice in a way that may shock some viewers. Though Hank is treated like the catalyst for Derry’s future troubles, the show already lets us know that the Creature is simply making Hank into an antagonist that he’s not.

However, when the Hanlons are all together, their bond truly has this closeness that carries over into the other storylines. Leroy, Charlotte, and their son, Will, are characters you’d want to root for because of this growing paranoia that constantly surrounds them; you just strive to see them overcome those small, yet uncomfortable, hurdles.

Within Leroy’s military storyline is this unravelling lore about “IT” that shows through Rose, a peculiar character whose family knows about the Creature’s true origins. Rose has her moments to shine, especially when she tries to stand up as a representative of Derry’s Native American community.

Having that representation, especially in a Stephen King-centric piece, felt integral and the Muschiettis and the creative team really did well through Rose. Her relationship with Shaw really goes deep, which is confidently explored more in-depth in a later episode. Yet, to have that seed of doubt planted by Rose adds to the story’s drive even further.

However, the character that most Stephen King fans are very interested to see in It: Welcome to Derry is Dick Hallorann, a character from The Shining. For those who haven’t dug that far into King’s intricate lore, what Hallorann gets up to, both in the real world and in his mindspace, will definitely put you in a twist.

Hallorann’s telepathic abilities truly get shown here, which also further ties into a one-off detail from the original It story that feels like it’s coming back around. This element of It: Welcome to Derry is shown through the more lighthearted aspects of what can only be guessed as something tied to Will.

Furthermore, the new “Loser’s Club” really has its charms, but there are a few surprising switch-ups as this group changes its members here and there. The focus is mostly placed on Lily, who’s struggling as the bullied small town girl because of a made up tale.

Her arc is driven by that brooding presence of “IT”, as seen time and time again. Although, from Season 1 Episode 1 alone, what Lily goes through is probably worse than what we’ve seen from the It films. Pair her up with the desperate Ronnie, as Hank is her close relative, and some other kids that have their own stereotypical school likes and you’ll see Lily in it for the long haul.

You have to applaud for the effort that It: Welcome to Derry‘s child stars put into their performances because their character truly get into some gruesome situations. It was impossible to get ready for what Lily and her friends are put through because of “IT” and how disgusting and bloody it can get!

Of course, it should go without saying that Bill Skarsgård’s return as Pennywise is always amazing, even if we see different forms of the Creature before we get to the main iconic clown.

Still, some of the forms that “IT” takes, with the aid of some fun CGI and a variety of scare sequences that range from dark and eerie to a fiery earthquake, really shine through. Each episode provides it with a unique shape that doesn’t attempt to replicate what came before and it does work, especially in the first episode alone.

All in all, It: Welcome to Derry is a courageous step forward for the franchise, digging deeper into Stephen King’s memorable mythos while speaking on the dysmorphia of social perceptions. With some stellar character performances, unexpected kills that’ll really shock you, and more, the Muschiettis have, once again, captured the potential of the It in its glory.

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It: Welcome to Derry premieres on Wednesday, October 29, on HBO and HBO Max.

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