You Should Watch This Iconic Stephen King Film Before It: Welcome to Derry's Upcoming Installment
HBO's It: Welcome to Derry contains numerous connections to the author's extensive universe of narratives. Apart from the clear links to the original story, the series showcases an explicit connection to The Shining via the cameo of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Currently, as the story progresses, Welcome to Derry is integrating one more beloved King story which merits another look.
The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
While The Shawshank Redemption may not be considered horror, particularly in contrast with much of the author's additional writing, it remains a haunting story about an wrongfully convicted man sentenced to live his remaining years inside a notorious penitentiary. And it's this specific penitentiary that becomes important in this context, since Shawshank State Prison holds considerable lore throughout King's fictional world — a pattern which persists in It: Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories that reference Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these narratives, we discover about the awful life at the state penitentiary and several of those imprisoned there, such as the partner of one of Pennywise's early targets, who was found guilty for robbery with a weapon.
So far, however, the majority we've learned about the prison was through the perspective of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. The character Andy winds up at the prison following being wrongly convicted, and finds himself beaten and raped by other prisoners, while taken advantage of by the authority figures due to his expertise in finance. It takes him 28 years to tunnel an escape route of the prison, before making his way "through sewage" to take back his freedom.
The Prison's Role in It: Welcome to Derry
In relation to the series, viewers first learned of Shawshank's involvement from an early trailer for the series, where a correctional transport was seen bearing the title painted on the side. In episode 2, we learn which character is likely headed to the prison.
Although we know he was not responsible for the murders of children in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. The preview for episode 3, "Now You See It," reveals an officer telling Hank in his cell, "Do you know what they do to child murderers in Shawshank?"
The Implications for Hank and His Daughter
Considering that the actual murderer in the town is an ancient power from another world preying on and murdering kids, Hank's prospects of proving his innocence appear slim. And even if he does go in the prison and the audience don't follow him inside, understanding what is known about that prison indicates that his time there would not be pleasant.
More importantly, however, this development would endanger Ronnie. He acts as her guardian. Terrible events are occurring around Derry that nobody, child or adult, understands and Ronnie only has her new group circle of pals to rely on. She will require her father as the story progresses, however should the prison system plays a role, she could be without help.
One thing is apparent: Hank lacks three decades to dig to freedom.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now via the streaming service. New episodes are released each week each Sunday.
