Make Time For This Legendary Stephen King Film Before It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode
The series It: Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to Stephen King's vast universe of narratives. Apart from the clear ties to It, the show includes a direct link to King's famous novel via the cameo of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is integrating another classic tale from King which merits another look.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be classified as horror, particularly in contrast with much of King's other writing, it is a haunting tale about an innocently imprisoned man sentenced to spend his remaining years inside a notorious prison. And it's that very institution which is important here, since Shawshank State Prison possesses considerable lore throughout King's stories — a tradition that continues in Welcome to Derry.
Among the tales that reference Shawshank include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these narratives, we learn regarding the awful conditions at Shawshank State Prison plus some of those imprisoned within, such as the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's initial targets, who had been convicted for robbery with a weapon.
Thus far, however, the majority we have discovered concerning Shawshank was via the eyes of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, played by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. The character Andy winds up at the prison after being wrongly convicted, then experiences beaten and abused by other prisoners, and taken advantage of by the officials in power for his financial knowledge. It takes him 28 years to tunnel an escape route from Shawshank, before making his way "through a river of shit" to take back his liberty.
The Prison's Role in Welcome to Derry
In relation to It: Welcome to Derry, audiences initially discovered about the prison's involvement from an early trailer for the series, in which a correctional transport was seen bearing the title painted on the side. During the second episode, it is revealed who is likely headed to the prison.
Though we know he was not responsible for the child deaths in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. A teaser for the next episode, "Now You See It," reveals a guard informing 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 Derry is a primordial entity from another world hunting and killing kids, Hank's prospects of proving his innocence appear slim. Even should he ends up in the prison and viewers don't follow him inside, understanding what is known about that prison makes it clear that his time there would be far from enjoyable.
More importantly, though, this situation would endanger Ronnie. Hank is her guardian. Terrible events are happening around Derry that nobody, child or adult, comprehends and Ronnie only has her new group of friends to depend on. She's going to need her dad as the story progresses, but if the prison system has any say, she could be without help.
A single fact seems clear: Hank doesn’t have 28 years to dig to freedom.
It: Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are currently available on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
