Make Time For This Iconic Stephen King Movie Prior to It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode
HBO's It: Welcome to Derry is packed with references to Stephen King's wide-ranging library of stories. Apart from the clear ties to It, the series showcases a direct connection to King's famous novel through the cameo of the youthful future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Currently, as the narrative unfolds, Welcome to Derry is integrating one more beloved King story which merits a revisit.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
While The Shawshank Redemption isn't typically classified as a horror film, particularly compared to a lot of the author's additional writing, it remains a gripping tale about an wrongfully convicted man condemned to live the rest of his life inside a infamous prison. And it's this specific institution that becomes central here, since Shawshank State Prison possesses considerable lore throughout King's stories — a tradition that continues within It: Welcome to Derry.
Some of the stories which mention Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these stories, we discover about the terrible life at the state penitentiary plus several of those imprisoned within, including the partner of one of Pennywise's early targets, who had been convicted of armed robbery.
Thus far, however, the most we've learned concerning Shawshank was through the perspective of the protagonist from The Shawshank Redemption, played by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. Andy ends up at the prison following being wrongly convicted, and finds himself assaulted and abused by other prisoners, and taken advantage of by the officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires him 28 years to dig an escape route of the prison, prior to making his way "through sewage" to reclaim his liberty.
The Prison's Role in Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, viewers initially discovered about the prison's inclusion via an early trailer for the series, in which a prison bus was seen with the name displayed on its side. In episode 2, it is revealed which character is likely headed to Shawshank.
Though we know he was not responsible for the murders of children in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for the crimes. A teaser for episode 3, "Now You See It," reveals an officer 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 real killer in the town is a primordial entity originating elsewhere hunting and killing children, Hank's prospects of clearing his name do not look good. And even if he ends up in the prison and the audience don't follow him there, knowing what is known about that prison makes it clear that his time there would not be pleasant.
More importantly, however, this development would endanger his daughter. He acts as her guardian. Terrible events are happening in the town which no one, child or adult, understands and Ronnie only has her new group circle of pals to rely on. She's going to need her dad as the story progresses, but if the prison system plays a role, she could be out of luck.
A single fact seems clear: Hank doesn’t have 28 years to dig to freedom.
Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are streaming now on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
