Hi all!

Today I am reviewing the first season of Welcome To Derry. This HBO Original is a prequel to the events of IT Chapter 1 & 2. In 1962, a couple with their son move to Derry, Maine, just as a young boy disappears. With their arrival, bad things begin to happen in the town. Without further ado, let’s get into it! 

Spoiler Free!  

WHAT WORKED: 

This is how you do a successful prequel! As a massive fan of IT (both the book and screen adaptations), I was overjoyed by the finished product. We had been waiting years for it to drop and it was well worth it. The director, Andy Muschietti, really honoured the source material; sticking to the events in the novel and working backwards. I could not believe the lore expansion. We finally learnt why Pennywise could not leave Derry, the origin story of Bob Gray and how the entity itself perceives time. And speaking of Pennywise, the insanely talented Bill Skarsgard returned to reprise his role as the murderous clown. His reveal is one I won’t soon forget. I loved that his typical form wasn’t introduced right off the bat. It made the build-up that much sweeter. He truly stole the show, giving audiences an award-winning performance all season long. 

I must also mention the new cast of characters. All of the children were fantastic – especially Marge, Lilly, Will, Rich and Ronnie. They could never outshine the original Loser’s Club but they came pretty close. Their bonds and bravery really touched me. Discovering how they related to certain familiar faces was very exciting. Some were obvious, others not so much. There was no spoon-feeding the viewers. You either caught the connections in the moment or missed them entirely.  Furthermore, I must acknowledge the ties to the Stephen King unvierse. Expect references from The Shining, Doctor Sleep, The Shawshank Redemption, Needful Things, Insomnia and more. Each addition felt intentional, not forced. It all played a part; strengthening the lore of King’s world-building. 

Finally, I want to commend the amount of gore, violence and horror in the prequel. If you thought IT Chapter 1 & 2 were scary, you haven’t met Welcome to Derry. It pushes the boundaries and then some. Let me make it clear – kids are NOT off limits. Remember, Pennywise prefers to feed on children, due to their ‘tasty’ fear. His words, not mine! I never quite knew what was going to happen next and that was terrifying. 

WHAT DIDN’T WORK: 

There aren’t many negatives but I do need to be objective in my review. The CGI was quite awful in parts. Especially regarding the other forms of IT (not the clown). Some of the special effects looked so Uncanny Valley, it took away from the scares. My critique for Andy as a director, is to be more partial to practical effects. He has everything going for him, except this one glaring blindspot.

I also want to add (which is a personal opinion), that I didn’t love the military storyline in the prequel. It was the least interesting part about the show. I understood what they were going for but I wanted more of everything else.

Thank you so much for reading. Have you seen Welcome To Derry? 

Peace & Love xoxo