Everybody floats in the small town of Derry.
Just like that, the first season of the IT movie duology prequel series has come to a close. But the prequel has left many questions still unanswered and its final episode did nothing but raise more. But how does the HBO show compare to the most recent movies, set in the same timeline.
The new series, set in the same universe as the 2017 IT adaptations that featured Bill Skarsgard as the dancing clowned deity, is a tremendous accomplishment that is the new bench mark for direct multimedia story telling for a singular narrative. This season is set in 1962, 27-years before the 1989 time period in which the first film is set, and tell the tale of the shape shifting creature, Pennywise, as he continues his hunt whilst being pursued by the American military.
It: Welcome to Derry features multiple characters and references from the greater Stephen King universe. A particular standout is Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann, serving as a direct connection to one of Kings other classics, The Shinning. But with an expanded universe and a fresh narrative to tell offers new opportunity in how to portray the titular character. One of the greatest difficulties (or annoyances) with prequel stories is the fore knowledge of already knowing how this all eventually will end, so the writers need to put in some overtime in crafting a story that captures the audience and keeps them intrigued in spite of this knowledge. The writers managed to successfully do this by diving further into the history and lore of both the creature AND the Pennywise form he would eventually inhabit. Additionally, they also massively up the horror elements and give us a Pennywise more ferocious and vicious than we’ve ever seen on screen.
With some superb writing and some of the best onscreen horror I’ve seen on TV in years, the biggest question from a franchise such as IT where a monster hunts children is always going to be, how were the child actors? In this case, they were exceptional. The core cast of the five kids portrayed characters on screen like heavy weight Hollywood veterans. There were many moments through out the show where I audibly said to my couch fellow “these are the oldest acting kids I’ve ever seen in my life!” as they handled mature subject matter and adult themes despite their age and was even enhanced because of it. Clara Stack as Lilly Bainbridge leaves behind a performance that will for sure see her propelled into the spotlight in future years, with a long career ahead of her. But it is of course Bill Skarsgard returning as Pennywise that steals every scene of the show. Skarsgard gives a generational performance as the clown that will be studied for years to come for want to be horror villains.
*SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE FINAL EPISODE*
By the end of the 1962 season of IT: Welcome to Derry the show cleverly both recognises the fact it’s a prequel series whilst also setting up how it will tackle future seasons. Pennywise directly talks with Marge about the future her son shares with clown, but twists the events of the film to depict that the Losers killing Pennywise may have actually been his birth. Informing them that Pennywise knows all and see’s all in his past and future, with Marge and Lilly later in the episode theorising he will attempt to kill their family members in their past.
This revelation allows the show to move forward (or backwards timeline wise) and work around the prequel loop hole. Pennywise in the show has experienced and lived through the movies even if they haven’t happened yet in the shows. But who knows what comes next, will season 2 be in 1935 and follow the kids from this seasons parents? Will we go back to Bob Gray and learn more about who he was before he was taken, or will we go further back in time into a new century. Who knows, but the IT series is one I will be waiting for with excitement to see where it takes us next.
Overall, IT: Welcome to Derry is Pennywise at his best. With some outstanding performances by the core cast, some excellent writing that explores the origins of the creature, and with world class audio and visuals. IT: Welcome to Derry is essential viewing for lovers of Stephen King and general horror.
It: Welcome to Derry Season 1 – 8.3/10
