The debut of It: Welcome to Derry this weekend takes viewers once again to the early 1960s, as a new band of youngsters faces an age-old, fear-consuming clown. Given that the first It narrative revolved heavily around teens in danger, it's unsurprising that this show follows a comparable trajectory. But, Welcome to Derry escalates the horror even more than the recent movies, establishing its harsh atmosphere quicker than viewers might expect.
An Chilling Beginning in a Doomed City
The series kicks off on a snowy winter evening in the cursed community of Derry, Maine, set in the year 1962. After being ejected of a movie theater for slipping in and declining to return home to his violent guardians, a 12-year-old boy (the young actor) holds onto his soother for comfort while hitchhiking out of the city. After he is finally offered a ride, the chilled boy accepts. It doesn't take long, however, for him to realize the enormity of his error.
We'll stop at this point to prevent spoiling any details from the installment. Suffice to say that Welcome to Derry wastes no time in showing just how explicit and terrifying the series is set to be, especially regarding the violence experienced by children in the town.
Throughout, the show's debut chapter demonstrates its makers aren't afraid to "push boundaries," to the extent that it likely should come with a graphic content advisory for those sensitive to aggression against children; it's truly that disturbing.
An New Approach to Terror
Showrunner the series' lead has in the past compared Pennywise to the predator from Jaws, a monster shown in glimpses that leads toward a major payoff. In Welcome to Derry, however, the focus shifts toward more shapeshifting horrors evocative of Stephen King's initial novel. Thanks to the extended duration and high-quality of an premium production, the program takes its time exploring these fears instead of rushing to highlight Pennywise, leading to a more unsettling, more intense horror than the recent films.
Is It Suitable?
Every viewer with the slightest knowledge of It ought to understand what they're in for when it comes to brutality toward kids, but Welcome to Derry turns the volume to the maximum when contrasted to the miniseries and even the movies. Considering this, it deserves a PSA if those adaptations are where one draws the line. Nevertheless, It: Welcome to Derry is an excellent series with a premiere installment that's a perfect watch for the Halloween time of year.
- Graphic content against children
- Extended runtime for more profound terror building
- More transformative monsters from the source book
- Sets a more grim atmosphere than previous adaptations
