IT: Welcome to Derry Review — A Pennywise Prequel That’s More Goosebumps Than Horror

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Stephen King first unveiled Pennywise the Dancing Clown in his 1986 novel, IT. While the book received a varied reception at first, it quickly became a favorite among horror enthusiasts. Since then, the story has been brought to life as a TV miniseries, a two-part movie, and most recently, a prequel series.

Created by Andy and Barbara Muschietti, along with Jason Fuchs (the team behind the It films), the series delves into the unsettling history of Derry. IT: Welcome to Derry features a new group of characters, including the father of Mike Hanlon, one of the original Losers’ Club members. While Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as Pennywise the Clown, the first season (or at least the initial five episodes shown to reviewers) doesn’t offer many outright scares. However, the prequel does succeed in enriching the town’s backstory and the mythology surrounding Pennywise.

Season 1 Explores 1960s Derry & the Origin of Pennywise

The creature known as IT is a powerful, shapeshifting being from beyond our world. It’s largely confined to the town of Derry, Maine, where it reappears to prey on children about every 27 years. While Stephen King’s original novel delves into IT’s history, most movie and TV versions haven’t explored it much. The new series, IT: Welcome to Derry, is set in 1962 and intends to simplify the complicated backstory while also showing the events surrounding a tragic fire at a nightclub called The Black Spot.

Fans have long hoped to see the real-life locations from Stephen King’s stories set in Maine, and the first season of the show does a wonderful job of showcasing the town. Before delving into the darker parts of the story, the show takes its time presenting scenic views – like tree-lined streets, the town’s main street, and classic American homes with well-kept lawns. However, one surprising drawback is that the town has lost some of its unsettling atmosphere.

The new installment of IT, Welcome to Derry, focuses just as much on the adult characters as it does on the children. This includes compelling performances from Taylour Paige and Jovan Adepo as Charlotte and Leroy Hanlon, Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann, and James Remar as General Shaw. While the actors are excellent and their stories build towards the tragic fire, the significant role of a local Air Force base feels out of place and introduces unnecessary government involvement that doesn’t quite fit the established world of the story.

Season 1 does a good job of explaining what the creature is, revealing its hidden nature, and clarifying why it’s trapped. The episode showing the creature’s backstory was short, impactful, and stood out as a highlight of the season.

This Losers’ Club Is Just as Important to the Story

Both the child and adult versions of the story take us into the terrifying world of Pennywise. This group of unlikely friends discovers the dark history of Derry and manages to defeat the monster, both when they’re children and as adults. As viewers, we often identify with at least one of them – the courageous leader, the strong survivor, the funny one, the smart kid, the logical doubter, the dreamer, or the anxious thinker. It’s their bond and teamwork that truly drive the story.

Welcome to Derry introduces Will (Blake Cameron James), who will eventually become Mike Hanlon’s father. The story follows Will and the group of misfit kids he befriends after his family moves to Derry. Like his son, Will is intelligent, inquisitive, and cares deeply about fairness and helping those in need. The series mirrors the core structure of the original films by focusing on a close-knit group of friends, but it also includes surprising and compelling twists that we won’t spoil. One particularly daring choice early in the show successfully creates a sense of unease and suspense for the audience.

The connection between the young actors isn’t as strong as in previous versions of IT – like the 1990 miniseries and the 2017 and 2019 movies – but it’s still believable. Considering how important the Losers’ Club is to the IT story and to the horror genre in general, the cast had a lot to live up to. They seem unfazed by the challenge, and each one gives a really good performance.

IT: Welcome to Derry Is Light on Pennywise but Heavy on CGI

The first episode is packed with genuinely scary moments, starting with a chilling opening and ending with a shockingly violent conclusion. It’s so good, in fact, that it remains a standout episode for quite a while. The show, like the movies it’s based on, uses computer-generated imagery (CGI), which sometimes looks great, but can occasionally feel excessive. However, the CGI in IT: Welcome to Derry isn’t very effective and feels underwhelming.

Without graphic violence, much of the show feels more like a PG-13 adventure, similar to Ghostbusters or Goosebumps. It relies on predictable jump scares, unclear monster designs, and somewhat silly special effects. The lack of the iconic Pennywise appearance also diminishes the horror. Given that the creature has haunted the town for years, it’s unclear why the prequel avoids being truly frightening.

Look, let’s be honest, this show really shines whenever Bill Skarsgård is on screen. He’s absolutely captivating, bringing a fantastic energy that feels like exactly what we want from this series. The moment he’s not there, you instantly feel his absence – he really is the heart of the show, and we find ourselves just waiting for his next appearance. Don’t get me wrong, Pennywise doesn’t need to be in every single scene, but when he’s gone, the horror just feels… diluted. It simply doesn’t pack the same punch.

The Show Has Connections to Other Stephen King Stories

Stephen King is known for connecting his stories in subtle and intentional ways, and fans have discovered several confirmed links. One example is Dick Hallorann from The Shining; he previously lived in Derry and actually saw the Black Spot nightclub fire while serving in the Army.

As a big fan, I was really captivated by Hallorann’s backstory in Season 1. Seeing his psychic abilities – his ‘shine’ – used against Pennywise was a fantastic moment. It was such a treat to see him as a younger man, still figuring things out and not quite as sure of himself as he is in The Shining. Chris Chalk absolutely nails the role, and the connection he has with Jovan Adepo, who plays Leroy Hanlon, is one of the best parts of the show – their scenes together were really special.

The series Welcome to Derry cleverly connects to other stories by Stephen King without feeling like it’s just trying to please fans. Observant viewers will appreciate the hidden references, and the opening credits are a fun bonus for those familiar with King’s work, so don’t miss them!

Three Seasons are Planned for the Pennywise Prequel

This review only looks at the first half of the season, so there’s still a chance the final three episodes could be amazing and stay faithful to the original story. Hopefully, we’ll see more of Pennywise, which would make things scarier, and the visual effects will be improved.

The first season has its issues, but it offers a lot of potential for expanding the world of IT and seeing where the story goes next. Derry continues to be one of the most compelling and unsettling towns in Stephen King’s work. Given how popular and widely enjoyed the franchise is, it’s not surprising that plans for future seasons are already underway.

Since IT: Welcome to Derry is a prequel, it will likely delve into the history of Derry and show Pennywise during his earlier appearances. If the showrunners build on the strengths of the first season and what fans loved about the IT movies, the upcoming seasons have the potential to be fantastic. Regardless, it will be fascinating to learn more about Pennywise’s backstory.

The show premieres October 26th at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on HBO and HBO Max. New episodes will be released each week, with the season concluding on Sunday, December 14th.

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2025-10-22 19:08