Make Time For This Iconic Stephen King Cinematic Before It: Welcome to Derry's Upcoming Installment
HBO's Welcome to Derry contains numerous connections to the author's extensive library of stories. Apart from the clear ties to the original story, the series includes a direct connection to King's famous novel through the cameo of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is weaving in another beloved King story which merits a revisit.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
While Shawshank Redemption isn't typically considered horror, particularly in contrast with much of the author's additional work, it is a gripping story of a wrongfully convicted man sentenced to spend his remaining years inside a infamous penitentiary. And it's this specific penitentiary that becomes important here, since the Shawshank facility possesses significant history throughout King's fictional world — a pattern which persists in It: Welcome to Derry.
Some of the tales which mention the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these narratives, we learn about the terrible life at Shawshank State Prison plus several of the inmates there, including the partner of a of Pennywise's initial victims, who was convicted for robbery with a weapon.
So far, however, the most we've learned about the prison has been via the perspective of Andy Dufresne from The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. Andy winds up in Shawshank after being wrongly convicted, then finds himself beaten and abused by other prisoners, while exploited by those in officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires him 28 years to dig his way out of the prison, prior to crawling "through sewage" to reclaim his freedom.
Shawshank's Appearance in Welcome to Derry
In relation to It: Welcome to Derry, audiences initially discovered of Shawshank's involvement from an initial preview for the show, in which a correctional transport was seen bearing the title displayed on its side. In episode 2, we learn which character is probably headed to the prison.
Though it is known he did not commit the child deaths initially, Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. The preview for the next episode, "Now You See It," reveals an officer informing a jailed Hank, "Do you know what happens to child murderers at that prison?"
The Implications for Hank and His Daughter
Considering that the actual murderer in Derry is a primordial entity from another world hunting and killing kids, Hank's prospects of clearing his name appear slim. Even should he ends up to Shawshank and viewers don't follow him there, understanding what we do about that prison makes it clear that his time there would be far from enjoyable.
More importantly, however, this situation would endanger his daughter. Hank is her protector. Terrible events are happening in the town which no one, young or old, understands and Ronnie only has her recently formed circle of pals to rely on. She's going to need her father in the coming episodes, but if the prison system has any say, she may be without help.
A single fact seems clear: Hank lacks three decades to dig to freedom.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are currently available via the streaming service. Additional installments air weekly each Sunday.
