You Should Watch One Iconic Stephen King Cinematic Prior to the Series' Upcoming Installment
The series Welcome to Derry is filled with connections to the author's extensive collection of tales. Apart from the obvious links to It, the show includes an explicit link to King's famous novel through the cameo of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is integrating another classic tale from King which merits another look.
The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be considered horror, especially in contrast with a lot of King's other work, it is a haunting story of a wrongfully convicted individual condemned to spend the rest of his life inside a notorious prison. And it's this specific penitentiary which is important here, as the Shawshank facility holds considerable history throughout King's stories — a tradition that continues within It: Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories which mention Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Via these stories, we discover about the awful life inside the state penitentiary plus several of the inmates there, including the partner of one belonging to Pennywise's initial targets, who had been found guilty for robbery with a weapon.
Thus far, though, the most we've learned concerning Shawshank was through the eyes of Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption, played by Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. The character Andy ends up at the prison after his wrongful conviction, then finds himself beaten and abused by fellow inmates, while taken advantage of by those in authority figures for his expertise in finance. It takes nearly three decades to dig his way out of the prison, prior to making his way "through sewage" to reclaim his freedom.
The Prison's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry
In relation to the series, audiences first learned about the prison's inclusion from an early trailer for the series, where a prison bus appeared bearing the title painted on the side. During the second episode, we learn who is likely destined for Shawshank.
Though we know he did not commit the murders of children initially, the character Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for the crimes. The preview for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," reveals a guard informing a jailed Hank, "Are you aware what happens to child murderers in Shawshank?"
The Consequences for Hank and Ronnie
Considering that the real murderer in Derry is an ancient power originating elsewhere preying on and killing children, Hank's chances of clearing his name appear slim. Even should he does go in the prison and the audience do not see him inside, understanding what is known regarding Shawshank indicates that his time there would not be pleasant.
Crucially, though, this situation could threaten his daughter. Hank is her guardian. Horrible things are happening around Derry which no one, child or adult, comprehends and Ronnie just has her recently formed circle of pals to rely on. She will require her father in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank has any say, she could be without help.
One thing seems clear: Hank doesn’t have three decades to tunnel his way out.
Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly each Sunday.
