You Should Watch One Classic Stephen King Cinematic Prior to the Series' Next Episode
The series Welcome to Derry is packed with nods to the author's extensive universe of narratives. Apart from the clear ties to It, the show showcases an explicit link to The Shining via the appearance of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is integrating another classic King story which merits another look.
The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
While The Shawshank Redemption may not be considered horror, especially compared to a lot of King's other work, it is a haunting tale of a wrongfully convicted man condemned to live the rest of his life in a notorious prison. And it's that very penitentiary which is central here, as the Shawshank facility holds considerable history throughout King's fictional world — a tradition that continues in Welcome to Derry.
Some of the tales which mention the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Through these narratives, we learn about the awful conditions at the state penitentiary plus some of those imprisoned there, such as the partner of a of Pennywise's initial victims, who was convicted of armed robbery.
Thus far, however, the most we've learned concerning Shawshank has been via the perspective of the protagonist in The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in that 1994 movie. Andy winds up at the prison following being wrongly convicted, and finds himself assaulted and abused by fellow inmates, while exploited by those in officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires him 28 years to tunnel his way out of the prison, prior to crawling "through sewage" to take back his liberty.
The Prison's Role in Welcome to Derry
Regarding It: Welcome to Derry, viewers initially discovered about the prison's involvement from an initial preview for the series, where a correctional transport appeared bearing the title displayed on its side. During the second episode, we learn who is likely headed to Shawshank.
Though we know he was not responsible for the murders of children initially, Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard telling Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what they do to child murderers in Shawshank?"
The Consequences for Hank and His Daughter
Considering that the actual killer in the town is an ancient power from another world preying on and murdering kids, Hank's prospects of clearing his name appear slim. Even should he ends up to Shawshank and the audience do not see him there, understanding what we do regarding Shawshank makes it clear that his experience would not be pleasant.
More importantly, however, this development would endanger Ronnie. Hank is her guardian. Horrible things are happening in the town that nobody, young or old, comprehends and she just has her new group of friends to rely on. She's going to need her dad as the story progresses, but if the prison system plays a role, she could be out of luck.
A single fact seems clear: Hank doesn’t have 28 years to dig his way out.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are currently available on HBO Max. Additional installments air weekly on Sundays.
