Don't Miss This Classic Stephen King Film Prior to the Series' Next Episode
HBO's It: Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to Stephen King's wide-ranging universe of narratives. Beyond the obvious ties to the original story, the show also features a direct connection to King's famous novel through the appearance of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Currently, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is integrating another classic King story which merits a revisit.
The Haunting Story of The Shawshank Redemption
While The Shawshank Redemption isn't typically considered a horror film, particularly in contrast with a lot of King's other writing, it remains a gripping tale of a wrongfully convicted individual condemned to spend the rest of his life inside a notorious penitentiary. And it's that very penitentiary that becomes important here, as Shawshank State Prison possesses significant lore throughout King's fictional world — a tradition which persists in It: Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories which mention the prison are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Via these stories, we discover about the awful conditions at the state penitentiary and some of those imprisoned there, such as the boyfriend of one of Pennywise's early victims, who had been found guilty of armed robbery.
So far, though, the majority we've learned about the prison was through the perspective of the protagonist in The Shawshank Redemption, played by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy winds up in Shawshank following his wrongful conviction, and finds himself beaten and raped by other prisoners, and exploited by the authority figures due to his expertise in finance. He requires him 28 years to dig his way out from Shawshank, before crawling "through a river of shit" to reclaim his liberty.
Shawshank's Role in Welcome to Derry
In relation to the series, audiences initially discovered about the prison's inclusion via an initial preview for the show, in which a prison bus appeared bearing the title painted on the side. During the second episode, it is revealed who is likely destined for the prison.
Although it is known he did not commit the child deaths in the first episode, Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for the crimes. A teaser for episode 3, "Now You See It," shows an officer informing a jailed Hank, "Do you know what happens to kiddie killers at that prison?"
The Implications for Hank and Ronnie
Given that the real killer in Derry is an ancient power from another world preying on and murdering kids, Hank's prospects of clearing his name appear slim. And even if he does go in the prison and viewers do not see him there, understanding what is known regarding Shawshank makes it clear that his time there would not be pleasant.
More importantly, though, this situation would endanger his daughter. Hank is her guardian. Horrible things are happening around Derry that nobody, child or adult, understands and she only has her recently formed circle of pals to rely on. She's going to need her father as the story progresses, but if Shawshank plays a role, she may be out of luck.
One thing is apparent: Hank doesn’t have three decades to dig to freedom.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now on HBO Max. Additional installments are released each week each Sunday.
