Don't Miss One Legendary Stephen King Movie Prior to It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode
HBO's Welcome to Derry is packed with nods to the author's vast library of stories. Beyond the obvious links to the original story, the series showcases a direct connection to The Shining through the appearance of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Currently, as the narrative unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is weaving in one more classic King story that deserves another look.
The Haunting Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be classified as horror, particularly compared to a lot of King's other work, it remains a gripping story of a wrongfully convicted man sentenced to live the rest of his life inside a notorious penitentiary. And it's this specific penitentiary that becomes central in this context, since Shawshank State Prison possesses considerable lore throughout King's stories — a pattern which persists within It: Welcome to Derry.
Among the tales that reference the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these stories, we discover about the awful life inside Shawshank State Prison and some of the inmates there, including the partner of a belonging to Pennywise's early victims, who was found guilty for robbery with a weapon.
Thus far, however, the most we have discovered concerning Shawshank was through the eyes of Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption, played by Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. Andy ends up in Shawshank following being wrongly convicted, then finds himself assaulted and raped by other prisoners, while exploited by the authority figures due to his expertise in finance. He requires nearly three decades to dig an escape route from Shawshank, prior to making his way "through a river of shit" to reclaim his freedom.
Shawshank's Role in It: Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, viewers first learned of Shawshank's inclusion via an initial preview for the series, in which a prison bus was seen bearing the title displayed on its side. During the second episode, it is revealed who is likely destined for Shawshank.
Although we know he was not commit the murders of children initially, Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. The preview for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard informing Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what happens to child murderers at that prison?"
The Implications for the Character and His Daughter
Considering that the real murderer in Derry is an ancient power originating elsewhere preying on and murdering children, Hank's prospects of proving his innocence appear slim. Even should he ends up in the prison and the audience do not see him inside, understanding what is known regarding Shawshank makes it clear that his time there would not be enjoyable.
Crucially, however, this development would endanger his daughter. He acts as her guardian. Terrible events are happening around Derry that nobody, young or old, comprehends and Ronnie only has her new group of friends to depend on. She will require her dad as the story progresses, but if Shawshank has any say, she may be without help.
A single fact seems clear: Hank doesn’t have three decades to tunnel his way out.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are currently available on HBO Max. New episodes are released each week each Sunday.
