Beating a Dead Clown? "IT: Welcome to Derry" Debate for Horror Fans, by Catie Smith

Stephen King novels have had countless adaptations. A renowned author with well loved storylines, King sets his adaptations up for success… for the most part. Stephen King’s “IT” adaptations have been hit after hit. From director Tommy Lee Wallace’s “IT” (1990) to Andy Muschetti’s IT (2017) and IT: Chapter 2 (2019), the continued interest in the monster Pennywise sparked an idea. Muschetti decided to create a prequel show, “IT: Welcome to Derry”. Following the storyline of multiple protagonists, both children and adults, each one connects in some way to unravel the mystery of the entity, Pennywise, and its origin.

“IT: Welcome to Derry” has hit the ground running, releasing weekly episodes every Sunday. The three episodes that are currently out and available on HBO Max have sparked debate. Does it live up to the 2017 and 2019 adaptations? It is unclear so far, but it does not look promising. 

As an avid horror lover and Stephen King fan, the show falls short of great. It has been confirmed in an interview with Muschetti from Radio TU that King does play a role in this show, but a very passive one: he simply signs off on the story line. If the success and horror of the show relied on that, it would definitely be a bigger hit. However, the SFX and CGI leave you feeling grossed-out rather than scared. It just never reaches the same level of horror the 1990 miniseries and 2010’s movies give you.  

Set in 1962, before the movies are supposed to take place, we are introduced to a few main characters. The Hanlon family we see move into Derry. The father, Leroy Hanlon, is an Air Force Major. His plot with the government is imperative, as they are also uncovering the truth behind this strange entity they deem a “weapon”. Major Hanlon’s son, Will, ultimately joins the group of children who take on the task of bringing justice to their friends. All four children in this show experience the hauntings we see the children in the original movie adaptations experience. Although the plot of the characters are great and have amazing concepts, the individualized scares for the kids feel rushed, gore-centered, and AI-like.

It was incredibly disappointing watching the first introductory scene, which follows a younger boy running away from a theatre after sneaking in. He gets into a car with a family that seems normal in order to escape. As the scene progresses, the mother gives birth to a gargoyle-esque flying baby. It introduces us to what will later occur, as this boy is the driving factor of the four kids fighting against the entity. Again, the plot is intriguing and would overall be even better if what were supposed to be the horror scenes were at the same level. Although disturbing, yes, was it scary? No. 

With this setting up the rest of the scare scenes in the show, it was not looking good. The second and third episodes make it even more clear that the SFX or CGI value has gone down since Muschetti's other “IT” franchise movies. If you are looking to be truly scared in the same way the 2017 and 2019 movies accomplish, do not look towards “IT: Welcome to Derry”. It will fall short of expectations. 

Another example of the sub-par scares, Like the book and other movies, this is grounded in her personal experience of her father’s death. His body was chopped up and put into pickle jars. When she is in the grocery store and becomes surrounded by walls of pickle jars, her father’s body is chopped, residing in a few different jars. The detailing of the fathers head displayed and talking to her aren’t necessarily creepy. The pickles in the jar look like flat pieces of paper and his face like that of AI creation. 

Although there are many ways to go on about their sub-par scare scenes, it does a great job at giving us a clear storyline of Pennywise and its origins. The children within the show have character arcs that are wonderfully thought out and even dealing with difficult themes. The Militant as well as parts of the kids’ plots uncover ugly truths about racism not just within the government, but more specifically America's past.

As new episodes are released on the projected schedule, there is hope for improvement. The creators plan to keep a three season show; the first taking place in 1962, second in 1935, then the last in 1908. With that, the show could be great but more likely will continue a lackluster path with the horror components being what they are. Whether it’s rushed or just a style interpretation, it becomes more clear with each week that this show will not be as successful as the movies. It begs the question: should this franchise have been left alone or is there something to add to this new plot? As the story unravels, we may just get an answer.