Don't Miss One Iconic Stephen King Film Before It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode
HBO's Welcome to Derry contains numerous references to Stephen King's vast universe of narratives. Beyond the clear ties to the original story, the series includes an explicit connection to The Shining via the appearance of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is weaving in another classic tale from King that deserves a revisit.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be considered horror, especially in contrast with much of King's other work, it remains a haunting story of a wrongfully convicted individual condemned to spend the rest of his life inside a infamous penitentiary. It is this specific penitentiary which is important here, since the Shawshank facility possesses significant lore across King's stories — a tradition which persists within Welcome to Derry.
Some of the tales which mention Shawshank include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Via these stories, we discover about the terrible life inside Shawshank State Prison and some of those imprisoned there, such as the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's early victims, who had been convicted for robbery with a weapon.
So far, though, the majority we've learned about the prison has been via the perspective of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy ends up in Shawshank following being wrongly convicted, then experiences beaten and abused by other prisoners, while exploited by those in authority figures for his expertise in finance. He requires nearly three decades to dig an escape route from Shawshank, before making his way "through sewage" to take back his liberty.
Shawshank's Appearance in Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, audiences first learned about the prison's involvement from an initial preview for the show, in which a prison bus was seen bearing the title painted on the side. In episode 2, we learn who is likely destined for the prison.
Although it is known he did not responsible for the child deaths in the first episode, Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for the crimes. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," reveals an officer informing Hank in his cell, "Do you know what they do to kiddie killers in Shawshank?"
The Consequences for the Character and Ronnie
Given that the real murderer in Derry is an ancient power originating elsewhere hunting and killing children, Hank's prospects of clearing his name appear slim. And even if he ends up in the prison and the audience do not see him inside, understanding what we do about that prison indicates that his experience would be far from enjoyable.
Crucially, though, this development would endanger his daughter. Hank is her protector. Terrible events are occurring around Derry that nobody, young or old, comprehends and Ronnie only has her new group circle of pals to depend on. She will require her dad in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank plays a role, she could be out of luck.
A single fact is apparent: Hank lacks three decades to dig his way out.
Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now via the streaming service. Additional installments are released each week each Sunday.
