You Should Watch This Classic Stephen King Movie Before the Series' Next Episode
The series Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to Stephen King's vast collection of tales. Apart from the clear ties to the original story, the series showcases an explicit link to King's famous novel through the appearance of a young future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Currently, as the story unfolds, Welcome to Derry is integrating another beloved King story which merits another look.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
Although The Shawshank Redemption isn't typically classified as a horror film, especially in contrast with a lot of the author's additional writing, it is a haunting tale about an innocently imprisoned individual sentenced to live the rest of his life in a infamous prison. And it's this specific penitentiary that becomes important in this context, since the Shawshank facility holds significant history across King's fictional world — a pattern that continues in Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories that reference the prison are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these narratives, we learn regarding the terrible life inside Shawshank State Prison and several of the inmates within, such as the partner of a of Pennywise's initial victims, who had been convicted for robbery with a weapon.
Thus far, however, the most we have discovered about the prison has been through the perspective of Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy ends up in Shawshank after being wrongly convicted, and experiences assaulted and raped by other prisoners, while taken advantage of by the officials in power due to his financial knowledge. He requires him 28 years to tunnel an escape route from Shawshank, before making his way "through sewage" to reclaim his freedom.
Shawshank's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry
In relation to the series, audiences initially discovered about the prison's inclusion via an early trailer for the show, where a correctional transport was seen with the name painted on the side. In episode 2, we learn who is probably destined for Shawshank.
Although we know he was not commit the child deaths initially, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for those offenses. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard informing a jailed Hank, "Are you aware what happens to child murderers at that prison?"
The Consequences for the Character and Ronnie
Considering that the real murderer in the town is an ancient power originating elsewhere preying on and murdering kids, Hank's chances of clearing his name do not look good. And even if he does go to Shawshank and viewers do not see him there, knowing what is known about that prison indicates that his experience would be far from pleasant.
Crucially, however, this development would endanger Ronnie. Hank is her guardian. Horrible things are happening around Derry which no one, young or old, understands and she just has her new group of friends to depend on. She's going to need her father in the coming episodes, however should the prison system plays a role, she may be without help.
One thing seems clear: Hank lacks 28 years to tunnel his way out.
It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now via the streaming service. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
