You Should Watch This Classic Stephen King Movie Prior to the Series' Next Episode
The series Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to the author's vast library of stories. Apart from the obvious ties to the original story, the series also features an explicit link to The Shining via the appearance of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Now, as the narrative unfolds, Welcome to Derry is weaving in another beloved tale from King which merits another look.
The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be considered a horror film, particularly compared to much of the author's additional work, it remains a gripping story of a wrongfully convicted man condemned to spend the rest of his life inside a infamous prison. It is that very penitentiary which is important here, since Shawshank State Prison holds considerable lore throughout King's fictional world — a pattern that continues within It: Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories that reference Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Through these narratives, we discover about the awful life at the state penitentiary plus some of those imprisoned there, including the partner of a of Pennywise's early victims, who was found guilty of armed robbery.
So far, though, the majority we have discovered concerning Shawshank was via the eyes of the protagonist in The Shawshank Redemption, played by Tim Robbins in that 1994 film. The character Andy winds up in Shawshank following his wrongful conviction, then finds himself assaulted and abused by other prisoners, and exploited by the authority figures for his expertise in finance. He requires him 28 years to dig his way out of the prison, prior to crawling "through sewage" to reclaim his liberty.
Shawshank's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, viewers initially discovered about the prison's inclusion from an initial preview for the series, in which a prison bus was seen bearing the title displayed on its side. During the second episode, we learn who is likely destined for Shawshank.
Although it is known he was not commit the child deaths initially, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for the crimes. The preview for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," shows an officer telling Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what they do to child murderers in Shawshank?"
The Consequences for Hank and His Daughter
Considering that the real murderer in Derry is an ancient power from another world preying on and murdering children, Hank's prospects of proving his innocence do not look good. And even if he does go in the prison and the audience do not see him there, understanding what is known about that prison indicates that his time there would be far from pleasant.
Crucially, though, this development could threaten Ronnie. He acts as her protector. Terrible events are happening around Derry which no one, young or old, comprehends and she only has her new group of friends to depend on. She will require her father as the story progresses, however should the prison system has any say, she may be out of luck.
A single fact is apparent: Hank lacks three decades to tunnel to freedom.
Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are currently available on HBO Max. New episodes are released each week each Sunday.
