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Welcome back, Pennywise! (Picture: Brooke Palmer) Eight years ago, director Andy Muschietti kept psychotherapists everywhere in business with his terrifying (and traumatising) big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s IT. Based on King’s doorstopper novel, the IT films follow a group of kids who confront the sinister, shape-shifting clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) and then battle him again three decades later as adults. Not content, however, with giving a generation of film fans coulrophobia, Muschietti has returned to help reinvent King’s most monstrous creation for the small screen with IT: Welcome to Derry. This chilling prequel dives into Derry’s dark past and even darker sewers as we witness a previous generation of kids trying to deal with a ravenous Pennywise. So, after watching five episodes, do I think this new chapter floats like a haunting red balloon or sinks like a waterlogged corpse? Well, I’m happy to report that Welcome to Derry is every bit as devilishly delightful as its cinematic predecessors and might just have viewers scheduling another session with their therapist. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page What won me over? Well, as a bit of a gorehound, I was charmed by how gruesome Welcome to Derry was. The opening episode alone is as bloody (and emotionally devestating) as a family outing to the local slaughterhouse, and things only get worse from there. From pickled corpses to DIY eye surgery with power tools and even some good ol’ fashioned dismembered children, Welcome to Derry is a veritable all-you-can-eat buffet for fans of the macabre. It goes without saying, then, that this is a scary show. In fact, I was genuinely impressed by how horrifying it could be. Meet the new cast of kids, or as IT calls them, lunch.(Picture: Brooke Palmer) Pennywise puts the frown in clown (Picture: Brooke Palmer) Now, if I’m honest, while I’m a big fan of the IT movies and I found the scares in them effective, they could also be a little unoriginal. Too often, they involved a big bang to make you jump before IT turned into a monstrous version of Pennywise and scampered after the kids while slobbering like a hungry Saint Bernard. The show’s version of IT, however, is more creative and in line with the extra-dimensional threat from King’s book. IT: Welcome to Derry: Key Details Creators: Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti. Jason Fuchs Cast: Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Blake Cameron James, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, Mikkal Karim-Fidler. Bill Skarsgård Run time: 8 Episodes Release date: October 27 Here, the creature shapeshifts regularly, taking on bizarre forms and warping reality to torment his victims as he seasons their meat with fear like the illegitimate child of Freddy Krueger and Jamie Oliver. With that in mind, there’s one scene in particular that genuinely shocked me. I can’t explain exactly what happens without spoiling things for you, but it’s a combination of gross, emotionally devastating, and just plain wrong. Needless to say, it might be my favourite bit of the show. There’s something rotten in Derry (Picture: Brooke Palmer) The only issue is that, unlike the movies, which had a nice mix of practical and visual effects, the TV show primarily relies on CGI. Now, these digital nightmares are creepy and uncanny, but they lack the visceral horror of things like the Leper from the IT films, and I found myself longing for a more tangible monster made of latex, KY jelly, and glue. On that note, I should say I was also a bit disappointed by how long it took for Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) in all his bucktoothed glory to step out of the shadows. I appreciate that Bill is an in-demand (and presumably expensive) actor, but if I’m watching a show called IT, based on the films, I want to see Pennywise sooner rather than later. Even for sewers, these are a bit grim (Picture: Brooke Palmer) With that in mind, while we didn’t get much Pennywise, we do get an awful lot of IT. Specifically, the show sinks its fangs into the creature’s mythology and backstory. I’ve always been of the belief that less is more when it comes to the origins of supernatural gribblies. After all, people are scared and excited by the unknown, but the known is as frightening and fun as a bus trip to a cardboard box factory. Thankfully, Welcome to Derry lets fans get a taste of IT’s backstory without revealing the man behind the curtain, or the clown beneath the wig, in this case. What could the military be doing in Derry? (Picture: Brooke Palmer) I was also delighted by how wild the story was. Not to spoil anything, but it’s a charmingly weird tale that introduces bits of King’s book that were lost in the adaptation to the big screen while also treading an interesting new path. It helps that the cast is so good, even the kids – who I feared may be the show’s Achilles heel – do a great job of selling the terror of living in Derry. Halloran better not overlook any clues (Picture: Brooke Palmer) Verdict Gory, gruesome, and ghoulish IT: Welcome to Derry is a bombastic thrill ride that makes up for its lack of subtelty with with some great scares, likable characters, and intriguing plot. If I had to single anyone out for praise, we couldn’t overlook Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann (whose name may sound familiar to King scholars). Chris shines as Halloran and gives a convincing performance that grounds a fantastical character in a believable reality. Welcome to Derry might not win over those unconvinced by Muschietti’s earlier King adaptations, but for those like myself who enjoyed the over-the-top thrills and chills will have a bloody good time with this. What I’m saying is IT deserves to be a HIT… I’ll go now. IT: Welcome to Derry will debut on October 27 on Sky and the streaming service NOW. Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
