‘Spooky szn’ is upon us, and arriving just in time for Halloween is the brand new season of IT: Welcome to Derry. Yes, it seems horror fans just can't get enough of Bill Skarsgård (sorry — Pennywise).
The latest instalment is a prequel to the 2017 and 2019 movies, It and It: Chapter Two, directed by Andy Muschietti, and based on the 1986 novel It by Stephen King. It gives viewers some background lore on Pennywise ‘The Dancing Clown’ — a terrifying, shape-shifting creature that feeds on the fear of children who live in Derry, USA.
The new series is apparently gorier than ever, with even seasoned horror fans shocked at some of the more gruesome scenes. Intrigued? Read on — if you dare.
What is It: Welcome to Derry about?
The eight-episode series opens in the year 1962, and the drama sets in right away — there's been a mysterious disappearance of a young boy, Matty. Of course, the viewer already knows who has him (spoiler alert: it's Pennywise), but we watch as his worried classmates and parents set to find out where he is.
Enter our group of young protagonists: sensitive dreamer Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler) and his cynical friend Phil (Jack Molloy Legault). There’s also Lilly (Clara Stack), still grieving her father’s untimely death, and Ronnie (Amanda Christine), whose family is thrust into the spotlight after she and her father Hank (Stephen Rider) turn out to be the last people to see the missing boy, 12-year-old Matty, alive. When the girls start hearing Matty’s voice echoing through the town’s sewer pipes, they enlist the boys, and the group begins their coming-of-age investigation in classic Stephen King style.
If you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to look away during some early gore-filled scenes that involve lots of goo and, strangely, an umbilical cord. But horror fans will love that the show creators have amped the discomfort level up to 11.
The show being set in the ‘60s and amidst the paranoia of the Cold War opens up dialogue about racism in the USA at the time, paralleling struggles we see even in the present day. Racist stereotypes exist in the imaginary world of Derry, too, so naturally and disappointingly, Ronnie’s father Hank is the ultimate red herring and a prime suspect when it comes to the missing children.
As well as the talented new cast, Bill Skarsgård is back in clown make-up once again to reprise his role as Pennywise. However, this time around, he's not the main focus, instead lurking in the literal shadows.
Where and when can I watch It: Welcome to Derry in the UK?
It: Welcome to Derry is airing weekly on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK from 27th October.
The release schedule for the episodes is as follows:
Episode 1 — October 27th
Episode 2 — October 31st
Episode 3 — November 9th
Episode 4 — November 16th
Episode 5 — November 23rd
Episode 6 — November 30th
Episode 7 — December 7th
Episode 8 (Finale) — December 14th
