Don't Miss One Classic Stephen King Movie Prior to It: Welcome to Derry's Upcoming Installment
The series Welcome to Derry contains numerous nods to Stephen King's extensive universe of narratives. Apart from the obvious ties to It, the show also features a direct link to The Shining through the cameo of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Currently, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is integrating another beloved tale from King that deserves another look.
The Haunting Story of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption isn't typically classified as horror, especially compared to much of the author's additional work, it is a gripping tale about an innocently imprisoned individual sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a infamous penitentiary. It is this specific penitentiary that becomes important in this context, as the Shawshank facility possesses significant lore across King's stories — a pattern which persists in Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories that reference Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these stories, we discover about the awful life at the state penitentiary plus some of the inmates within, including the boyfriend of one of Pennywise's initial victims, who was found guilty of armed robbery.
So far, though, the majority we have discovered about the prison has been through the eyes of the protagonist in Shawshank Redemption, played by Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy winds up at the prison after his wrongful conviction, and experiences beaten and abused by fellow inmates, and exploited by those in authority figures due to his expertise in finance. He requires nearly three decades to tunnel an escape route from Shawshank, prior to crawling "through sewage" to reclaim his liberty.
The Prison's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry
Regarding the series, audiences initially discovered about the prison's involvement from an initial preview for the show, in which a prison bus was seen with the name displayed on its side. In episode 2, it is revealed which character is likely destined for the prison.
Though it is known he was not responsible for the child deaths in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for the crimes. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard informing Hank in his cell, "Do you know what they do to child murderers in Shawshank?"
The Consequences for Hank and His Daughter
Given that the real killer in Derry is a primordial entity from another world preying on and killing children, Hank's prospects of proving his innocence appear slim. Even should he ends up to Shawshank and viewers do not see him there, knowing what is known about that prison indicates that his experience would be far from enjoyable.
More importantly, however, this development would endanger his daughter. He acts as her protector. Terrible events are occurring around Derry which no one, young or old, comprehends and Ronnie just has her new group of friends to rely on. She will require her father as the story progresses, but if the prison system plays a role, she may be without help.
One thing seems clear: Hank doesn’t have three decades to dig his way out.
Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are currently available via the streaming service. Additional installments are released each week on Sundays.
