Not wanting to subscribe to another streaming service last October, I reluctantly sat out the premiere of Welcome to Derry, exclusive to HBO Max, but I’ve since satisfied my curiosity thanks to the subsequent release on 4K from HBO and Warner Bros.
I have tremendous affection towards the made-for-TV classic, IT, from 1990, despite its watered-down quality, and I regard King’s original novel as one of my personal favourites, despite some of the cocaine-fuelled chapters. Following the two-part film adaptations in the late 2010s, a TV series seemed inevitable, considering the Stranger Things wave is still going strong. Welcome to Derry, season one doesn’t differ too much from the main story we’re all familiar with; kids discovering a monster in their idealistic, yet fundamentally odd small town in rural Maine. However, more adult characters are incorporated into this Cold War-era setting, and a greater Native American presence serves as the knowledge basin for IT, which opens up some unexpected doors to Pennywise’s backstory.
While I don’t agree with some of the creative choices here, which delve into fan-fiction territory, the setup for what will continue as an anthology, lifting the lesser explored, but pivotal events from the book, is a smart and practical choice by the series creators. I still have a very 90s idea of anthology horror television. My vision was each episode beginning and ending with an adult Mike Hanlon at his desk inside the Derry public library, writing in his journal. However, what we get with Welcome to Derry is very in tune with modern TV, for better or worse, but it ultimately works, and it’s worth noting the graphic nature pushes the envelope.
As a fan who still thinks in the context of the show’s source material and earlier TV adaptation, I was often thrown off track by the revised generational gap, coupled with the fact that the series takes place in the early 60s, which may as well be the late 50s as presented originally. It’s too easy for me to think of Will Hanlon as Mike and Leroy as Mike’s father, instead of his grandfather. Thankfully, this didn’t interfere with the narrative, and newer fans to the franchise likely won’t have that problem.
With an ensemble cast of kids and grown-ups, there’s a variety of characters. Unfortunately, some of the younger actors aren’t quite up to standard, but those who are, like Matilda Lawler as the determined Marge, bring a lot of gusto in the later episodes. There are a couple of veteran performers, such as Madeleine Stowe, who appears as a nurse with a strong attachment to Pennywise, and James Remar as General Francis Shaw who has a seemingly well-meaning ulterior motive for what plagues Derry. The inclusion of a popular King-universe character, Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk), as a soldier tormented with a psychic gift known as the ‘Shining’ is perfect for this world. He can’t quite see as much as IT, but Dick’s adjacent supernatural ability really makes the backstory interesting, and Chalk’s intense performance is, at times, palpable. Naturally, Bill Skarsgård reprises the role of ‘Pennywise the Dancing Clown’, who I felt delivers a more refined portrayal, and we see his human side during episode seven, which is easily the standout of the season.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Inside Derry – (3) extended behind-the-episode featurettes
- Fear the Other – Bonus featurette that explores the societal dynamics of 1962 Derry, Jim Crow, the Red Scare, and the government trespassing on indigenous lands that wreak terror in this tiny New England town.
- Inside Derry Broadcast featurette – Welcome to Derry – Becoming Pennywise
With Welcome to Derry safely streaming indefinitely on HBO MAX, there has to be more than a few things to entice consumers to invest in a physical copy of the series. Thankfully, this set comes chock full of featurettes, including “making of” exclusives for each episode with around a five-to-seven-minute runtime, with three being extended deep-dives that run for around 10-15 minutes. Each supplement includes interviews with almost every major cast and crew member. Three additional featurettes that specifically explore the town setting, Pennywise’s design, and the series’s themes of racism and fear also help provide extra context and entertainment for viewers.
VIDEO AND AUDIO
4K has more or less become the norm for TV series on streaming platforms. If you’re still watching in 1080p, then you’re probably on a basic subscription (now with commercials). Welcome to Derry, which leans heavily into the Ultra HD format with its very polished and picturesque representation of Derry and its surrounds. Colours are next-level vibrant with deep blacks, and the use of filters and digital composite shots is significantly less noticeable than in lesser series.
It might pay to have a safety warning regarding the disc’s super immersive Dolby Vision Atmos track, especially if you’re rocking a high-end amp, as your house might incur some structural damage. In all seriousness, though, this is 4K Ultra HD utilised to its full potential.
Warner Bros. has you covered with editions for the most hardcore of fans and those wanting something a bit more budget-friendly. Not even DVD was left out of the mix. I was kindly sent a standard 4K release, which has a nice slipcover accented with metallic red and silver and is very economical in terms of packaging.
WELCOME TO DERRY
(2025, creators: Jason Fuchs, Andy Muschietti & Barbara Muschietti)
★★★★
You can follow cinematic randomness on Facebook and Instagram where you’ll find all my cinematic exploits. Thank you for visiting!
