Make Time For This Iconic Stephen King Film Prior to the Series' Next Episode

HBO's Welcome to Derry contains numerous references to the author's extensive universe of narratives. Beyond the clear ties to the original story, the series also features an explicit connection to King's famous novel through the appearance of the youthful future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the story progresses, It: Welcome to Derry is integrating one more classic tale from King which merits a revisit.

The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption

Although The Shawshank Redemption may not be classified as horror, particularly compared to a lot of the author's additional work, it is a haunting story of a wrongfully convicted individual sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a infamous prison. And it's this specific institution that becomes important in this context, since Shawshank State Prison holds considerable lore throughout King's fictional world — a tradition which persists within It: Welcome to Derry.

Some of the stories that reference the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Through these stories, we learn about the terrible life inside the state penitentiary and several of those imprisoned within, such as the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's initial victims, who was convicted for robbery with a weapon.

So far, though, the majority we have discovered about the prison was through the perspective of the protagonist in The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 movie. Andy winds up in Shawshank following being wrongly convicted, and experiences assaulted and raped by other prisoners, and taken advantage of by the officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires nearly three decades to tunnel an escape route of the prison, prior to crawling "through sewage" to take back his liberty.

The Prison's Role in It: Welcome to Derry

In relation to It: Welcome to Derry, audiences first learned about the prison's involvement via an initial preview for the series, in which a prison bus was seen bearing the title painted on the side. During the second episode, we learn who is probably destined for Shawshank.

Although it is known he was not responsible for the child deaths initially, Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. A teaser for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," shows an officer telling Hank in his cell, "Do you know what happens to child murderers at that prison?"

The Implications for Hank and His Daughter

Given that the real killer in Derry is an ancient power from another world hunting and murdering children, Hank's prospects of clearing his name do not look good. And even if he does go in the prison and viewers do not see him there, understanding what we do about that prison indicates that his time there would be far from pleasant.

More importantly, though, this situation would endanger his daughter. Hank is her protector. Horrible things are occurring around Derry that nobody, child or adult, comprehends and she only has her recently formed of friends to rely on. She's going to need her father in the coming episodes, however should the prison system has any say, she could be out of luck.

One thing seems clear: Hank lacks three decades to tunnel to freedom.

Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are currently available on HBO Max. Additional installments are released each week each Sunday.