Critic’s Rating: 3.25 / 5.0
3.25
Stephen King’s IT has terrified readers and viewers for almost 40 years, and the small town of Derry, Maine, has always felt like a character in its own right.
What began as King’s iconic novel became a cult-favorite TV miniseries and then two big-screen hits that redefined cinematic horror for a new generation.
Now, HBO invites us back with It: Welcome to Derry — a prequel series set in the 1960s that expands the mythology and digs deep into the town’s long, bloody history.
Across the five episodes screened for critics, It: Welcome to Derry delivers a chilling, unsettling experience that feels right at home in the IT universe.
Tonally, it’s on par with the 2017 and 2019 movies, right down to the oppressive dread that lingers in every shadow.
The series also surprises by exploring just how much story this cursed town has to tell — and how deeply its horrors run.
The biggest compliment I can give the show is that it actually scared me. The horror scenes are long and deliberate, stretching moments of fear until they almost become unbearable.
It: Welcome to Derry Delivers Vintage Horror
It’s not just about jump scares or gore (though there’s plenty of that, too); it’s about that creeping sense of something being very wrong in this picture-perfect town.
The atmosphere is thick, the direction confident, and the tension rarely lets up. While the show leans heavily on psychological horror, it’s not afraid to get graphic when it needs to.
The mix of both keeps you guessing about what kind of nightmare you’re walking into next. It’s bold, sometimes brutal, and genuinely disturbing in ways broadcast horror rarely dares to be.
As a story, Welcome to Derry definitely feels like a direct prequel to the 2017 IT. You can feel the connective tissue forming between this and what comes later, and that’s part of what makes it so fascinating — it’s expanding the IT mythology rather than retelling it.
The world-building is impressive, showing how evil can slowly infect a place and the people who call it home. That said, the pacing doesn’t always do the story favors.
The episodes are long, and at times, the narrative feels stretched thin. Ironically, there aren’t enough subplots to justify the runtime, so a few sections drag when they should sprint.
You can sense the show building toward something major by the end of episode five, but it takes its sweet time getting there.
Still, It: Welcome to Derry takes big swings, and I respect that. HBO has asked critics not to discuss the major twists — and for good reason.
The Series Promises to Be Divisive
There are shocking moments that will divide fans, and the storytelling choices are riskier than you’d expect from a franchise like this. “Ambitious, but uneven” might be the best way to describe it.
The production values are top-notch. The show looks and feels cinematic, with lighting, effects, and atmosphere that rival the movies. It’s proof that HBO didn’t cut corners when translating King’s world to television.
The cast also delivers across the board. Clara Stark is terrific as Lilly, giving a layered, emotional performance that anchors the younger ensemble.
Taylour Paige is a standout among the adult cast, bringing grit and warmth to every scene she’s in.
James Remar gets some of the best material of his career, while Madeline Stowe is used sparingly but to memorable effect.
Even when the pacing falters, It: Welcome to Derry remains gripping because it feels like IT.
It’s creepy, emotionally charged, and rich with small-town darkness.
If the rest of the season can tie everything together, HBO might have just found its next big horror hit — one that reminds us that Derry’s real monster isn’t always what’s hiding in the sewer.
Over to you, TV Fanatics? Will you be following the killer clown from the big screen back to the small screen?
Hit the comments. If you’re looking for more big-screen to small-screen spinoffs, then Alien: Earth should be on your radar.
It: Welcome to Derry premieres Sunday, September 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.
It: Welcome to Derry expands the world of the 2017 IT reboot, and while it’s genuinely terrifying, it does drag in places. Our review!
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