This review of IT – Welcome To Derry is of the first five episodes of the season, there are eight episodes in total.

What exactly did we need to know about the town of Derry and the coming of Pennywise the Clown? Well, it turns out we had a lot to learn. The prequel series It – Welcome To Derry brings in plenty of scares, and if you liked the two new movies in the series, a lot of quality. It comes from Andy Muschietti, the man behind those two excellent horror films. The bigger question is what goes into the series, keeping it fresh and interesting. Prequels are always hard because you know the final outcome. With Welcome To Derry, the timeline is far enough past the point of the new movies that it’s intriguing and you’re invested in the characters.

The series stars Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Blake Cameron, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, Mikkal Karim-FIdler, and of course Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown. Much will be made about how they use Pennywise in this series, and while he isn’t the focus of it, he’s still there, and with the scares, you can see exactly what I mean.

It follows several characters but the main players are the Hanlon family, an African-American family that moves to Derry, including Charlotte (Paige), Leroy (Adepo), and Will (Blake Cameron). Leroy is in the Army and is on base for some secret mission/project. All the while, the kids of the show include Lily (Stack), who’s afflicted by visions of her father and other horrors in her life. All the plotlines converge into what has been making life hell in Derry, which you can guess, is Pennywise.

Scares Aplenty, King References, And Then Some

If you enjoyed the scares and atmosphere of those first two IT movies, there’s plenty more here. The monsters and visions that people see of their worst nightmares are frightening. It’s the kind of terror that captures you and doesn’t let go. Over the course of the series we learn about the town of Derry and what makes it special. There’s a reason why Pennywise picked this place. If that’s something that interests you, this series is for you.

There are also plenty of Stephen King references for fans of his to chew on. There are some that are even further than just a fun reference to a name or something else. The 1962 setting doesn’t feel overly nostalgic also. It looks and feels like a period series, but doesn’t hit you over the head with any sort of references or winks and nods.

As it goes on, the series does drag a bit, especially under the weight of the sheer number of characters that they need to keep up with and introduce. The plotlines get convoluted but as it goes on, the narrative gets stronger. When it boils down to just the main plot and a couple of side plots, the series really gets strong.

A Strong Companion To The Movies

The fourth and fifth episodes are the strongest after the premiere episode. It helps that they’re the ones that the story comes together the most. The direction and effects from Andy Muschietti are on par with the films and they leave you wanting more. The series has tons of potential for the final three episodes and for future seasons telling the story of just how Derry came to be, and the evil that resides there. The small teases we get of Pennywise before he actually fully shows up are fantastic and utterly captivating.

For fans of IT, Welcome to Derry is a welcome addition to the lore and gives us plenty to chew on. The series is scary, full of intrigue, and is a perfect way to continue the Halloween season into the latter parts of the year.

The first episode of IT – Welcome To Derry releases on HBO on October 26th, 2025 with subsequent episodes premiering weekly through December 14th.

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