Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 25 - It – Welcome to Derry - Season One (Chapter One)

It: Welcome to Derry is HBO's attempt horror TV based on Stephen King's 1986 novel It, whilst serving as a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019).

Starring Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, and Mikkal Karim-Fidler, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise from the films and serving as an executive producer on the series.

Originally set to stream on HBO Max, the series moved to the parent station amidst all the HBO/Netflix, HBO/Paramount sales hype of late.

I wondered why HBO Max had cancelled or moved nearly all their titles excluding The Pitt and the final season of Hacks. Lanterns will also stream on HBO in place of being a HBO Max title.

The Penguin, Dune Prophecy and now finally It: Welcome to Derry have all become HBO originals. However while The Penguin was a miniseries, It: Welcome to Derry is planned for a three chapter run.

With chapter one just concluding. That said, this was the only HBO series not to get handed a renewal recently, when I Love LA and The Chair Company were handing second seasons.

But, the series received generally positive reviews from critics, so a second (chapter) season, could be announced this side of Christmas.

I was lucky enough to get to go to the first episodes screening over the bridge. FUN!

So how did it kick off in Cremorne's Hayden Orpheum?

In 1962, a couple with their son move to Derry, Maine just as a young boy disappears. With their arrival, bad things begin to happen in the town.

So if you are not up to date, do not read ahead. Here are some plot points from episode eight. Apparently too, the season was meant to run for nine episodes. Fun fact!

A dense fog descends on Derry as Pennywise kills the school principal and lures most of the children to the auditorium, where he hypnotises them and begins taking them away. 

Ronnie, Lilly, and Marge follow him, while Pennywise taunts Leroy about Will. Leroy seeks Hallorann's help, and with Rose's special tea, Hallorann silences the voices and tracks Lilly's dagger. Pennywise separates Marge, sensing her future son Richie Tozier will cause his death.

Hallorann freezes Pennywise long enough to free Will and the other children as the others arrive, but Shaw and the military intervene, killing Taniel and detaining the adults. Pennywise kills Shaw and pursues the children as they try to restore the "cage". 

The adults subdue the soldiers and shoot Pennywise, slowing him until Rich's spirit appears and helps complete the ritual, imprisoning Pennywise. After Rich's funeral, Hallorann and Hank leave Derry, Ronnie and Will share a kiss, Charlotte and a honourably discharged Leroy stay, and Ingrid is institutionalised. 

Twenty-six years later, Ingrid witnesses Elfrida Marsh's suicide and meets her daughter, Beverly.

So will we get chapter two? That's all up to HBO. However something tells me, the sale is more important for Warner Bros right about now.

Til next time!