‘It Welcome to Derry’ Series Review: HBO’s supernatural horror series “It: Welcome to Derry” episode 1 finally premiered on October 26, 2025, and it takes us back to the cursed town of Derry, Maine, decades before the Losers Club’s iconic showdown with the sinister Pennywise. The show, which was directed and developed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti alongside showrunners Brad Caleb Kane and Jason Fuchs, has expanded Stephen King’s terrifying universe. Was it worth watching? Let’s find out in this It Welcome to Derry series review.
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It Welcome to Derry Series Key Highlghts and Rating
- Genre: Supernatural horror
- Episode 1 Premiere on: HBO and Max
- Premiere Date: 26th October, 2025
- Stars: Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, and Mikkal Karim-Fidler
- Rating: 2.5/5
It: Welcome to Derry Story
It: Welcome to Derry is set in 1962. It takes us 27 years before the Losers Club’s first battle with Pennywise. The story starts with the arrival of the Hanlon family. Hanlon’s family includes: Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo), his wife Charlotte (Taylour Paige), and Will (Blake Cameron James), their young son.
They have moved to town due to a military assignment under General Shaw (James Remar). Will befriends other outcasts, which includes Lilly (Clara Stack) and Ronnie (Amanda Christine). Together, they realize that something monstrous is lurking beneath Derry’s calm surface.
The opening sequence was fantastic, as it sets the tone. But, as the series progresses, It: Welcome to Derry focuses more on jump scares and grotesque imagery than true psychological horror. The visuals remain striking, and the tension often feels forced, which often trades suspense for spectacle.
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It: Welcome to Derry Cast Performances
It: Welcome to Derry is blessed with some of the most talented casts. Clara Stack was excellent as she delivered a standout performance as Lilly. She was the highlight with her brave display of an emotionally scarred girl coping with personal loss. Amanda Christine adds warmth and depth. Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige were excellent too, as they both set the story with sincerity, despite being sidelined by subplots.
However, the most compelling presence comes from Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann. Chris Chalk is a character who is briefly mentioned in King’s original novel. His portrayal is amazing, as it adds an unexpected emotional depth and explores the mental toll of supernatural abilities. Chalk’s performance was needed, as it offers one of the show’s few genuine surprises, and this hints at the psychic connections later seen in The Shining.
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Nostalgia and Easter Eggs for Constant Readers
Fans of Stephen King will find the series brimming with references. There are many incidents, such as Shawshank Prison and hidden nods to King’s literary universe, that give nostalgia. The production design recreates the eerie charm of Andy Muschietti’s 2017 and 2019 films. It blends nostalgia with a vivid 1960s setting. The backdrop of racial tensions in that era is excellent, as it adds thematic richness.
Despite the attention to detail, It: Welcome to Derry feels very flat as it leans too heavily on its source material. The Easter eggs are delightful, but they can feel more like narrative crutches than meaningful connections. The show teases Pennywise’s presence, who is played again by Bill Skarsgård. But this time, it holds him back until later episodes, which left viewers craving the familiar terror sooner.
Verdict – A Chilling but Familiar Freakshow
All in all, It: Welcome to Derry is a good show that introduces great performances and striking visuals. But it often struggles to find its own voice. It revisits familiar fears without fully evolving them, and this results in an experience that feels both ambitious and redundant. The foundations for a great horror story are there. But the execution of It: Welcome to Derry lacks conviction.
It: Welcome to Derry is an eight-episode series – the first episode, titled “The Pilot”, premiered on HBO and Max on October 26, 2025. It will air every Sunday at 9 PM ET/PT, and it will have a new episode each week until the finale on December 14.
A haunting return to Derry that offers glimpses of brilliance, but it feels very flat, and it is drowned in its own lore.
Watch It: Welcome to Derry Trailer
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