It: Welcome to Derry’ Episode 1 Review – Pennywise’s Origins Unleash a New Wave of Fear
It: Welcome to Derry begins with a hauntingly strong premiere that immediately reestablishes the terror and emotional gravity that made the It films so unforgettable. Set decades before Chapter One, this prequel series plunges us straight into the origins of Pennywise’s reign of terror — and the deeper, more insidious evils that have long haunted the cursed town of Derry, Maine.
The episode wastes no time setting a chilling tone. We open with a disturbing abduction that spirals into one of the most shocking and graphic sequences the It universe has seen yet — a massacre inside a movie theater that feels both visually stunning and psychologically disturbing. It’s an audacious way to start, and it signals that Welcome to Derry won’t shy away from its horror roots or from confronting uncomfortable truths about humanity. The show makes it clear that no one — not even children — is safe in Derry.
RELATED: IT: Welcome to Derry Drops New Trailer at SDCC
Set during the 1960s, the series finds a fresh, historically rich backdrop for its story. This was a decade marked by racial tension, civil rights upheaval, and the quiet, pervasive cruelty of small-town America. The show cleverly uses that social unease as a mirror for Pennywise’s influence, positioning fear and hatred as forces that thrive when good people choose silence. The result is an atmospheric and layered debut that feels as much like a social horror as it does a supernatural one.
Director Andy Muschietti returns to helm the first four episodes, with producer Barbara Muschietti and co-showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane ensuring that the prequel seamlessly aligns with the tone and lore of the films. The creative team also smartly draws from Stephen King’s original novel — particularly the interludes detailing Derry’s gruesome history — to build a foundation that’s both familiar and freshly terrifying.
The episode introduces us to two major threads: the children caught in the newest cycle of Pennywise’s predation, and Major Leroy Hanlon (played by Jovan Adepo), whose family legacy will later connect to Mike Hanlon, the Losers’ Club historian from It: Chapter One. Adepo brings quiet strength and emotional depth to his role, portraying a Black military man navigating both racial prejudice and the creeping horrors that define Derry. While his storyline feels like more setup than payoff for now, it hints at a larger, more complex mythology that will tie into Pennywise’s origins and the Hanlon family’s fateful connection to the town.
Still, it’s the kids’ perspective that anchors this premiere and provides its most memorable moments. The sequences following young Matty Clements (Miles Ekhardt) — a loner who meets a grisly fate after hitching a ride with the wrong family — are among the episode’s most disturbing and effective. Muschietti’s direction shines here: the growing unease, the uncanny performances, and the claustrophobic editing all work together to create a sense of impending doom. It’s the kind of nightmare fuel that reminds viewers why It remains one of the most effective modern horror sagas.
New characters like Lilly (Clara Stack) and her fiery best friend Marge stand out as early highlights. Their dynamic feels raw and grounded, especially as the aftermath of Matty’s disappearance ripples through their lives. The guilt, grief, and growing realization that something far darker is at play in their town give the episode emotional texture beyond its scares.
And while Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise doesn’t fully appear in this first hour, his presence looms large — glimpsed in distorted reflections, eerie sounds, and the subtle corruption of those around Derry’s children. The choice to hold back the clown’s full reveal works well, allowing the tension to simmer and the myth to breathe. It feels less like a missing piece and more like a promise of the horrors still to come.
Visually, Welcome to Derry is outstanding. The production design perfectly captures the mid-60s aesthetic while infusing it with dread — everything looks slightly too perfect, too still, as if the town itself is waiting to exhale. From its color palette to its period-accurate costumes, every frame contributes to the sense that Derry is as much a living entity as Pennywise himself.
The scares that rely on psychological tension and suggestion hit much harder than the few CG-heavy moments that break the immersion.
In the end, It: Welcome to Derry Episode 1 is a chilling, visually stunning start that honors Stephen King’s legacy while carving out its own unsettling path. The series promises to dig deeper into Derry’s cursed past, exploring how fear — whether born of racism, indifference, or an ancient evil clown — festers and spreads through generations.
Watch Welcome to Derry on HBO MAX starting this Sunday!
