A new HBO Max original IT series called “Welcome To Derry” is based on historical interludes from Stephen King’s It novel, expanding on Mike Hanlon’s research into the town’s past and its connection to the entity. It’s a film that explores the origins of the monster Pennywise and the town’s dark history. It focuses on how Derry became the hunting ground for Pennywise and how the town has a history of supernatural amnesia, forcing its residents to forget the being’s cycles of terror. The series is set 27-years before the events of the 2017 film It and serves as a backstory to the monstrous being known as Pennywise. 

The first few episodes are about a family who moves to Derry, Maine, just as a new wave of mysterious disappearances and terrifying events unfold. Some new characters include a family whose grandson becomes Mike Hanlon, providing new perspectives on the town’s evil. IT’s “Welcome to Derry’s” had a solid showing in its first full week of streaming, bringing in the best single-week result for an HBO or HBO Max original series in five months. The film drew 620 million minutes of viewing time for the week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2. The total includes a full week of viewing for the series premiere. It streams on HBO Max every Sunday at 9:00 pm. 

The whole theme about this new hit “Welcome to Derry” is about integrating historical racism and Cold War paranoia into the monster horror, creating a rich backdrop for the supernatural terror. Not only is it such a good tv show, but the fans have mixed yet passionate opinions about this tv show. Some viewers find the show slow, boring, and overly focused on meandering plots, but other viewers may enjoy the backstory, finding it adds depth, with some calling it the “greatest depiction” of Pennywise. Overall, true fans find this either deep, heartbreaking, worthy and more.