🔗 Share this article

The series It: Welcome to Derry is filled with connections to the author's extensive library of stories. Beyond the clear links to It, the show showcases a direct link to The Shining through the appearance of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Currently, as the story progresses, Welcome to Derry is weaving in one more beloved tale from King which merits a revisit.

The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption

While Shawshank Redemption may not be considered a horror film, especially compared to a lot of King's other work, it is a haunting story of a innocently imprisoned man sentenced to live his remaining years inside a notorious penitentiary. It is that very institution which is important here, since the Shawshank facility possesses considerable lore throughout King's fictional world — a tradition which persists in Welcome to Derry.

Among the tales that reference Shawshank include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these narratives, we discover regarding the awful life inside Shawshank State Prison plus several of those imprisoned within, such as the partner of one belonging to Pennywise's initial victims, who had been convicted for robbery with a weapon.

So far, though, the most we've learned concerning Shawshank was via the eyes of the protagonist in Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in that 1994 movie. Andy winds up in Shawshank after being wrongly convicted, then finds himself assaulted and abused by fellow inmates, and taken advantage of by those in authority figures for his expertise in finance. It takes him 28 years to dig an escape route of the prison, before crawling "through a river of shit" to reclaim his liberty.

The Prison's Appearance in Welcome to Derry

In relation to the series, viewers initially discovered about the prison's inclusion via an early trailer for the show, where a correctional transport appeared with the name painted on the side. During the second episode, it is revealed who is likely headed to Shawshank.

Although we know he was not responsible for the child deaths initially, Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for the crimes. The preview for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," shows an officer telling Hank in his cell, "Do you know what they do to kiddie killers in Shawshank?"

The Implications for Hank and His Daughter

Considering that the actual killer in Derry is a primordial entity originating elsewhere hunting and murdering children, Hank's chances of proving his innocence appear slim. Even should he does go in the prison and the audience do not see him there, understanding what we do regarding Shawshank makes it clear that his experience would not be enjoyable.

Crucially, however, this situation could threaten his daughter. Hank is her guardian. Terrible events are happening in the town that nobody, young or old, comprehends and she just has her new group of friends to depend on. She's going to need her dad in the coming episodes, but if the prison system plays a role, she may be without help.

One thing is apparent: Hank doesn’t have three decades to tunnel his way out.

---

It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are currently available on HBO Max. Additional installments are released each week each Sunday.