Welcome to Derry, everyone. The premiere of this IT sequel series is finally here and whoa does it take you on quite the wild ride in a little less than an hour. In it, we meet a few kids in 1962 Derry, Maine, some of whom do not fare well from jump street. IT: Welcome to Derry doesn’t shy away from the horror and legit scary moments, and it also makes sure to pack in quite a few Easter eggs, connections to the larger Stephen King universe, and pop culture references of the era, and we think these are the best ones.
Meet the Hanlons and a Young Dick Hallorann
Of course, quite a few of the characters in this show are from the books. But some of the most important inclusions are three of the adults. Leroy and Charlotte Hanlon are the parents to Will Hanlon, whose son is Mike Hanlon, a key protagonist from IT. So, Will obviously isn’t going to die because he has to have a son, right? We did see an older Leroy Hanlon in 2017’s IT movie as a minor character and grandfather to Mike Hanlon. Now Charlotte? She may not survive this Pennywise cycle, even though we really want her to.
Dick Hallorann is obviously a character whom many cannot wait to see in Welcome to Derry with a history that both diehard King fans and casual viewers alike are familiar with. He is the character who has the shine in The Shining (both novel and the popular movie) as well as Doctor Sleep. We know how his story ends in The Shining film as he sadly becomes a sacrificial lamb, but this series takes him back to his young military days. Considering his “gift,” we are sure that Pennywise will play on that in some way.
The Music Man’s Troubling Song
The very first scene of Welcome to Derry takes us into the local theater, where a kid named Matty slipped in to watch The Music Man, a musical film that was released in 1962, without paying. (Does anyone else remember the days when that was much more possible?). The screen is on a specific scene where Robert Preston’s leading character Harold Hill sings about trouble coming to River City. “Ya Got Trouble” is a pointed reference to what’s happening in Derry, where generations of children have had trouble with an entity that preys on their fears. It is a great Easter egg to kick off Welcome to Derry‘s horror.
(Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that The Music Man hit theaters in June 1962, and this episode very pointedly mentions that he’s been missing since January 1962. But we won’t harp on small timeline things like this…)
Paul Bunyan’s Connection to IT
As Matty is walking down a snowy road, there’s a billboard with a picture of Paul Bunyan, who was born in Derry. In our world, this famed folk hero has a statue in Bangor, Maine, the city that King based Derry off of after living there. Many locations inspired his work, like this statue. In IT: Chapter Two (2019), the Paul Bunyan statue is possessed by Pennywise and it is very, very creepy.
Bert the Turtle and Lilly’s Turtle Charm’s Connection to Maturin
While Lilly walks in the hallway with her best friend, a student is dressed like a turtle in front of a table, telling the others to remember to duck and cover. Bert the Turtle is actually a character from the 1952 civil defense/propaganda film Duck and Cover, which talks about staying safe during a nuclear event. Considering that the US is in the midst of the Cold War, it is not shocking that this would be promoted among school kids.
Also, having a turtle in the show in any fashion (like the turtle charm on Lily’s bracelet) is a nod of sorts to Maturin, a space turtle and one of the guardians of the Bean in King’s The Dark Tower. He’s the opposite of evil Pennywise, and that frightens this chaotic clown to bits. It certainly seems to do Lilly some good considering she didn’t get shredded to bits in the theater…
Phil’s Nerdy Wall
We are in the room of Phil, a young conspiracy theorist, and he’s quite the sci-fi nerd. Two of the movie posters on his wall were for Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). The first is about a mysterious being and a group of professional people (in this case, scientists) who want to find out what it is. We know that the military is present in Derry and that Pennywise is lurking somewhere nearby as well. Maybe there will be soldiers who go looking for something strange and find more than what they bargained for. The latter film is, of course, an alien invasion epic, which sounds very adjacent to Pennywise’s overall origin story of a being that came to Earth. We will surely get more specifics on that origin story soon.
Teddy’s DC Comics Nod to Pennywise
In the series, young Teddy Uris (the uncle of Stanley Uris in the original It), is a big comic book fan. We see him reading two DC Comics in particular—1961’s The Flash #123 and Detective Comics #298. We could see this as a shoutout to Muschietti’s previous work for Warner Bros., 2023’s The Flash, since that movie featured both Flash and Batman.
However, the story in that Flash comic, “The Flash of Two Worlds,” initiated the DC Multiverse. And the Batman story introduced the second villainous Clayface, who could change shape, kind of like Pennywise. Alternate universes and shapeshifting villains feel very Pennywise to us.
Welcome to Famous Downtown Derry Locations
There’s a brief scene panning the main street in downtown Derry, and a couple of businesses are recognizable. There’s Bangor Chew, a tobacco store that nods to the city of Bangor, and Jade Orient Chop Suey Chinese Restaurant, which is a place in the IT novel where a Losers’ Club reunion happens. There’s also Machen’s sporting goods, which is likely a nod to Arthur Machen, a writer who had a profound influence on King. That’s also the name of a store that is in one of IT’s written interludes, making it yet another Derry Easter egg.
Those Strange Opening Credits
This episode, we got the disturbing gift of Welcome to Derry’s opening credits and theme song. First, that cheerful yet disturbing tune you hear is “A Smile and a Ribbon” by Patience & Prudence, a short-lived singing duo from the 1950s. This song is essentially about a girl who is going to smile and pretend like everything is fine, just like people do in Derry.
The opening credits are packed full of Derry and Stephen King references. There is a glimpse of Juniper Hill Asylum, where Lilly unfortunately returns after having the “pickle incident” in the supermarket. This place was seen in IT: Chapter Two, where Pennywise pays Henry Bowers a visit, and in the Castle Rock TV series as well. But its book origins spread wide, from The Tommyknockers to 11/22/63.
There is also a set of red glowing eyes in a dilapidated house that many recognize as the Well House a.k.a. IT’s abode on Nieboldt. We do see Pennywise properly a couple of times, most notably him hanging off a building and shooting at people with a gun. This is a reference to the Bradley Gang shootout that took place in Derry in 1935, which is the previous cycle of terror before this one in 1962. There’s also a glimpse of Kitchner Ironworks, which plays a role in Derry’s history after a tragic event in the early 1900s killed dozens of people, including children.
“Theme From a Summer Place”
This 1959 tune from the film A Summer Place that plays while Charlotte Hanlon walks down the very white streets of Derry is interesting. The song is symbolic of (white) mid-America easy listening, yet she’s incredibly aware of her surroundings and intense in contrast.
The Cops’ Reference to Clue
While sitting in a patrol car outside of the Grogan residence, one police officer muses about what happened at the theater. He goes as far to note that the projectionist killing someone at a theater all feels a bit Clue to him. Of course, this is a reference to the popular mystery board game where one must deduce which character killed someone in a room with a certain object. And, there’s also the fabulously great Clue film starring our beloved Tim Curry.
Nora Charles the Mystery Maven
Grogan has a discussion with his mother about the tragedy at his theater. She’s understandably upset that 1) Ronnie let those kids in and 2) her son could be framed for what happened. Humorously, she says that Grogan has filled Ronnie’s head with “Hollywood nonsense” to make her think she’s Nora Charles. Nora Charles is a character from Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Thin Man who was later famously portrayed in films by Myrna Loy. Nora and her husband Nick are a murder mystery solving duo with sharp wit.
Jet Magazine’s May 1962 Science Cover
On the coffee table at the Grogan’s house, there’s a copy of Jet Magazine. This Black owned magazine was a staple for families for many decades (including mine), so it is a lovely and thoughtful touch in general. This specific issue is from May 10, 1962 and had Marsha Neustadter, a New Orleans native who was set to display her prize exhibit at the World’s Fair in Seattle.
At the time, Marsha was only 15 years old and attending an all-white Catholic school, and her experiment involved fungi. It’s not a stretch to think that a nerdy kid like Ronnie would’ve admired someone close to her age doing something awesome.
Veronica Grogan & Stan Kersh
Speaking of Ronnie, we discover that her full name is Veronica Grogan when her father scolds her. This name is a direct reference to an IT novel character of the same name who died in the 1950s at the hands of IT.
While out and about, Charlotte meets Stan Kersh, the local butcher. He seems mostly harmless but you really can’t trust anyone in Derry. His last name is a reference to Mrs. Kersch, a form that IT took in the Chapter Two film as well as the miniseries. She was, in fact, not a harmless old lady after all. King named that character after Irvin Kershner, the director of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
A Raisin in the Sun and Teenagers From Outer Space Posters
Considering her father is a theater owner and film buff, it is not surprising that Ronnie has film posters on her wall. The two most prominent ones that we see during that scary nightmare starring her deceased mother are A Raisin in the Sun and Teenagers From Outer Space. The former is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway about a family in Chicago dealing with financial woes and racism, among other things. The poster itself is from the 1961 film starring the legendary Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee.
Teenagers From Outer Space is a 1959 sci-fi film about a young alien named Derek who hides on Earth after defying orders to destroy all humanity. It wasn’t a box office smash by any means, but it did later become a cult classic.
Clint Bowers’ Connection to IT History
Lilly goes in to speak with Clint Bowers, the Chief of Police who is under pressure by residents to find a reason to arrest Mr. Grogan. Clint is more than likely the grandfather of Henry Bowers, a bully from the IT novel and films.
Traveling Back to the 1908 Cycle
Taking the story back to 1908 to show a scary yet sweet summer between Francis Shaw and Rose is quite intentional. As we know, Welcome to Derry is planned for three seasons, each one going back 27 years in time to the previous cycle. So this is our first sneak peek into that time period and the social climate of Derry. It’s quite possible that we will see more of Rose as well as other kids in Derry at that time.
The Sideshow Performers of Days Gone By
This is an obvious reference to sideshows of the past where people who were considered to be “freaks” because of their physical appearance or performed stunts that were odd or dangerous. We see a few of the acts or hear a mention, like the Skeleton Man and the Lee Twins, who are conjoined. The former is the one who scares Francis in that little funhouse of horrors and his form later appears in the woods to haunt him.
Pall Mall vs. Embassy Gold Cigarettes
Back in the 1960s, it wasn’t unusual for people of various ages to smoke pretty much anywhere and everywhere. Of course, people didn’t know about the health concerns of smoking at that time. Unfortunately for Hank Grogan, his affinity for a certain brand is what led to a loose connection to the theater massacre. In the scene, the police chief offers him a Pall Mall cigarette, a brand of cigarette that still exists today. Hank takes one but admits that he’s an Embassy Gold man, a type of British cigarette that’s also still around. While we don’t see cigarette advertisements anymore, they existed for sure back then.
James Coburn vs. Lee Marvin
In that same conversation, the officer says he had Hank pegged as a Pall Mall man, like James Coburn. Hank corrects him and says that the actor in the commercials is actually Lee Marvin. And, of course, he’s correct. James Coburn was known for his many roles in Western films like The Magnificent Seven while Lee Marvin often played tough anti-heroes.
Grogan Doesn’t Want to go to Shawshank
When Hank goes to jail, we get a fairly big Stephen King reference when the corrupt Derry police chief mentions that he is going to end up in Shawshank State Prison, also located in Maine. This is, of course, a reference to the titular prison from King’s novella The Shawshank Redemption, which became the iconic movie from Frank Darabont. Shawshank is also referenced in other King works, such as The Mist and Dolores Claiborne.
Keene’s Pharmacy in Derry
Lilly comes up with the idea that she and Ronnie can nab photo proof of what happened to their classmates in the theater. But, in 1962, that’s not such an easy feat. There are no cell phone cameras to take a quick snapshot. You have to use a camera and have the film developed. Ronnie is skeptical, saying they won’t be able to get it back from Keene’s quick enough. This location is likely a reference to Norbert Keene’s drug store in Derry, which we saw in previous films.
The Cadillac and Al Bradley
The Cadillac that the military found with Hallorann’s help belonged to Al Bradley, a well-known gang leader in Derry. One officer points out that it is from the 1935 cycle where a massacre took place in downtown Derry. Witnesses even spotted a strange figure in the mix, which we see in the opening credits is Pennywise. So, it looks like we will learn more about the Bradley gang, perhaps in Welcome to Derry season two when we go back to 1935.
Aretha Franklin’s “Wont Be Long”
While hanging out playing cards with his military buddies, Dick Halloran claims he once hooked up with Aretha Franklin in Detroit, and that she wrote a song about him. His buddy makes a cutting remark, saying the song she wrote about Dick was “Won’t Be Long.” This was on the Queen of Soul’s self-titled debut album Aretha, which came out in February 1961, about a year before the events of the episode.
Fort Bragg, Mind Control, and Goats
Leroy Hanlon’s military pal Pauly Russo is talking about their latest “surveillance” mission with Hallorann. He mentions that he heard about weird experiments at Fort Bragg (which is located in Fayetteville, NC) involving mind controlling and goats. This is weirdly a real thing that was explored in the non-fiction book The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004) about Army experiments to use paranormal forces and try to kill goats with just a look.
While this book documents these experiments in the 1970s and 1980s, it is very plausible that it was happening in the 1960s, too. And, considering the CIA and the MKUltra experiments, Russo has good reason to speculate about what’s happening in Derry.
Hallorann’s Grandmother and a Shining Connection
Dick Halloran’s grandmother, Rose Halloran, appears to him in episode three. We first heard about her in The Shining, when Dick explains his psychic powers to young Danny Torrance. He explains to him how he and his grandmother both had this ability, which she called “shining,” and could carry on entire conversations without saying a word.
General Pennywise Goodness
Of course, we get a lot of Pennywise Easter eggs in episode three. There’s the carnival clown with red balloons back in 1908. Hallorann also sees the Pennywise sideshow cart and even hears IT’s voice and sees glowing eyes. And, Will manages to capture a snapshot of the terrifying clown during that very intense graveyard scene.
Alan Shepard DID Pee in His Spacesuit
In a malt shop, Will tells Rich about astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, peeing in his spacesuit. This is something that absolutely happened in reality. Shepard relieved himself in his spacesuit during his first flight on May 5, 1961, because the launch was delayed and there was no waste-disposal system yet in place.
Originally published on October 26, 2025.
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