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This debut of Welcome to Derry this weekend transports audiences back to 1962, as a new group of youngsters faces an age-old, fear-eating jester. Considering the first It story centered significantly around adolescents in peril, it's no shock that this show continues a similar path. But, Welcome to Derry ramps up the horror even more than the latest movies, establishing its harsh tone quicker than anyone might anticipate.

An Chilling Beginning in a Cursed City

This show kicks off on a snowy January night in the haunted town of Derry, Maine, taking place in 1962. Following getting thrown out of a cinema for sneaking in and refusing to return home to his abusive parents, a pre-teen youth (Miles Ekhardt) clutches his soother for comfort while thumbing a ride out of the city. After he's eventually offered a ride, the chilled child accepts. It doesn't take long, however, for him to understand the enormity of his error.

We'll stop at this point to avoid revealing any details from the installment. It is enough to say that Welcome to Derry wastes no time in demonstrating just how graphic and frightening the series will be, particularly regarding the violence inflicted on minors in the town.

Throughout, the series' debut chapter proves its makers aren't afraid to "go there," to the point that it likely ought to include a graphic content warning for those sensitive to aggression against children; it's really that disturbing.

A New Approach to Horror

Showrunner the series' lead has previously compared Pennywise to the shark from Jaws, a creature shown in brief looks that leads toward a major climax. In Welcome to Derry, however, the emphasis shifts toward more shapeshifting terrors evocative of Stephen King's initial book. With the extended duration and high-quality of an HBO series, the program is patient delving into these fears rather than rushing to highlight the clown, leading to a more unsettling, heightened horror than the recent adaptations.

Is This Suitable?

Any audience member with the slightest knowledge of It ought to know what they're getting into when it involves brutality toward children, but Welcome to Derry turns the intensity to the maximum when compared to the miniseries and even the films. Given that, it merits a public service announcement if those adaptations are where one sets their limit. Nevertheless, It: Welcome to Derry is an excellent series with a first episode that's a perfect watch for the spooky season.

• Graphic content involving minors
• Longer episode length for more profound terror building
• Increased transformative monsters from the original book
• Sets a darker tone than earlier versions