Seize your crimson balloons and prepare to drift, as a result of this text incorporates main spoilers for the season finale of “It: Welcome to Derry.”
Who might’ve predicted that one of many extra fascinating reveals of 2025 would find yourself being a prequel to the “It” motion pictures launched greater than six years after the actual fact? Regardless of the movies seemingly placing a bow on creator Stephen King’s most well-known story, the HBO collection has confirmed that there is loads of curiosity to go round with regards to the killer clown pulled out of our collective nightmares. By no means thoughts that star Invoice Skarsgård did not even seem within the flesh till late within the season as Pennywise — his absence solely made issues extra tense as we waited for issues to ramp up as we headed in the direction of the finale.
And what a finale it was, throwing a little bit little bit of every little thing at viewers. We laughed, we cried, and we gasped in terror, however we additionally could not assist however roll our eyes at sure moments, too. Certain, there’s at all times been one thing inherently foolish about treating a child-devouring clown from outer house with as a lot seriousness because the “It” franchise tends to do. And, granted, each of director Andy Muschietti’s “It” motion pictures skilled comparable ups and downs (significantly that mess of a second film). Nonetheless, this final episode of “Welcome to Derry” contained each the present’s highest highs and a few of its lowest lows, making it really feel like a becoming encapsulation of this curler coaster of a season.
When the finale hits, it hits laborious. However, as with all large swing for the fences, there’s sure to be a couple of misses. Finally, this journey got here to an finish with a finale that was “Welcome to Derry” at its finest … and its worst.
It: Welcome to Derry does proper by the children — particularly Wealthy
We’ll begin with the nice as a result of, actually, how dare the writing crew behind “It: Welcome to Derry” make me really feel as many feelings as I did in the course of the finale. If we needed to slender all of it down to at least one factor that this season did finest, it must be the harmless (and one-sided) romance between the plucky Wealthy (Arian S. Cartaya) and the ever-nervous Marge (Matilda Lawler). After stepping up as one of many major protagonists following the premiere’s brutal theater bloodbath, Wealthy shortly established himself as a robust character able to choosing up the slack … which he actually did, proper up till the second of his heartbreaking, tear-jerking loss of life within the surprising penultimate episode.
Wealthy’s heroic second of self-sacrifice to save lots of his crush could not presumably have left a single dry eye within the room, however in some way “Welcome to Derry” improved on itself with the finale. In a intelligent wrinkle, the script makes his presence felt to profound impact when his ghost seems to Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) and runs to his pals as they’re struggling to include Pennywise inside the limits of Derry. Simply when it appears our surviving children do not have the power to do it, Wealthy lends a serving to hand from past the grave to allow them to defeat the clown collectively. And as if that weren’t highly effective sufficient, the next scene at his funeral is basically when the waterworks begin. The visible of his ghost placing a reassuring arm round his family and friends is as shifting because it will get, lending a way of closure to the harrowing arcs these poor children have skilled.
That is what makes it all of the extra distracting that the finale drops the ball elsewhere.
The Glup Shitto Impact comes for It: Welcome to Derry with a vengeance
Sadly, the nice comes with greater than its fair proportion of unhealthy within the “It: Welcome to Derry” finale. All of it begins with some iffy plot machinations. To flee Derry, Pennywise should journey past an arbitrary level throughout the river — which actually should not be this a lot of a problem for a supernatural entity seemingly in a position to seem anyplace at will. Add to that the paranormal dagger plot machine to forestall his escape, nevertheless it seems to have a thoughts of its personal (which is only a very goofy visible in comparison with, say, the One Ring having the same impact in “The Lord of the Rings”), and the nonsense begins so as to add up early.
Nonetheless, that is nothing in comparison with the episode’s larger drawback: a recurring occasion of Glup Shitto storytelling. Did we actually want Pennywise waving round a flier exhibiting Finn Wolfhard’s Richie Tozier from the “It” motion pictures throughout his dialog with Marge on the ice? Making issues worse, the episode then cannot resist an precise cameo with Sophia Lillis reprising her function from the movies as Beverly Marsh within the remaining moments, which is as blatant (and pointless) as fan service will get. Even that will’ve felt justifiable, nevertheless, if it weren’t for all of the lampshades hung round Dick Hallorann, who all however proclaims to the digicam that he’ll the Overlook Resort so he can participate in “The Shining,” however boy howdy does he hope nothing unhealthy occurs — a hat-on-a-hat second that may’t assist however really feel a bit insulting.
Ultimately, “Welcome to Derry” leaves a bittersweet aftertaste within the mouth. The finale was one of the best of occasions, and the worst of occasions. It is a disgrace it could not fairly stick the touchdown.
