'IT: Welcome To Derry' Episode Four Spoiler-Free Review
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Last time on Welcome to Derry! Dick Halloran locked eyes with a clown! The circus, as it turns out, is not always the most fun place on Earth. Cemeteries, as it turns out, are not a safe place for children. We learned about the importance of having friends who know how to develop film. And above all, if the ghosts of your dead friends start talking to you, you should probably run. And that’s what you missed on Welcome to Derry
Last week’s episode was a bit of a mixed bag. While the episode deserves credit for its heavier focus on Dick Halloran, its unpolished visual effects and lack of directorial finesse hurt it. Compared with the first two remarkable episodes directed by Andy Muschietti, it was a step down. Episode 4 (titled The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function) continues the season’s forward momentum and continues to peel back the central mystery. Directed by Andrew Bernstein (who directed last week’s episode) and written by Helen Shang (who has writing credits on shows such as Invincible, 13 Reasons Why, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Episode 4 is a welcome return to form for the season, keeping the directorial prowess, great scares, and engaging characters of the first two episodes.
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Our Losers Club of the series (Lilly, Ronnie, Will, and Rich) takes center stage this week rather quickly, as the episode starts with them trying to prove the existence of a mysterious dark force to free Ronnie’s father. As the episode progresses, we’re treated to more spotlight on Will Hanlon with his father, Leroy. A scene featuring the two of them fishing not only delivers effective scares but also powerful foreshadowing of events referenced in Andy Muschietti’s first IT film. Blake Cameron James and Jovan Apedo’s performances this episode are also worth highlighting. Welcome to Derry continues to spotlight Black characters, as Will’s mother, Charlotte, returns in a significant role after essentially a cameo last week. Charlotte’s activist activities have been the subject of a handful of offhand comments made by Leroy, and we actually get to see her core belief system in action this week. Charlotte catches on that Hank Grogan (Ronnie’s father, who was falsely accused of killing her and Lilly’s friends in the first episode) shouldn’t be behind bars, and her endless stream of compassion and determination make her a compelling character to follow. Taylour Paige’s performance is also excellent, as is Stephen Rider as Hank Grogan, who gets more screentime this week.
Episode 4 also continues to shine a massive spotlight on Dick Halloran, who thankfully has a major role and isn’t here solely for fan service and easter eggs. The episode makes excellent use of Halloran’s telepathic abilities, and through him, we peel back the show’s central mystery. While we, the audience, know what becomes of Pennywise and the Hanlon family after this series, the intrigue lies in what happens to the rest of these characters. I also want to highlight Chris Chalk’s acting, which somehow keeps getting better. Chalk’s performance makes an excellent case for why he may become our definitive on-screen Dick Halloran. If the Muschiettis, Jason Fuchs, Brad Kaleb Cane, or any other writers want to create a spin-off about Halloran, I would be 100% ok with that as long as Chris Chalk continues to play him.
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While the episode keeps up the pace throughout, thanks to Andrew Bernstein’s improved direction and Benjamin Wallfisch’s musical score, the last half of the episode is where it really shines. While Lilly Bainbridge (played by Clara Stack) may not have gotten as much to do this week, she remains a compelling character to follow. Her deteriorating friendship with her supposed best friend, Marge (Maltilda Lawler), provides the series with its only typical teen girl storyline. However, a sequence featuring Marge delivers the show's most disturbing horror sequence, at least for me. I’m a big girl when it comes to horror. I can handle pretty much anything in regards to horror, but if there’s one thing I can’t handle, it’s stuff with eyes. The sequence got me so good that I ended up hiding behind my pillow in tears. Not since Ari Aster’s Hereditary has a piece of horror media made me cry. Very well done. Also well done is the episode’s climax, which ties Welcome to Derry back to its book origins. Due to the sheer scope of the story, Andy Muschietti and Gary Dauberman didn’t have time to get into the details of everything involving Pennywise. Pennywise’s more cosmic origins are downplayed for the sake of pacing. Since Welcome to Derry is heavily inspired by the book’s interludes, the show has a lot of opportunity to play around with elements Muschietti had to cut out. More die-hard King fans should be pleased after this week’s episode.
After a minor bump in the road, Welcome to Derry finds its footing once again, sporting the same great acting, music, scares, and direction that made the first two episodes work. Andrew Bernstein's more confident hand behind the camera more than makes up for the mistakes of last week’s episode. Now that we’re halfway through the first season, we have more time to spend in Derry and uncover new secrets and witness the fates of new characters. And as we wait for everyone’s favorite killer clown to return in full form, the show can only go up from here.
Rating: 9/10
IT: Welcome to Derry, Season 1, Episode 4: The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function is now streaming on HBO Max. New episodes air Sunday nights on HBO.
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