'IT: Welcome To Derry' Episode Six Spoiler-Free Review
Image Source: Tell-Tale TV
Last time on Welcome to Derry! Don’t trust people who tell you that your seemingly dead friends are actually alive in the sewers. Taniel probably shouldn’t be trusted with lifesaving weapons if he’s gonna drop them into sewer water. Captain Pauly Russo will be missed dearly for sure. Lilly Bainbridge isn’t gonna be competing with Walter White as America’s next drug great kingpin. Oh, and PENNYWISE IS BACK, BITCHES!
Last week's Welcome to Derry episode hit all the marks. The proto-Losers Club, military, and Native American subplots finally converge, and Bill Skarsgård's grand return as Pennywise was a delight. This week's episode (titled In the Name of the Father) is the series's most character-driven yet. Directed by Jamie Travis (Scream: The TV Series, Claws, and Yellowjackets) and written by showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane, with consulting producer Cord Jefferson (Oscar-winning writer and director of American Fiction), this episode may be lighter on horror than the first five, but it more than compensates with a standout horror sequence and some of the show's most heartfelt moments yet.
RELATED:
Image Source: But Why Tho
After our proto-Losers Club briefly encountered Pennywise in the sewers, everyone is a little on edge. Lilly came into possession of the dagger that Taniel's aunt gave him in episode 4. Ronnie worries about her father, who is still on the run from the police, and Will’s relationship with his own father is falling apart. Tensions are high, as are the stakes, leading to a rift in Lilly and Ronnie’s already contentious relationship. The episode’s “Breaking of the Fellowship” moment before the season’s final two episodes is an effective way to build up the stakes of defeating Pennywise once and for all. Also in shambles is Will’s relationship with his father, Leroy. After accidentally killing his best friend, believing him to be an illusion, Leroy Hanlon finds himself losing control as he lashes out at Will both physically and verbally, much to the dismay of his wife Charlotte. Hanlon’s attempts to get Dick Hallorann to help him find the pillars (and, in turn, Pennywise) also go nowhere. Hallorann explains to Leroy, in a well-crafted scene, how his psychic abilities work and how the voices of the dead honestly never go quiet. And Lilly, oh Lilly. I make jokes every week that the series should be titled It: Lilly Bainbridge Be Going Through Shit. And this week continues to make that joke accurate. Lilly is separated from our heroes this week, uncovering a mystery that flips the It lore on its head. It also gives Clara Stack and Madeleine Stowe a chance to showcase their respective acting talents. This episode is in no short supply of two-hander scenes, with scenes between Leroy Hanlon and Dick Hallorann, Will and Ronnie, and even Leroy and Charlotte, fusing the episode with meaty moments of drama. Everyone is dealing with daddy issues this week, hence the title of the episode.
However, this week’s episode belongs to Marge and Rich, played by Matilda Lawler and Arian S. Cartaya, respectively. It’s been established since Rich’s debut in episode 3 that he has a crush on Marge, with last week’s episode making a point of a very high Lilly pointing out that the pair were holding hands as they trekked through the sewers. Scenes with Marge and Rich are incredibly heartfelt and, dare I say, adorable. The two young actors have very palpable chemistry that makes them and their characters so much fun to follow. A particular scene in which Rich cleans Marge’s mangled eye and then tests another toy airplane can’t help but tug at my heartstrings. I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, what can I say?
Image Source: IGN
As mentioned earlier, this week is relatively light on horror sequences. Aside from a brief scene in which Lily sees a ghostly image of her deceased father, we're treated to one major horror scene that might be the series's best yet. A simple sequence of Pennywise hunting down a little girl is somehow just as spine-tingling and terrifying as the movie theater massacre in episode one or even Pennywise's official debut in episode five. Bill Skarsgård's committed performance as Pennywise remains the most rewarding investment in this franchise, leaving a massive mark on the episode in just one scene. Jamie Travis's decision to keep the camera more still during this flashback was bold, and it pays off. Subtle directorial decisions like that help Welcome to Derry consistently raise the horror ante without resorting to gimmicks.
As we approach the season’s final two episodes, Welcome to Derry continues to impress on a filmmaking, musical, acting, and storytelling level. The scares are still frightening, the characters are still likable, the musical score is still haunting, and the visuals are still popping. While many others and I hold our collective breaths to find out what will become of Lilly, Ronnie, Rich, and others, we can only hope the next episodes stick the landing. Considering how great the last three episodes have been, I think it’s safe to assume they will.
Rating: 10/10
IT: Welcome to Derry, Season 1, Episode 6: In the Name of the Father is now streaming on HBO Max. New episodes air Sunday nights on HBO.
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
