**Watch Out for the Red Balloon: A Breakdown of *It: Welcome to Derry* Season 1, Episode 1, “The Pilot”**
*This article contains spoilers for* *It: Welcome to Derry* *season 1, episode 1, “The Pilot.”*
*It: Welcome to Derry* is a Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) origin story that is technically based on Stephen King’s *It*. However, in practice, it is only loosely tied to the rough historical timeline of the titular monster, as established in Andy Muschietti’s *It* films and King’s novel. This approach gives the show ample freedom to explore and interpret the story as it pleases—and “The Pilot” proves that the show fully intends to take advantage of this.
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The episode wastes no time in establishing its unpredictable tone by almost casually killing nearly every member of the show’s version of the Losers Club. After spending the early moments putting poor, doomed Matty (Miles Ekhardt) through the worst hitchhiking experience imaginable, the episode invests considerable time developing what seems to be the show’s version of the monster-fighting kid team familiar from *It Chapter One*.
In fact, Lilly (Clara Stack), Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler), Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), and their tagalong little sister Suze (Hunter Storm Baker) receive so much attention and characterization that it’s easy to forget that *It* won’t be defeated until the events of *It Chapter Two*—meaning Pennywise is destined to win this round.
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The episode’s long setup for the new kid team makes the climax all the more shocking. When the demon baby form of It, responsible for Matty’s demise, returns during the grand finale at the movie theater, it unleashes graphic and brutal violence, slaughtering Teddy, Phil, and Suze. Only Lilly and a young projectionist named Ronnie (Amanda Christine) remain alive to face what’s next.
With this bold storytelling choice, *It: Welcome to Derry* immediately differentiates itself as the Stephen King adaptation with the potential to be truly unpredictable—and that’s a thrilling prospect.
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Season 1 is set in the year 1962. Viewers familiar with the historical details from the Muschietti *It* movies will recognize some of the events and understand Pennywise’s influence during this period. However, the show’s real strength lies in its cast of characters, many of whom are conspicuously absent from the original timeline. This invites King aficionados to sit back and genuinely wonder who will live and who will die.
As it stands, only two characters seem reasonably safe. Blake Cameron James’ Will Hanlon is the father of the major *It* character Mike Hanlon (portrayed by Isaiah Mustafa and Chosen Jacobs in other adaptations), suggesting he will likely survive into adulthood unless the show radically alters the canon. Another probable survivor is Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk), a major link to another Stephen King universe—*The Shining*—who seems destined to live long enough to make his way to the Overlook Hotel.
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Aside from these two, the fates of all other characters remain gloriously uncertain, adding to the show’s suspense and unpredictability.
This sense of unpredictability may be short-lived, however. At the 2025 New York Comic Con, it was revealed that each of the show’s planned three seasons will jump 27 years further back in time. This narrative choice might lead to certain adult characters appearing as children in later seasons—potentially increasing the number of narratively “safe” characters as the story progresses.
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*It: Welcome to Derry* season 1 is currently streaming on HBO Max. If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s universe and crave fresh, surprising storytelling, this series is definitely worth watching. Just beware of the red balloon—it often signals that Pennywise is near.
https://www.slashfilm.com/2003021/it-welcome-to-derry-fist-stephen-king-adaptation-no-one-safe/