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The series It: Welcome to Derry is filled with nods to Stephen King's vast library of stories. Beyond the obvious links to the original story, the series showcases an explicit link to The Shining via the cameo of the youthful Dick Hallorann. Now, as the story unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is weaving in one more classic King story that deserves a revisit.

The Haunting Tale of The Shawshank Redemption

While The Shawshank Redemption isn't typically classified as a horror film, particularly in contrast with a lot of King's other writing, it is a haunting story about an wrongfully convicted individual condemned to live the rest of his life inside a notorious penitentiary. And it's that very institution that becomes central here, as Shawshank State Prison possesses considerable lore throughout King's stories — a pattern which persists in Welcome to Derry.

Some of the stories that reference the prison are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Through these narratives, we learn regarding the awful conditions inside Shawshank State Prison plus some of those imprisoned within, including the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's initial victims, who had been convicted for robbery with a weapon.

So far, however, the majority we've learned concerning Shawshank has been through the eyes of Andy Dufresne from The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy winds up in Shawshank following being wrongly convicted, and experiences assaulted and raped by other prisoners, while taken advantage of by those in officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires nearly three decades to dig his way out from Shawshank, before crawling "through a river of shit" to reclaim his liberty.

Shawshank's Appearance in It: Welcome to Derry

Regarding It: Welcome to Derry, audiences initially discovered about the prison's involvement via an initial preview for the show, where a prison bus was seen bearing the title painted on the side. In episode 2, we learn which character is probably destined for Shawshank.

Though we know he was not commit the child deaths in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. A teaser for episode 3, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard telling a jailed Hank, "Do you know what happens to kiddie killers at that prison?"

The Implications for Hank and Ronnie

Considering that the real killer in Derry is a primordial entity originating elsewhere hunting and murdering kids, Hank's prospects of clearing his name appear slim. And even if he does go in the prison and viewers don't follow him inside, knowing what is known about that prison makes it clear that his experience would not be enjoyable.

Crucially, though, this development could threaten his daughter. He acts as her guardian. Terrible events are happening in the town that nobody, young or old, comprehends and Ronnie just has her recently formed of friends to depend on. She will require her father in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank has any say, she may be out of luck.

A single fact is apparent: Hank lacks 28 years to tunnel to freedom.

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It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now via the streaming service. Additional installments are released each week on Sundays.