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It: Welcome to Derry episode 5 - Matilda Lawler, Arian S. Cartaya, Clara Stack, Blake Cameron James, Amanda Christine
Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO

Television

‘It: Welcome to Derry’ episode 5 review: Great reveals and developments

It: Welcome to Derry explores the sewers for the entity.

The military took little time in searching for the entity once they received its location. This week on It: Welcome to Derry, they hit up the sewers hoping to finally catch It. However, they weren’t the only ones exploring the sewers.

“29 Neibolt Street” has some great reveals and developments. Something as innocuous as the relationship between Lilly and Ingrid, the head of housekeeping at Juniper Hill Asylum, takes on a new meaning. Ingrid wasn’t completely pushing Lilly to do the right thing. It also included a more personal reason that was unexpected. It plays with the racial undertones of Derry and some of the other storylines. However, it also hits at Ingrid’s credibility considering the motivations. 

The wait for Pennywise to formally appear on It: Welcome to Derry is finally over. The introduction is well done with the entity taking the appearance of a familiar face. It has such a devious plan to trap the kids taking advantage of their naivety and hope, and they (and maybe I) totally buy into the act. The singing in rhymes during the reveal is an uncomfortable precursor to a twisted transformation into the iconic clown. The scene is a great and impactful way to have the kids come face to face with their tormentor.

The military’s exploration into the house on Neibolt Street is a mixed bag. There is generic moments of terror between the entity and no name soldiers to show the dangers involved. But it also raises another question on how It can be in two places at once leading the kids into his trap and attacking the military.

It: Welcome to Derry episode 5 - Chris Chalk
Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO

On the other hand, following the different members of the military serves as a clever method to interconnect the different subplots. The escape of Taniel, Rose’s nephew, nicely sets up Lilly’s miraculous ability to survive Pennywise with the dropping of the artifact having payoff shortly afterward. Similarly, the Major’s hallucinations foreshadow something darker occurring. As soon as he advises his partner to shoot anything that doesn’t belong in the sewers, you know something dramatic will happen since the kids were down there too.

It: Welcome to Derry continues to build the mystery around Dick Hallorann. It’s interesting to see how his powers work while delving into his dark history. There is a disorienting sense because it is difficult to decipher what is happening in real life and what occurs in his mind. Plus, it’s curious to see what exactly is Pennywise’s interest in him and what the entity has planned. For someone who appears in several Stephen King stories, I’m eager to see Hallorann’s role as things heat up.

“29 Neibolt Street” delivers great reveals and developments along with a worthy introduction for the main antagonist.

New episodes of It: Welcome to Derry air Sundays on HBO.

It: Welcome to Derry episode 5 - Chris Chalk
‘It: Welcome to Derry’ episode 5 review: Great reveals and developments
It: Welcome to Derry E 5 review: '29 Neibolt Street'
“29 Neibolt Street” delivers great reveals and developments along with a worthy introduction for the main antagonist.
Reader Rating0 Votes
0
Pennywise's introduction is visually twisted and highlights its deviousness.
Does a good job setting up and foreshadowing the dramatic events in the end.
The mystery surrounding Dick Hallorann only makes him even more intriguing.
Parts of the military exploration into the sewers aren't compelling.
8
Good

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