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The premiere of Welcome to Derry this weekend transports audiences once again to 1962, where a fresh group of kids faces an ancient, fear-eating clown. Given that the first It story revolved heavily around teens in peril, it's no shock that this series follows a similar trajectory. However, Welcome to Derry ramps up the frights even more than the latest films, setting its brutal atmosphere quicker than anyone might anticipate.

A Icy Beginning in a Doomed City

The series starts on a snowy January evening in the cursed town of Derry, Maine, taking place in the year 1962. Following being ejected of a movie theater for sneaking in and declining to return home to his violent guardians, a 12-year-old youth (Miles Ekhardt) holds onto his pacifier for comfort while hitchhiking away from town. When he's eventually given a ride, the freezing child agrees. Very soon, however, for him to understand the enormity of his error.

We will pause at this point to avoid revealing any details from the episode. Suffice to say that Welcome to Derry acts quickly in demonstrating just how graphic and terrifying the program will be, especially regarding the violence experienced by children in the locale.

From start to finish, the show's first episode demonstrates its creators have no fear to "go there," to the extent that it probably should come with a content advisory for those uncomfortable to aggression against children; it's really that disturbing.

A Different Take to Terror

Executive producer the series' lead has in the past likened Pennywise to the predator from Jaws, a monster shown in brief looks that builds toward a major payoff. In Welcome to Derry, though, the emphasis moves toward additional transforming horrors evocative of King's original novel. With the extended duration and prestige of an premium series, the show takes its time delving into these fears rather than hurrying to highlight the clown, leading to a more unsettling, heightened horror than the recent films.

Is It For You?

Any viewer with the slightest familiarity of It ought to know what they're getting into when it involves brutality against children, but Welcome to Derry cranks the volume up to 11 when contrasted to the TV series and including the movies. Given that, it merits a public service announcement if those adaptations are where one draws the line. Nevertheless, It: Welcome to Derry is an superb show with a first episode that's a perfect viewing for the Halloween time of year.

• Graphic violence against minors
• Extended episode length for deeper terror building
• More transformative monsters from the source book
• Establishes a darker atmosphere than previous versions