IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 Episode 6 delivered a highly anticipated foreshadowing of an event that will come to define Derry.
IT: Welcome to Derry, Season 1, Episode 6, took us on a thrilling ride, focusing more on the kids and their dynamics, following the sewer experience from Episode 5. After Ronnie finally reunited with her dad at The Black Spot, we saw a beautiful sequence of people vibing out to live music at the makeshift juke-joint.
The episode ominously ended with the arrival of unexpected strangers, a group of white people masked up with shotguns. The white supremacists, known as the Maine Legion of White Decency, are hell-bent on getting rid of the black people in Derry in a showdown that will bring out Pennywise’s peak reign in this cycle of terror.
The Black Spot: Welcome to Derry Sets Up the Anticipated Event
The Black Spot has been foreshadowed in the last few episodes, starting with a burnt Major Hanlon reaching out to his son in a vision. The major event during Season 1 revolves around Pennywise’s terror amplifying the racial tension and terror, culminating in the Black Spot fire. Here are key details about the event.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Date/Year | 1962 (show adaptation) Civil Rights era tensions |
| Location | Black Spot nightclub, Derry Off-base juke joint for Black airmen |
| Cause | Racist mob (Maine Legion of White Decency) burns it down in a hate crime. ~40 killed |
| Pennywise’s Role | Amplifies hatred by framing Hank Grogan for murders. Pennywise feeds on fear/chaos, appearing as a giant bird with red balloons to survivors. |
| Key Figures | Dick Hallorann (establishes Black Spot, escapes via Shining) Young Will Hanlon (survivor, Mike’s father); Hank Grogan (hides there) |
| Next Episode | Episode 7: The Black Spot (airs Dec 7, 2025) |
| Book Origin | Stephen King’s It (1930 timeline) |
The masked vigilantes, according to Stephen King lore, will see the white supremacists burn down The Black Spot, effectively killing multiple colored Derry folk. Pennywise will feature heavily, thriving and feeding off the chaos. Will will be saved by Halloran’s Shine ability if the show stays true to the source material.
Pennywise has a fair share of scary shine, munching on a kid while the show gives us a bigger glimpse into his human past as Ingrid’s father. The Dancing Clown, being Ingrid’s father, has not been confirmed as the same person, as Pennywise is notorious for being a shapeshifter. Once again, Bill Skarsgard is the show. Skarsgard’s acting through all the makeup stands out among all the actors who fail to deliver authentic expressions.
Season 1 Episode 6: Mid Acting Saved by a Good Story
Season 1, Episode 6 saw a plethora of events running parallel to one another. The repercussions of the previous episodes resulted in a confrontation with Will and his dad, who shot his best friend. With hard-hitting dialogue, the acting could’ve been sold better, but everything felt clinical. From the staging to the forced acting, the emotional impact was felt from what they said over how they said it.
The same applies to the kids as well, when Lilly and Ronnie have a fight that results in them not talking. Lilly, through the show, just screams and cries for the most part, showcasing minimal range. When it comes to the boys, there is close to nothing apart from a bland expression or a smile.
Ronnie is definitely the better actor out of the lot, as her vulnerability through facial expressions feels more authentic throughout the episode, and especially when she reunites with her father in a touching moment.
I’m disappointed with HBO on this aspect, as their horror shows appear to be hits or misses like The Outsider, Lovecraft Country, and The Last of Us. For a prestige television production, and given the source material, I’m glad that the adaptation is delivering a good story, at the very least.
Pennywise will continue to be the reason people watch the show, and I hope the creators will give us two final episodes that exceed all expectations after their Season 7 Preview just dropped.
Are you excited for what happens next?
