HBO’s chilling prequel series IT: Welcome to Derry escalates its grip on viewers with Episode 2, “The Thing in the Dark,” blending nostalgic Americana with creeping unease as the town grapples with the aftermath of unseen forces.

The episode, which debuted early on HBO Max on October 31, 2025, at 12 a.m. PT for Halloween viewers before its scheduled HBO airdate on November 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, picks up immediately following the premiere’s shocking theater incident. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the co-creator behind the 2017 and 2019 IT films, this 55-minute installment maintains the series’ anthology structure set in 1962 Derry, Maine, exploring the town’s cyclical misfortunes through interconnected stories of residents confronting personal and communal shadows. With Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as the enigmatic Pennywise in fleeting, atmospheric glimpses, the episode shifts focus to the human toll, introducing layers of institutional secrecy and youthful resilience that hint at broader conspiracies. Streaming metrics indicate it drew 12 million views in its first 24 hours, solidifying the show’s status as HBO’s third-biggest launch behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us.

The narrative threads weave through the Hanlon and Anderson families, expanding on the premiere’s setup. Taylour Paige’s Charlotte Hanlon, a determined single mother relocating to Derry with her son Will (Rudy Mancuso), navigates the town’s insular dynamics while sensing an undercurrent of reluctance among locals to address odd occurrences. A pivotal street scene unfolds as Charlotte witnesses a group of children taunting a younger boy on a bustling corner, their jeers drawing no intervention from passing adults—a moment Paige described in a Polygon interview as mirroring “real-life indifference that allows small cruelties to fester.” This inaction underscores Derry’s moral fabric, where everyday oversights enable deeper troubles to take root. Meanwhile, Jovan Adepo’s Leroy Anderson, a military veteran settling his family into the community, fields concerns from his daughter Ronnie (Clara Stack) about her father’s unexplained absences at the nearby air base, planting seeds of familial strain amid the town’s peculiarities.

Episode 2 excels in its atmospheric buildup, opening with a haunting opening credits sequence set to a cover of Patience & Prudence’s 1957 hit “Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now,” its innocent melody warped into something foreboding over black-and-white vignettes of Derry’s facade—smiling families at picnics juxtaposed with flickering shadows in alleyways. Muschietti’s direction employs wide-angle lenses to capture the town’s deceptive quaintness, from sun-dappled Main Street to the imposing silhouette of the air base on the outskirts, evoking a sense of isolation despite the populated backdrop. Production designer Sharon Seymour, drawing from Stephen King’s novel descriptions, recreated Derry’s mid-century aesthetic with period-accurate details like chrome diners and rotary phones, filmed on location in Nova Scotia to mimic Maine’s foggy woodlands. The score, composed by Benjamin Wallfisch (returning from the films), swells with dissonant strings during transitional moments, heightening the episode’s pervasive disquiet without relying on overt manifestations.

Central to the hour is the introduction of air base intrigue, where Leroy’s role as a maintenance engineer uncovers whispers of classified operations tied to Cold War tensions. A tense sequence in the dimly lit hangar reveals blueprints and hushed conversations among personnel, suggesting external influences amplifying Derry’s inherent unrest—elements IGN critiqued as “outlandish” yet intriguing for their potential to link the town’s folklore with historical paranoia. Chris Chalk’s Dick Hallorann, the intuitive figure from King’s The Shining, makes a subtle cameo as a visiting consultant, his knowing glances hinting at interconnected Kingverse lore without overt exposition. This subplot intersects with the kids’ storyline, as Ronnie and her peers—now regrouping after the premiere’s losses—venture toward the base’s perimeter fence during a daring after-school escapade, their curiosity clashing with warnings from elders. Stack’s Ronnie emerges as a standout, her wide-eyed determination conveying the thrill of forbidden exploration tempered by budding awareness of adult hypocrisies.

Visually, the episode’s dream sequences stand out as masterclasses in subtle dread, described by Esquire as “Norman Rockwell from Hell”—idyllic tableaus of apple-pie Americana dissolving into nightmarish distortions, like a backyard barbecue where smiles stretch unnaturally wide. Practical effects from Atomic Monster, Muschietti’s company, blend seamlessly with CGI for these visions, ensuring a tangible unease that lingers. Costume designer Susan Lyall outfits the young cast in era-specific play clothes—corduroy overalls and saddle shoes—contrasting the adults’ pressed suits to emphasize generational divides. The episode’s pacing builds methodically, intercutting domestic routines with escalating hints of oversight, culminating in a quiet yet ominous close that teases Pennywise’s influence seeping into institutional corners.

Thematically, “The Thing in the Dark” probes the banality of neglect, portraying Derry not as a monolith of overt malice but a place where indifference sustains cycles of misfortune. Charlotte’s confrontation with the bullying incident evolves into a broader commentary on community complicity, echoed in Leroy’s internal conflict over base loyalties. Paige’s performance anchors these moments, her character’s quiet resolve providing emotional ballast amid the mounting oddities. The episode avoids King’s more graphic flourishes, opting for psychological tension that aligns with HBO’s prestige horror slate, akin to The Haunting of Hill House. Creator Jason Fuchs, in a Forbes discussion, noted the intent to “humanize the horror by rooting it in relatable failures,” ensuring the supernatural serves as metaphor rather than spectacle.

Production wrapped amid 2025’s summer heat, with Muschietti helming four of the eight episodes to imprint his vision. The cast, blending newcomers like Stack with veterans such as James Remar as the gruff Sheriff, underwent King deep dives during table reads, fostering organic ensemble dynamics. Challenges included weather-dependent outdoor shoots, mitigated by contingency interiors at Pinewood Studios. The early Halloween drop, a one-off per Deadline, capitalized on seasonal fervor, boosting engagement by 40% over the premiere.

Reception tilts positive, with Rotten Tomatoes at 82% for the season thus far, critics lauding the episode’s restraint while noting the air base arc’s ambitious risks. Fan discourse on X buzzes with theories—#WelcomeToDerry trends with 1.5 million mentions post-release, dissecting Hallorann’s role and predicting crossovers. Reaction videos, like those from Emmanuel Noisette and This Dads REACTS, clock millions