The “It” films are taken from Stephen King’s novel about an evil clown who hides in sewers, where he lures children. This series is a prequel with additional elements that weren’t in the book. It takes place in 1962, in the titular town in Maine. After children disappear, other kids take on the challenge to find them and conquer Pennywise (the clown’s name). The are some subplots, including one about racism, that drag out the story. There are also too many extended dialogue scenes. This show is really about the terror elements, some of which are OK and a few are creepy. Ep 7 is especially horrific. At least the young cast is age appropriate (I’m talking to you “Stranger Things”) and Bill Skarsgård is even more diabolical that he is in the films. Fans of the movies will appreciate the opportunities to extend the story, but the typical curse of a series is the rambling aspects that dilute the impact. (8 one-hour eps) 
(3 / 5)
