Dick Hallorann's It: Welcome To Derry Story Is Tied To A Stephen King Story Other Than The Shining

Spoilers for "It: Welcome to Derry" follow.

Throughout "It: Welcome to Derry," there have been multiple moments involving Chris Chalk's Dick Hallorann that set up future events in "The Shining." But according to co-creator and showrunner Jason Fuchs, Dick's story in the series is even more closely linked to the events of the sequel, "Doctor Sleep" (which in 2019 was adapted into a film that tried to reconcile the conflicting views of Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King).

"It: Welcome to Derry" was crucial viewing for fans of Stephen King as the show included multiple references and links to other works in the author's oeuvre. Many of these were subtle, such as the repeated turtle imagery that hinted at the wider macroverse and the overarching meta-narrative of the King novels. But many others were obvious, and perhaps the most obvious was the inclusion of Dick Hallorann, who represents a major link between "Welcome to Derry" and "The Shining."

The character first appeared in King's 1977 novel "The Shining" as the head chef at Colorado's Overlook Hotel. When a young Danny Torrance arrives with his family, Hallorann forms a bond with the child due to the fact that they both have the titular telepathic powers. Danny can "shine," too, and Hallorann takes it upon himself to become somewhat of a mentor to the young telepath. 

When King came to write 1986's "It," he included Hallorann as a minor character who served as a cook at the Black Spot speakeasy years before the events of the novel. In "Welcome to Derry," however, Chalk's Hallorann is a much bigger presence, with the writers turning him into a fully fleshed-out character. And while references to "The Shining" were there, it seems the writers were actually more concerned with referencing the sequel, "Doctor Sleep."

Stephen King's 2013 "The Shining" sequel, "Doctor Sleep," followed Danny Torrance in the wake of his horrific ordeal at the Overlook Hotel. It also recounted how Dick Hallorann (who survives in the "Shining" novel) taught Danny to lock away the ghosts he encountered at the Overlook into mental lockboxes. We then learn that Hallorann was abused by his grandfather as a child, and that after he died, his grandmother taught him to lock away his grandfather's ghost in an imaginary lockbox.

We saw something similar in "Welcome to Derry" episode 5, which shows It invading Hallorann's mind and forcing him to open a metal lockbox that evidently contained all the horrors the young Hallorann had witnessed. After the box is opened, Hallorann becomes tortured by his visions of ghosts for the remainder of the season. 

Jason Fuchs talked about this link between "Welcome to Derry" episode 5 and "Doctor Sleep" during an interview with Deadline. "When Dick Hallorann is in the sewers in episode 5 [...] he steps into the sewers and goes into a seemingly infinite pool," he explained. "When he comes up to the top, he's in the bathtub with his adopted grandmother and grandfather. That's a direct reference to events in 'Doctor Sleep.'" The showrunner went on to say that, while a lot of people picked up on the "Shining" connections, "Doctor Sleep" actually "played a much more important role in shaping the overall story of Dick Hallorann" in the HBO series. "Particularly that scene," he added, "because we're touching on deep backstory for that character that establishes why and how he has repressed his power. And that notion of shutting it off in a box of your mind, that stuff is directly inspired by 'Doctor Sleep.'"

Asked about the moment in "Welcome to Derry" when Dick Hallorann is forced to open his mental lockbox during the It-induced vision in episode 5, Jason Fuchs explained how all of what followed came from the backstory described in "Doctor Sleep." The showrunner talked about how Hallorann's adopted grandparents "tried to either take advantage of his power, or protect him from his power," adding:

"You see the battle that's been waged in his mind for the entirety of his life: is this a gift or a curse? Hallorann is one of the most compelling characters in Stephen King lore, but certainly within the context of this season, there is a real battle waging for his soul. He starts out cynical and deeply selfish and goes on a journey where he has to confront all that."

The idea in "Welcome to Derry" was, according to Fuchs, to see how Hallorann went on a journey to discover how his powers might not be a burden and, in fact, "maybe can be gifts that allow him to fight back with a little bit of light." In the "Welcome to Derry" finale, we see Hallorann use his powers to distract It during the final fight and overcome the horror of being menaced by the ghosts unleashed from his lockbox. After that, he announces his departure from Derr,y having seemingly conquered his internal struggles with his powers. All of which basically means we should absolutely get a Dick Hallorann spin-off series that showcases the newfound command of his abilities.