Critical reviews
"The Thing in the Dark" earned positive reviews from critics. Tom Jorgensen of IGN gave the episode an "okay" 6 out of 10 rating and wrote in his verdict, "The disturbing imagery and creeping tension remain strong through It: Welcome to Derry's second episode which, like the premiere, is at its best when terrorizing the kids in town. But some outlandish developments at the air base seem to be pointing the conspiracy plot in surprising and not-all-that-convincing directions. It may be an uphill battle for the show to reconcile this with the more grounded psychological horrors going on in Derry, even if those grounded psychological horrors are being driven by an interdimensional monster that looks like Bill Skarsgård stayed out of the sun for way too long." [7]
William Hughes of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B+" grade and wrote, "while the premiere seemed mostly content to poke a stick at easy Stephen King signifiers as it trotted along toward its big, twisty bloodbath, “The Thing In The Dark” begins tearing into those aspects of the author's work that continue to make IT such a compelling, queasy read nearly 40 years after its publication." [8]
Louis Peitzman of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "There are also some obvious narrative limitations to consider: Pennywise won't be defeated for good until 2016, and the ending of the Black Spot tale has already been told. None of this is to say that Welcome to Derry can't work on its own terms, but I can't help asking what story the show is trying to tell when it's already feeling this overstuffed. The second episode is heavy on introductions and reveals without a clear anchor, and that makes for a muddled hour, despite some real bright spots." [9]
Meghan McCluskey of TIME wrote, "While we're guessing the Hanlon he'll be rescuing this time around will be Leroy, it seems as though Dick's bravery will still ensure the chain of events that ultimately allows the Losers Club to defeat It over 50 years later is set in motion." [10] Shawn Van Horn of Collider gave the episode a 7 out of 10 rating and wrote, "An old car from the 1930s has been dug up, and out of it tumbles several human skeletons. They're getting close." [11]
Eric Francisco of Esquire wrote, ""The Thing in the Dark," the second episode of what is becoming the show to watch this fall, is another hour of harrowing adolescence and the ugliness of a time period so many believe to be America's greatest." [12] Zach Dionne of Decider wrote, "Operation Precept is a wild development. The idea of this many adults knowing this much about It, and wanting to turn the entity into a Russian nuclear deterrent, is certainly a bold invention by the show. Will it turn people off? Is bold the right word?" [13]
Sean T. Collins of The New York Times wrote, "Whatever the case, adding a black ops element to It is in keeping with King's existing preoccupations. In that it depicts the impunity of the government to impose its military on unsuspecting communities at will, it also has the benefit of being timely." [14] Ben Sherlock of Screen Rant wrote, "Cartoonish horror like this can work, but you have to balance out the splatstick with something truly disturbing for it to actually scare the audience. Having said that, while the horror side of things is still a let-down, I'm starting to get swept up in the dramatic elements. I'm invested in Lilly and Ronnie's search for the truth, and I'm invested in the Hanlons' struggle to assimilate into their bizarre new town. There's hope that It: Welcome to Derry can become a great show yet." [15]
