James Franco. Stephen King. J.J. Abrams. How is it that a project involving three of the biggest names in Hollywood is largely unknown to a majority of TV-watching Americans?
Probably because it’s on Hulu. Since the majority of us are Netflix-watchers and cable subscribers, this captivating show slipped through the cracks.
11.22.63 is an eight-episode miniseries based on Stephen King’s book of the same name. It’s also executive-produced by King along with J.J. Abrams — who’s known for his work on Lost and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It stars James Franco as Jake Epping, a modern-day high school English teacher who finds himself in an unbelievable situation.
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In short, Epping’s long-time friend presents him with an incredible opportunity — to travel back in time. Why? To prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
I know what you’re thinking — time travel? It’s overdone. Played out. But this isn’t your average Back to the Future ripoff. It’s much more than that.
First, it doesn’t lean on the time travel aspect, forcing it to be its main selling point. Instead, it focuses on its characters and the task at hand. We take the leap of faith with Epping and as he becomes attached to the life he’s built in the 60’s, we do too.
You see, it’s not just a one-day mission. The ‘rabbit hole’ drops Jake in 1960, giving him nearly three whole years to prepare for the day of the assassination.
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So, he begins forming relationships, getting used to life without a smartphone, eating a lot of pie, and growing fond of life in the past. He doesn’t want to go back, and neither do we.
The show is fast-paced and keeps you on your toes the whole way. James Franco is surrounded by a superb cast of characters, who truly feel like they belong in the era. Time flies by and the series seems almost too short. But it’s a wild ride, and totally worth it.
All in all, you don’t need to be interested in history or conspiracies to enjoy 11.22.63. If you can afford a Hulu account, or steal borrow a friend’s password, you need to give this series a shot.
