Hulu’s new miniseries, “11.22.63,” opens with a heartbreaking monologue from an elderly GED student about the night his father murdered his family, and only becomes more intense from there. Although only two episodes have been released so far, the show has plenty of potential, judging by the amount of suspense and emotion packed into those two hours.
The show, based on the novel “11/22/63” by Stephen King, follows jaded English teacher Jake Epping (James Franco) on a thrilling adventure through a time portal to 1960. His mission is to stop the Kennedy assassination and hopefully change the course of American history.
Right from the start, the show launches the viewer into Jake’s adventure, wasting little time on exposition. This strategy is confusing at first, but viewers who stick it out will find themselves connecting with the characters and drawn into the story in no time.
As one might expect from a show based on a Stephen King novel, the tone of the show is dark and often violent. Creepy signs keep popping up to remind Jake that he doesn’t belong in the past, and his mission quickly turns violent as he tries to save a future student’s family from a gruesome murder.
There’s no shortage of suspense either. The past is resistant to any major changes and throws all kinds of obstacles in Jake’s path at a moment’s notice. There’s also the constant danger that he could give himself away. No matter how hard he tries to blend in, something as small as a modern figure of speech could ruin his disguise.
But suspense and violence are not all this show has to offer. They’re juxtaposed with a nostalgic and, at times, idealized vision of America circa 1960. In 1960, the food tastes better, the colors are brighter and the world seems like a simpler place. Men wear suits, children address adults as “sir” or “ma’am” and a shiny new car costs only $700.
That doesn’t mean the show shies away from depicting the downsides of the 1960s. Jake, along with the viewer, is reminded of the progress America has made since then upon finding segregated bathrooms or bars that say “Men Only.”
Despite some shortcomings in the acting, the show makes up for this dip with the strength of the writing. Spots of King’s original writing shine through in the screen adaptation and make for some of the most emotionally charged moments, including a WWII veteran sharing the story behind his Bronze Star. Moments like this, along with the fascinating storyline, truly drive the show.
“11.22.63” has shown viewers a lot already. It has the potential to continue its fascinating look into the 60s and hopefully build to an exciting conclusion.
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