..but not great.
11/22/63 is based off the tome of a novel by Stephen King which tells the story of Jake Epping who is introduced to a wormhole in time by his friend Al Templeton. Al, played by Chris Cooper, convinces Jake, played by James Franco, that he needs to go back in time to stop the assassination of JFK. If you have't seen or heard of this show, check out the trailer below.
Now, this mini-series contains 8 episodes to tell this incredibly well-developed story by Stephen King and, in my opinion, it just doesn't do it justice. The book is nearly a thousand pages long and includes a lot more detail concerning Jake's time as an English teacher in the 60s in Jodie, Texas, where he meets the lovely, Sadie Dunhill, played by Sarah Gadon. Now, in the book, this relationship is developed and nurtured. There is a period of time where they court and eventually fall into each other. Given that this show is only 8 episodes long, there is no time for this. They meet, they dance, and they fall in love. It's a damn shame. Ms. Mimi, played by Tonya Pinkins, and Deke, played by Nick Searcy, are hardly developed and they are just touchstones as Jake continues onward to his destiny.
And Bill, played by George Mackay, adds very little to this show, which is interesting because his role was incredibly limited within the book. If you're going to have a character take on more power and responsibility within the show, then please give him more to do then just being whiny and lonely.
The issue that I have with this show, after reading the book especially, is that it just falls flat. The book has those characters developed and ready for the screen and yet with the limited episodes and some poor script choices, this show just pales in comparison. Jake isn't even all that compelling.
The one redeeming aspect of this show, is the production quality. It looks and feels as though we have been transported back in time and that's an aspect of this show that I would have liked to stay more with. Develop those side characters, let us get a feel for them. But alas, that's not going to happen as Jake marches onward towards his destiny.
Did you check out 11/22/63? If so, what were your thoughts? Comment below and let me know!
Written by cwm on Mar 26, 2016
I'm really enjoying it. That said, I haven't read the book but I would never compare another artist's interpretation to the original work. Books always win, hands down.
The show has all the elements. It's got a little intrigue, romance and history but, mostly, it's got a great story. Franco does a good job with the main character, as do most of the other actors. I can't recall any dull moments and at this point, six out of eight eps have aired.
I do have to agree about the characterization of Bill. I'm not sure if it's actor, though, it might be the way he's portrayed in the script. Or maybe it's simply because he's more annoying than anything else.
I was pretty much disappointed with the pilot and stopped watching after it :/