11.22.63 - A Mini Review

 

Yes, yes, I know that I have been delinquent in posting here, but I had three books due in the last few months and have been struggling to get them finished. No, none were science fiction, unless, of course, you consider UFOs to be in the realm of science fiction rather than reality. That’s an argument for another time.

This will be a couple of thoughts about 11.22.63, the mini-series that is available on Hulu, which I just joined the other day. This is the time travel tale by Stephen King about the Kennedy assassination. When it popped up, as I was scanning what was available on Hulu, I immediately clicked on it to see if it was what I thought it was. Having read the book, I knew the story.

And then I almost turned it off when I noticed that J.J. Abrams was one of the executive producers. I had seen what he had done to wreck the Star Trek franchise and knew that he just didn’t get some of the finer points. But then Stephen King was also an executive producer and I figured that King might have held some of Abrams’ radical ideas in check. The story might just follow the book.

In that opening chapter, when Jake first returns to 1960 (rather than 1958 as in the book), I saw all the old cars parked on the street and driving by. Of course, they weren’t all that old for 1960, but something bothered me about them. Took a moment to realize they were all in pristine condition, looking as if they had just driven off the showroom floor. Of course, they would have been found in the hands of automobile collectors and they were all beautifully restored… not a dent, not a sign of rust, and no mud or dirt anywhere. Not a big deal, just something I noticed.

I will also point out that in some of the reviews I read about the mini-series, it was suggested that those who had read the book would be disappointed. Well, not me. I understand that the book will be filled with richer detail and that time limitations would dictate the construction of the movie. They just couldn’t go through some of the problems that Jake ran into as he worked to complete his mission.

So, no, I wasn’t disappointed, though I would have liked for there to be a second season of the mini-series. The story here was just a little more linear than it was in the book, but that was understandable. Instead of multiple returns to the past, there was but a single trip and I don’t think I’m giving away any spoilers here. Besides, the copyright date on the series of 2016, so it isn’t a new show.

Anyway, for those who have read the book, I don’t see why you’d be disappointed in 11.22.63. It’s well done with careful attention to detail (except for all those clean cars, some of which show up in Texas after we’ve seen them in Maine). If you have the chance, have Hulu and have the time, this is well worth it.