I am a fan of the book 11.22.63, and I was pretty excited to hear about an adaptation being made into a mini-series. My excitement only continued to grow when I learned that JJ Abrams and James Franco were attached. That being said, when I sat down to watch it, I had some high hopes going in. At first, my hopes were kind of dwindled. Upon starting the show, I thought that maybe Franco was not the best choice to play Jake Epping. As I continued watching, I noticed that it wasn't Franco, but rather that the show itself felt rushed during the beginning. However, to my viewing pleasure, once Franco totally commits to going back to the 60s (and he shaves that ridiculous goatee) the show really starts to come together. I guess the writers were just not as focused on the beginning of the show because it is such a good turnaround when he gets into the 60s (the beginning is not awful, just not great like the latter half). Also, the show does not follow the book 100% which is fine by me. I like when shows/movies try to create there own ideas, but still stay true to the basics of the book. Without spoiling the show for anyone, I believe 11.22.63 is going to be a great show when it is all said and done. Besides the beginning, Franco does a fantastic job as Epping as he showcases his dramatic (with comedy thrown in) work by dealing with the emotions of a present day guy traveling back to the 60s. Franco was the right choice for Epping! Overall, the show kept me thoroughly entertained for an hour and twenty minutes. So, if you can sit through about 10 minutes of a rushed plot, then I would definitely recommend giving this show a shot. King, Abrams, and Franco... How could it go wrong?!
