11.22.60

I’m watching 11.22.60, last year’s Hulu mini-series by Stephen King in which an English teacher gets the chance to go back to 1960 and prevent J.F.K’s assassination. While he does not meet Marty McFly the time period is similar enough with just 5 years apart. He even brings a sports almanac (in notebook form).

The murder on Kennedy must be one of the most written about events in American history. And the period Chevys, cola ads and men in suits are all familiar to today’s viewers through other films and series (Mad Men). Sparing just a moment of thought one will also realise that the good teach cannot prevent the assassination.

And yet time travel stories have their own appeal of chrono-logical repercussions. Although this isn’t a scifi story. The episodes focus more on the characters and dramatic development than time travel itself. As such it reminds me more of Quantum Leap than Back to the Future.

Anyway, enough with the references! Despite not being wholly original 11.22.60 is suspenseful and interesting by itself. It also brings a new idea to the table about the past “pushing back” as our time traveller tries to change it. Which in typical King fashion is some underexplained mystical force I fear, but it makes for some good frights.