11.22.63

:

Season 1
  • Network: HULU
  • Series Premiere Date: Feb 15, 2016
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 225 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 184 out of 225
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 225
  3. Negative: 18 out of 225
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User Reviews

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  1. bettyblack1
    Apr 4, 2016
    4
    I could not be more disappointed in the last episode. Is King really endorsing the government should have carte blanche to assassinate anyone at any time at their whim without public knowledge or judicial permission and we would all be better off? The political message of this series is awful. “Let’s face the light and be grateful.” “We didn’t ask for this room or this music let us dance.”I could not be more disappointed in the last episode. Is King really endorsing the government should have carte blanche to assassinate anyone at any time at their whim without public knowledge or judicial permission and we would all be better off? The political message of this series is awful. “Let’s face the light and be grateful.” “We didn’t ask for this room or this music let us dance.” Is the message really to accept what life hands us and do a jig?

    Engaging story until the big reveal that we should never expose or try to change the past or alter our future. I blame the producers because I’m one too and I know how agendas easily get in the way of good storytelling.

    Seriously if you’ve read any history you know that the Kennedy assignation marked the ultimate admission of deceit that our government makes the decisions and we are no longer in control. I simply can’t endorse this socialist propaganda. Big thumbs down on the ending.    … Expand
  2. GilpinDavid
    Jun 6, 2016
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With Stephen King and JJ Abrams headlining, expectations were high. Unfortunately, the TV Series disappoints. I have not read the book, so many of my issues may be addressed there and this could just be an unfortunate edit for TV. My biggest problem is the lack of logic. Once Jake runs into his first major problem regarding too large of a bet, he should have gone back and reset the timeline to do it again. He should have made minor changes just to see what would happen. Jake has a hard time taking a life, although he will when pressed, but I was so hoping we could have some better mind candy of the butterfly effect when changing even small things. I get that once Jake had things figured out, he went to the past for the long haul - who would want to repeat four years of their life? I figure Jake is aging normally so these four years he will never get back. I believe there was wasted opportunity to explore who Bill and Sadie actually were. It would have been great if Jake realized too late that they were significant in either US History or his personal history and he has completely changed their course for good or ill.
    Once Jake goes back to the future, the diner is no longer there along with the closet; however, the portal remains intact. Now the portal is out in the open where anyone could just stumble into it. Why hasn't that happened and what are the effects of it?
    I think a better ending would have been having Jake go to the same future and learning just how messed up the US became, but the portal is gone along with the diner so there are no resets. That being said, the message of don't mess with the past; we grow and learn from the pain of our mistakes is a great one to end with.
    One more thing, the unnecessary language in the sixties was out of context for the time period. I get a few f-bombs tossed around by the rougher crowd, but most people just didn't use it. Sure, there was plenty of swearing with other words, but I feel Abrams took the modern understanding of colorful metaphors and applied it to the sixties instead of doing a little research on the colloquialisms of the period; in other words, he was being lazy.
    I love James Franco and I think he did a good job with this character, so bonus points for that.    … Expand
  3. Wulfrune
    May 11, 2016
    4
    Weak sauce. What is it about King, does he get bored towards the end of a story? because this, like many others before had me groaning with the usual "WTF King?". I don't get me wrong, I quite liked it, apart from the usual silly and often unbelievable Kings characters which let it down, the ending was poor to say the least. But hey, please don't take my word for it. I'm no expert andWeak sauce. What is it about King, does he get bored towards the end of a story? because this, like many others before had me groaning with the usual "WTF King?". I don't get me wrong, I quite liked it, apart from the usual silly and often unbelievable Kings characters which let it down, the ending was poor to say the least. But hey, please don't take my word for it. I'm no expert and usually when something sucks, I don't usually watch it through to the end, as I often go by the adage "You don't have to eat all of the egg to know it's rotten" but sat to the end I did and as usual.... Kingy did it again ! No, not for me, maybe for you, but not for me. Enjoy.… Expand
  4. opindude
    Apr 17, 2016
    5
    Translating books to the screen has always been a difficult task where many have failed, and this is especially true when it comes to Stephen king’s books. In my humble opinion, 11/22/63 isn’t different. As an avid king fan and one who perceives 11/22/63 to be one of the best books of the decade so far, I was fairly disappointed with the series. It felt like an over-simplified, evenTranslating books to the screen has always been a difficult task where many have failed, and this is especially true when it comes to Stephen king’s books. In my humble opinion, 11/22/63 isn’t different. As an avid king fan and one who perceives 11/22/63 to be one of the best books of the decade so far, I was fairly disappointed with the series. It felt like an over-simplified, even childish version of the book, where the writer obviously enjoyed straying (sometimes too far) from the original story. Ok, so you can’t really contain a 1000-page book into a mini-series without losing some of the plot, and changing some of it in the name of artistic freedom can be great, but doing it too much takes away the original feel - the plot in the show felt like the skeleton of king’s book dressed in different clothing. A clone. Where is the past that doesn’t want to be changed, which in the book actually feels like a character by itself and in the show is only a shadow of a hint? Where are the beautiful side stories, where Jake goes back and forth in time to experiment with cause and consequence? Where is king’s beautiful description of the sounds, smells and feel of jumping back in time by going through the diner’s pantry? It all feels rushed, and the excuse of “something has to go when translating a book to the screen” just doesn’t cut it for me. Too many times while watching the show I asked myself “but why he/she will do that?” and then found myself remembering the actual reasons that were explained in the book and were never mentioned in the show.
    On the other hand, the production value of the show is quite high, acting is excellent and the sets are very reliable in presenting a 60’s feel. It’s just that the plot has been reduced and changed to make something that is too different than and too less of the original story. Disappointing.    … Expand
  5. All_ButTrU4
    Feb 6, 2022
    4
    disappointing adaptation of the meticulous source material. It's lazy on all fronts in reference to the acting, cinematography, pacing & writing. . Unfortunately, the TV Series disappoints. I have not read the book, so many of my issues may be addressed there and this could just be an unfortunate edit for TV. My biggest problem is the lack of logic. Once Jake runs into his first majordisappointing adaptation of the meticulous source material. It's lazy on all fronts in reference to the acting, cinematography, pacing & writing. . Unfortunately, the TV Series disappoints. I have not read the book, so many of my issues may be addressed there and this could just be an unfortunate edit for TV. My biggest problem is the lack of logic. Once Jake runs into his first major problem regarding too large of a bet, he should have gone back and reset the timeline to do it again. He should have made minor changes just to see what would happen. Jake has a hard time taking a life, although he will when pressed, but I was so hoping we could have some better mind candy of the butterfly effect when changing even small things. I get that once Jake had things figured out, he went to the past for the long haul - who would want to repeat four years of their life? I figure Jake is aging normally so these four years he will never get back. I believe there was wasted opportunity to explore who Bill and Sadie actually were. It would have been great if Jake realized too late that they were significant in either US History or his personal history and he has completely changed their course for good or ill.
    Once Jake goes back to the future, the diner is no longer there along with the closet; however, the portal remains intact. Now the portal is out in the open where anyone could just stumble into it. Why hasn't that happened and what are the effects of it?
    I think a better ending would have been having Jake go to the same future and learning just how messed up the US became, but the portal is gone along with the diner so there are no resets. That being said, the message of don't mess with the past; we grow and learn from the pain of our mistakes is a great one to end with.
    One more thing, the unnecessary language in the sixties was out of context for the time period. I get a few f-bombs tossed around by the rougher crowd, but most people just didn't use it. Sure, there was plenty of swearing with other words, but I feel Abrams took the modern understanding of colorful metaphors and applied it to the sixties instead of doing a little research on the colloquialisms of the period; in other words, he was being lazy.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best TV Season of 2016
31
#31 Most Discussed TV Season of 2016
41
#41 Most Shared TV Season of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. TVLine
    Reviewed by: Michael Slezak
    Apr 6, 2016
    91
    [A] little bit of bloat hardly slows down a slick production that, while transporting us back in time, stakes Hulu’s claim as a serious streaming player of the future.
    Read full review
  2. Colorado Springs Gazette
    Reviewed by: Terry Terrones
    Apr 6, 2016
    100
    A brilliant premise, an excellent cast and first-rate production values will make viewers truly feel like they're going on an incredibly journey in 1960.
    Read full review
  3. Uncle Barky
    Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    Feb 19, 2016
    67
    Despite its flaws, 11.22.63 ends up closing the deal in a way that for the most part makes it a long, strange time travel worth taking.
    Read full review
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