While the world hurtles towards everything being digital, from banking to music and even meetings, Stephen King fans have been reminded how anything that is available on streaming can be banished to the past in an instant. Now, a year since it was given a short run on free-to-stream platform Plex, King’s time-travel thriller 11.22.63 is both one of his best adaptations and one of his hardest to watch.
Almost a decade ago, Hulu adapted King’s “what-if” novel, which had the central premise of what if someone was able to go back in time and prevent JFK being assassinated? The novel was not the outright horror story that King is best known for, but a real-world fantasy that dealt with the idea of what changing the past could do to the future, and what you would do if you were the one with the power to decide. In 2016, the eight-part series adaptation was a huge success, becoming a ratings winner and landing an 83%/88% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and audiences, respectively, in the process. The full synopsis of the series reads:
“James Franco plays the role of Jake Epping, an ordinary high school teacher, who is presented with a chance to change history. When a longtime friend (Chris Cooper) shows Jake how to travel back in time, he tasks Jake with a mission he has been trying in vain to complete: stopping the assassination of John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963, and solving one of the biggest mysteries of the 20th century. Jake quickly learns that the past does not want to be changed, and that his attempts to divert the course of history can quickly turn dangerous.”
‘11.22.63’ Is Almost Impossible to Watch on Streaming
Despite being one of the best and most underrated Stephen King shows of the last 20 years, 11.22.63 is no longer available on any streaming service. The show remains available to purchase on the likes of Prime Video and Apple TV, but on an episode by episode basis. The series was made available on physical home media, which means that it has not been completely lost to those who decided to purchase the series to keep it in a way that could not be stripped away without warning.
11.22.63 is a series that really does deserve to be out there in the world for King fans old and new to enjoy and appreciate, and with the 10th anniversary approaching, perhaps the new amalgamation of Disney+ and Hulu will result in the series finally returning to streaming in the place it started. Having previously been part of Plex’s library, there is also a chance that the show could be added to other streamers if Hulu decides not to reinstate it anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Stephen King adaptations continue to be the flavor of the decade, and not just on the big screen. While The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk delivered some stunning cinema experiences, The Institute and It: Welcome to Derry have also ensured that King’s presence is being felt in all mediums. With projects like The Dark Tower and Mike Flanagan’s new take on Carrie coming down the line, 11.22.63 is a series that should really be sitting alongside them on one streaming platform or another.
