Hulu's New Series '11.22.63' Already Has Me Addicted

Something amazing has been happening in the last couple of years in the realm of entertainment, specifically television. The shift from traditional television media to online content has been chugging along with great series like Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, and Jessica Jones giving viewers new ways to burn hours of their day. A lot these great shows seem to be coming from Netflix, but that hasn't stopped other streaming websites from trying their hand at original content. Hulu has a few great original pieces of its own and its most recent addition, 11/22/63, is looking to be one of its strongest additions yet.

Based on a novel by Steven King, this eight-part mini-series revolves around Jake Epping (James Franco), an ordinary teacher who gets thrown into the extraordinary situation of going back in time to prevent the assassination of JFK. The first episode streamed on Hulu on Monday with a new hour airing every week.

The first episode set a really good tone for the rest of the series mixing in humor, suspense, and a genuine sense of urgency around what Epping is trying to accomplish. It has nods here and there to hardcore King fans but it doesn't leave anyone else feeling excluded. It also doesn't drown the audience with the mechanics of time travel. Its focus is more on Eppig's character and how he's affected by the mission he's decided to undertake.

The strong start to the series comes as no surprise given that it has some big names behind it with Stephen King, Bridget Carpenter, J.J Abrams, and Bryan Burk co-producing. The characters are compelling and you find yourself drawn in by the story the second it starts. I was so busy wondering what would happen next that the method of time travel (stepping through a closet in a diner) didn't give me pause. I just readily accepted it and wanted to get to the next revelation.

The series has only just begun and it's already one of my favorites of the year. The first episode gets you hooked with great storytelling and suspense that makes having to waiting a week for the next installment feel like an eternity. If you have a Hulu subscription, then you should definitely throw this series in your queue. If you don't, then 11.22.63 is a damn good reason to get one.