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A day in the life...: 22.11.63. # SaveJFK. Some notes and dialogue on Episode One-Rabbit Hole and a Review. Minor spoilers only. On in the UK on FOX Channel on Sundays @ 9pm.
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TV Description of Episode One:
"An unassuming English teacher stumbles upon a time portal that leads to 9/9/1958 and goes on a quest to try and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy".
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22.11.63
Episode One. "Rabbit Hole"
Some notes and dialogue on first watching.
A stylish opening credit sequence-which reminds me a bit of the series The Americans.
A man:
"The day that changed my life was a night, I was Buffalo Bill, I had a cowhide vest.."
Oops. That story was real. But no one noticed it.
So James Franco-the English teacher has an old friend (Al) in the Diner. It's not long before we find out about the closet.
Al asks James Franco to:
"Go and take a look around the closet.."
Then he (James Franco) comes back and asks:
"What the hell is that?"
"Twenty two eleven nineteen sixty.." replies Al.
James Franco loves his Adult Education class the best.
And his best writer: Harvey Dunning.
Jake is James Franco's name.
So before you know it-the predictable has happened.
So now Jake is in 1958 and a piece of pie only costs six cents and a car seven hundred and fifty dollars!
***
Review
So 22.11.63 is looking good so far. Stylish and lovingly created 1960's America awaits us.
Everything is in sunshine: people stroll causally and happily along-in groups often- like people used to.
Cars as long as small ships glide by in eye-popping pastel colours. With fins as long as tails and gleaming chrome just everywhere.
Jake chooses a simply sumptuous car of a canary yellow. For the princely sum of $750!
The Barber frowns and tut tuts at Jake's bounteous facial hair and (regretful) goatee beard. Barber:
"You've really let it go, you're overdue.."
He intones, as tactfully as possible. Clearly this much facial hair is seen as morally dubious.
Luckily Al has advised Jake on all the steps to take: to blend in. The next step is a suit and a hat. Which Jake proceeds, like a pro/professional (for the 1960's) to tip, slightly, in greeting, to every lady that he walks by.
All the acting, particularly the strong, battered and war weary Al, is excellent and affecting.
It is unusual to our eyes in dramas these days, to have several older, uglier as in satisfyingly ugly and real: leading characters (male-to boot!) with suffering written large like wrinkles, all over their faces.
The characters have punch.
Conversely-Jake looks decades younger after a shave and instantly, nay seamlessly morphs, into a 1960's man. His trilby looks like it has always lived on his head.
Now we already know that this will be a humdinger of a story. Because it was written, or rather the book, by Stephen King. Along with JJ Abrams-who has an equally impressive filmic pedigree.
Oh yes-and there may well be some supernatural happenings too. We wonder. Because well that is Stephen King's thing. After all.
For already Al has warned Jake that: as you get nearer to something important-the past pushes back..
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Footnote.
I am assuming that the date of the series title has been changed from how it it would normally be written in America as: (the other way around)
11.22.63
in order to make the title universally understandable to viewers.