(Credits: Hulu)

January arrived with a fair share of showbiz surprises, as did Netflix. And the streaming giant plans to keep the streak alive in the coming days with an intense Stephen King adaptation it picked up on the heels of Hulu dropping it from its library, 11.22.63.

The genre-bending limited series, adapted from King’s 2011 novel of the same name, begins streaming on Netflix US starting January 7th. While Netflix already boasts a strong collection of King adaptations, this addition solidifies the stronghold all the more.

The eight-episode sci-fi thriller stars James Franco as Jake Epping, a recently divorced English teacher from Lisbon, Maine, who’s offered an opportunity to travel back in time to 1958 by his friend Al Templeton, tasked with a seemingly impossible mission to prevent the assassination of President John F Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963.

If time-travellers have taught us anything, it’s that it’s never alright to mess with the past. And the case with Jake’s quest is that the past persistently resists change, formulating dangerous obstacles and paradoxes. Additionally, as Jake changes his identity to fit into the world of the late 1950s and early 1960s, he unexpectedly falls in love with a librarian, Sadie Dunhill, complicating the mission far beyond normalcy.

On top of that, he must keep tracking Lee Harvey Oswald and the events leading up to the assassination to stop the tragedy and change the course of the future. But little does he know that every attempt to change the past comes with a potential threat to the future, sparking disastrous consequences that can be more dangerous than one can anticipate.

11.22.63 currently holds a whopping 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which automatically puts the show in a league above. While many may consider it a simple historical thriller, thanks to the constant suspense of the “what if” scenario, we also get a glimpse of a modern man struggling to survive in the 1960s.

Part of the show’s appeal is also credited to the balance of genres, which highlights the creator’s pragmatic approach to the aspects they address, whether they are emotional or sci-fi in their capacities. Plus, if you’ve read the novel, the chances are that the differences will catch you off guard. But always remember, that’s the whole point of adaptations, and it’s not a bad thing.

Not to forget that with only eight episodes, this high-stakes thriller could be easily part of your weekend watchlists. Or even better, perhaps a part of your weekday watchlist.

So, mark your calendars and be prepared because 11.22.63 is all set for its streaming comeback on Netflix.