'11.22.63' Recap: 'Other Voices, Other Rooms'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

​In only two episodes time, 11.22.63 has quickly established itself to be one hell of an incredible ride with stunning stories that leave the audience on the edge of their seat and as uncomfortable as possible. Which means, with the third episode looming on the horizon, where would the story go next? Well as it turns out, this is a series that has no problem taking a little break from the action because 'Other Voices, Other Rooms' was quite a quiet, yet still incredibly entertaining episode as it answered the question...would Jake continue on with his mission to save President John F. Kennedy? 

The answer to that question was a resounding yes. Jake indeed decided it was high time to finish the job and save the day, but it didn't come from some epiphany over killing Frank Dunning, if anything that haunted him deeply this episode. No instead, his decision came about courtesy of his new friend Bill, the young man whose family was also a victim of Frank's bloodlust. Bill had a lot of questions regarding the newspaper clipping Jake was carrying on him, among other artifacts and Jake's knowledge, and the sheer curiosity coming from Bill regarding his mission seemed to calm Jake's nerves and allow him to focus, prompting him to ask Bill for a ride back to Dallas to finish what he started. But his understanding of the situation and the chance to perhaps do something good managed to inspire Bill and he asked to help out in the matter, something Jake reluctantly agrees to.

A partner however, turns out to be quite the blessing, because it allows for Jake to be in two places at once...when the time is right however. Because in fascinating fashion, Jake and Bill are forced to settle down and let time pass in order to properly begin their investigation of Lee Harvey Oswald...when he eventually returns back to America in 1962. So in the meantime, Jake and Bill find themselves a couple of jobs and settle down, with Jake opting to return to teaching and Bill taking whatever gig he can and well...life goes on as the two men wait for the right moment and what made this so fascinating is to see that life for Jake, some fifty odd years in the past...isn't that different than it was in the present. He's still able to teach, his students are still young and impressionable and it was kind of neat to see that in reality, and of course according to the story, life hasn't changed that much after all these years.  

But, there was plenty more to this episode than Jake just settling down and relaxing in the past. 1962 eventually arrived, and that meant it was time for action. Setting Bill up in an apartment right across from the one Oswald is going to be living in soon, the idea was simple, surveillance. This was an opportunity to see first hand if someone else helped prompt the notion of killing Kennedy to Oswald and to see how the once and potentially future assassin put together his attempt on General Walker as well...but with the past never enjoying the notion of being messed with, this was a job that didn't go that easy. For one, the boys had a little trouble with their equipment plant since Oswald showed up early and neighbors that had a problem with Bill eventually ruined some of the tapes. But there was at least one pay off at the end of the story...Jake and Bill learned that Oswald is a violent and angry man, one who seems to think the people in charge are fascists, and that has dire implications for the future...

However, despite the fact that this episode was so low key and relaxed, it turned out to be incredibly entertaining simply because it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know Jake a little more up close and personal and continue to understand just how genuine and kind his character truly is. A fine example of this, is how good he is to the school secretary Miss Mini, and how above and beyond he goes to make sure she is treated as a person, and not a person of color. That may get him in trouble at some point because of the era he lives in, but in the here and the now, it does make Jake a pretty wonderful character. Plus, it's wonderful to see he's met someone in the past and they click so well considering how lonely Jake was in 2016. But, either way, this was a fun little story, and a welcome change of pace considering how dark and powerful the last episode was, and it should be interesting to see what comes out of Oswald's outburst at the rally...until next time.

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