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Watch the first trailer for Hulu's time-traveling sci-fi series 11.22.63

Watch the first trailer for Hulu's time-traveling sci-fi series 11.22.63

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Back to the Future has told us that going back in time to alter the course of history is a whimsical affair, full of dance parties, dates, and DeLoreans, but Hulu's new original series 11.22.63 makes it seem like an altogether more serious affair. The first trailer for the eight-part series shows James Franco as he's sent back in time — through a convenient cupboard — to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The problem is that the past doesn't like being changed, and as we see in the trailer, dispatches dangerous drivers, knife-wielding opponents, and an army of cockroaches to stop Franco in his task.

11.22.63 is one of Hulu's heavyweight originals, and with slick design and big names attached to the production, looks designed to compete with the likes of Netflix's Daredevil and Amazon's The Man in the High Castle. The show has some serious pedigree — it's based on a book of the same name by Stephen King, developed by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot production company, and has a comparatively big name in the starring role. We'll find out if it's actually any good in February — appropriately, given the subject matter, the first episode airs on President's Day.