Episode 3
"Other Voices, Other Rooms"
All right, here we go with episode three of the miniseries based on the epic Stephen King novel. The last episode left off with the series' protagonist, Jake Epping, in the past. 1960, to be exact. His quest was originally to go back and investigate the JFK shooting and take whatever steps necessary to stop it from happening. After an unfortunate fire wiped out nearly all of his research, Jake decided to perform a little side experiment. Harry, a friend of Jake's from the future (our present) witnessed his entire family killed in front of him when he was a kid. His father was the murderer. Jake took it on himself to stop the tragedy by killing the murderer in the past to see what effect it would have when he returned to the present.
Fleeing the scene, Jake is stopped by a boy who witnessed his murderous (although justifiably so) actions. The boy has also found a newspaper from the future that talks of the JFK assassination. As the last episode ended, he held Jake at gunpoint, demanding answers.
This episode begins with Jake driving his car through the rain, his captor riding shotgun. The boy (I swear one of these days I am going to catch his name!) wants to take Jake to the cops. Jake convinces the boy that the cops would arrest him as an accomplish, since he was present at the scene of the crime. The two stop at a hotel for the night, and Jake convinces the boy that his story about being from the future is true. He uses the newspaper and his journal full of sports scores as proof.
Bill (that's his name!) is taken in by this story and wants to help Jake save Kennedy. He agrees to take Jake to Dallas for a 100 dollar fee, but doesn't leave when Jake tries to dismiss him. Jake reluctantly takes Bill on as a his sidekick, crafting a cover story that they are brothers. Jake takes a job as a substitute teacher at a high school in a small town in the proximity of Dallas, and Bill wants to go out and have a night on the town as a way to celebrate.
The two party hard a strip club, where Bill gets a little too tipsy and nearly blows Jake's cover. There they meet the owner of the club, Jack Ruby. For those who don't know, Jack Ruby is the man who killed JFK's alleged killer, Lee Harvey Oswald after Oswald was convicted of the crime. This little strip club scene doesn't add much to the story, but it is a nice little nod to the history of the time period. Since it has been so long since I've read the book, I don't know remember if Ruby plays a role in things to come, but I don't think he does.
Jake adjusts to life as a small town school teacher in the 60's. He makes some small blunders, such as offering to serve coffee to the school secretary, who happens to be black. The years pass, and the show fast forwards to 1962 - the year Oswald arrives in America. Jake has graduated from substitute to full time teacher. He and Bill take up residence across the street from where Oswald will eventually move in, so that they can keep an eye on him.
Sadie, the cute blonde woman who Jake met and was clearly smitten with in the pilot, comes to the school to serve as the new librarian. She is recently divorced, and ashamed of it since this was something that was considered a big no no back in the 60's. Still, Jake doesn't mind. He is divorced himself, and now he can pursue her all he wants without having to worry about her husband.
Oswald arrives in town, and Jake is there at the airport to get an eyeful of him. He buys some surveillance equipment so he can monitor Oswald's apartment and listen in on his conversations. He plans to install the equipment on a night that he knows Oswald will be out of town, but he is basically pushed into chaperoning the school homecoming dance with Sadie. The two bond and share a special moment while dancing, and it is clear that the two have an obvious chemistry. He is forced to cut the night short, however, when he takes note of the time and realizes he is losing his chance to get into Oswald's apartment and install all the bugs.
Jake and Bill arrive at Oswald's apartment and start setting up shop, only to be surprised by Oswald's sudden appearance. He is there with his wife, looking for some privacy so they can get it on. Jake and Bill go up in the attic and try to escape from the building that way, but some spiders make Bill freak out (wimp!) and Oswald is alerted to their presence above.
The two escape, and proceed to listen in on the surveillance equipment to Oswald's paranoid ranting. The equipment works! Yay! But oh no - Jake has forgotten about his promise to return to the dance to assist Sadie with the chaperoning. And he hears about it the next day at school. Sadie gives him the cold shoulder. Has he blown his chance with her?
Jake and Bill continue to listen in on Oswald's conversations, but nothing seems to be going on except for a bunch of bickering between him, his wife, and his mother. But one day that all changes when CIA agent George de Morenschildt comes to pay Oswald a visit. This is the man who Jake had attempted to spy on in the restaurant in the pilot episode. This could be the break he is looking for. If he can connect George and Oswald as working together in the shooting of General Walker (an assassination attempt preceding the JFK shooting) - he will then know for certain that Oswald wasn't acting alone in the JFK assassination.
Unfortunately, their whole conversation takes place in Russian, and neither Jake nor Bill can understand what they are saying. Jake runs to the school library to see if he can find a book on Russian to English translation, but when he returns he finds Bill passed out on the floor of the apartment, blood running from his nose.
One of the punk neighbors had broken in and stolen all of the equipment, beating Bill badly in the process. Jake is furious and busts down the man's door, claiming to be FBI - and that the man had just seriously compromised an investigation. He reclaims the equipment, but everything on the tapes is lost. The past messing with Jake once again?
Jake apologizes to Sadie one more time, and this time she accepts his apology, silencing his words with a kiss. She wants a date with him, but warns him not to ever abandon her like that again. She has forgiven him, but will not forget.
The episode concludes with Jake and Bill attending a Walker rally. They are surprised to see Oswald in attendance, side by side with George de Morenschildt. After the rally, Oswald flips out, verbally attacking General Walker and even throwing a bottle at him. Clearly, Oswald is very mentally unhinged. Has his friend George put him up to this however?
For the answer to that, we shall have to wait and see.
All in all, this was another really good episode. I am a big fan of this show, even more so than I thought I was originally going to be. I am not sure how true it has stayed to the source material (I always have to bring up the fact that I read this book several years ago and am foggy on the details) but it seems to be doing a good job. Even if it is not - I still like it a lot. I really don't remember Jake having a helper though. Was Bill in the book or did I just completely forget about him?
I am really tempted to pick up the book and read it again. But in a way I like watching this and not knowing what is going to happen next. I may just wait until after the series is finished before I re-read the novel. 3 episodes down, 8 more to go. I can't wait to see where this show takes us next.
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