Though based on a screenplay approved by their parent company A&E Television Networks (AETN), on January 7th the History Channel buckled to the demands of the Kennedy family and unceremoniously pulled the rug out from under the completed $30 million miniseries “The Kennedys.” Today, after weeks of what was likely a bruising scramble to outrun the tentacles of the Kennedys, in an exclusive, the Hollywood Reporter tells us the mini will air in eight parts on the ReelzChannel starting April 3rd. The channel is currently available in 60 million homes across the country and a big advertising blitz is planned to get the word out.
I’m not someone who believes in the magic of controversy to automatically drive people to watch something they normally wouldn’t, but there’s always been public interest in the Kennedy family and at the very least this uproar has upped the profile of the mini. You also have this built-in interest backed by respected talent with successful track records. “24” co-creator Joel Surnow is the Executive Producer and there’s a number of high-profile, critically acclaimed actors in lead roles, including Greg Kinnear as President Kennedy, Barry Pepper as Bobby and Tom Wilkinson as Joe Sr. Furthermore, some real good can come out this and not just for the miniseries.
The Kennedys | Movie Trailer | Review
The four-year old independent ReelzChannel now has an opportunity with a product they normally wouldn’t have been considered for, to break out and and make a name and brand for themselves. The more entertainment outlets not owned by politically-connected multi-nationals (AETN is owned by NBC-Universal, Disney, etc.), the better it is for our democracy. This is also an opportunity for 60 million people to see the mini. That might be a smaller pool than the History Channel has, but it’s more than double the number of HBO subscribers, a network that passed on the project.
The other good to come out of this is that now we know for certain that the The History Channel really isn’t The History Channel. The same network that said “The Kennedys” didn’t meet their standards is is the same network that attempted to mainstream that degenerate anti-American liar of a historian we call Howard Zinn. No institution with any kind of accuracy standards would do such a thing and so now we know they are The Left-Wing History Channel.
As a history buff and someone who remains awed by Joel Surnow’s ability to tell a compelling multi-part story, I would be looking forward to seeing this even if there hadn’t been controversy. But now what we have here is the delicious opportunity to not only get lost in what promises to be damn good television but also to stick a subversive finger in the eye of The Man while doing so.
Just try and keep me away.
The controversial miniseries will have its world premiere on April 3.After a three-week journey, The Kennedys has found a home.
The controversial miniseries will world premiere on April 3 on the ReelzChannel, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Producers of the ambitious project from 24 executive producer Joel Surnow and writer Stephen Kronish have struck a deal with the independent, family-owned cable network to air the 8-part miniseires, which was abruptly yanked from the History channel on January 7 amid pressure from the Kennedys over its depiction of the political family. At the time, History owner A&E Television Networks told THR that “after viewing the final product in its totality, we have concluded this dramatic interpretation is not a fit for the History brand.”
But it is certainly a fit for ReelzChannel, a 4-year old independent cable channel owned by Minnesota-based Hubbard Communications that is available in 60 million homes nationwide on services including DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Charter Communications.
Sources say the company stepped up with a big financial commitment for the lavish $30 million miniseries starring Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes and produced by Asylum Entertainment and Muse Entertainment.
Full story here.
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