Hatfields & McCoys bring History alive

Premiering to record breaking numbers for cable, it is clear that the History Channel has a hit on its hands with the new miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. It's not too late to catch the six hour saga, as it continues to repeat. And catch it, you should. This is what the History Channel should do more of! Bring the stories of the past alive in well scripted, well produced drama. In this goal, Hatfields & McCoys succeeds admirably.

That's not to say the series is perfect. At times the dialogue seems hokey, though it could be authentic to the time. And sure, dramatic license is taken to spice up historical events. But the core here is a true story, and watching a series such as this will not only entertain, but enlighten the viewer to an important chapter of America's tale. That is a laudable feat.

Hatfields & McCoys stars Kevin Costner (Dances With Wolves, Swing Vote) as Devil Anse Hatfield and Bill Paxton (Big Love, Twister) as Randall McCoy. Starting out as friends during the Civil War, tensions begin when Devil deserts to return to his family. This is an act Randall, a god-loving loyalist, cannot wrap his head around. It may be a minor incident, with no death involved, but it's the start of a deep misunderstanding between two honorable men, as each holds different priorities the other cannot comprehend, both of which are just.

If only that were the end of things. But then a pig is possibly stolen, and the hotter heads in both clans stir trouble. Not seeing the harm in minor clashes, Randall and Devil do not act to bring order to the families they head until it's too late. Then, as the body count rises, and the offenses continue, both are caught up in the battle themselves. Each insult must be answered with another. Not every cousin and brother can be kept in line. It's easy to see, without demonizing either party, how things spiral out of control, until it becomes nearly impossible to stop the feud. Of course, there is an end point, but for those who aren't history buffs, you'll have to watch to find out what the final straw is.

To keep Hatfields & McCoys interesting for six hours is no small chore. To accomplish this, an entire host of supporting characters are introduced in the two clans. It's hard to keep track of who belongs with who at times, making one long for the simple two-color system modern sports teams utilize in creating jerseys. They are all from a similar area of the country, and live similar lives, so by sight, there is no difference. And some of these players are taken out before they get the chance to do anything truly notable. But each adds to fleshing out the world, and keeping things moving, as well as providing a felt cost as the body count rises.

Among those who make an impression, in no particular order: Uncle Jim Vance (Tom Berenger, Inception, October Road), the war-loving Hatfield; Perry Cline (Ronan Vibert, The Borgias) as the McCoy's sleazy lawyer cousin; 'Bad' Frank Phillips (Andrew Howard, Limitless, Burn Notice), who serves as a mercenary for the McCoys to avenge a personal grudge against Uncle Jim; Levicy Hatfield (Sarah Parish, Mistresses), Devil's supportive wife; Judge Wall Hatfield (Powers Boothe, 24, Deadwood), who thinks the legal system will sort things out; Cap Hatfield (Boyd Holbrook, Milk, The Big C), a half blind sharpshooter; Cotton Top (Noel Fisher, Shameless, The Riches), a Hatfield who is mentally stunted; and Sally McCoy (Mare Winningham, Mildred Pierce, Grey's Anatomy), Randall's slightly insane wife. Each of these actors do a wonderful job, and deserve as much credit as the two leads for selling the miniseries so well.

Of course, there is a love story. How can there not be? Johnse Hatfield (Matt Barr, Hellcats, Harper's Island) is a player, who falls for Roseanna McCoy (Lindsay Pulsipher, True Blood, The Beast), a sweet girl. Their families refuse to let them be together, even though the young ones argue a marriage will help prevent an all out war between the clans. Surprisingly, love does not win.

As compelling as the story may be on the surface, it's a little hard to reconcile the presented soulful, truly good Johnse with the one who is eventually seduced by wicked cousin Nancy McCoy (Jena Malone, Sucker Punch, Life as a House), and then has four more wives later in life, as the ending scroll tells us. This feels like it might be the most twisted away from reality plot, done to further the television expectations.

Luckily, any weak points in the script, besides being overlooked because of the fantastic acting, are overshadowed be spectacular production value. Settings and costumes look great, and the music, when it doesn't veer into melodramatic territory, really helps set the tone. There is a lot to praise here, and the overall impression is very impressive. Look for some Emmy nods later this summer, and perhaps even a few wins.

If you missed it the first time, check out Hatfields & McCoys, currently running on the History Channel.


If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as  Hatfields & McCoys bring History alive on TheTVKing.com.

The Borgias is won by "Nessuno (Nobody)"

     After a mere nine episodes, Showtime's The Borgias completes its first season. In it, the French army arrives in Rome. Pope Alexander VI, a.k.a. Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons), greets King Charles (Michel Muller) in a simple robe, earning surprise and respect. Alexander affirms Charles's right to rule Naples, and Charles shows no hostility towards Rome, much to Cardinal Della Rovere's (Colm Feore) disappointment. Alexander allows the college of cardinals to come back, in humiliating fashion. Charles takes Cesare (François Arnaud) to Naples, but Cesare escapes, and with Micheletto's (Sean Harris) help, kidnaps Giovanni Sforza (Ronan Vibert). Alexander forces an annulment between his daughter, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), and Giovanni. All of the Borgia family gathers as Lucrezia gives birth to a son.


     Rodrigo shows real cunning in this episode, playing Charles perfectly to protect his position and the city by giving in on the Naples issue. Charles is no slouch either, demanding that Cesare accompany him to Naples. Thus, both have leverage over the other. It is an uneasy relationship, but a sustainable one, even after Cesare runs off. One would expect grisly battle as the season finale brings everything to a head, but in the world of The Borgias, a contest of the minds and wits can be just as exciting. Their power struggle may be better than any army clashing that could have been cooked up.

     Charles arrives in Naples, to find the place a mess. Bodies are strewn in every room, and the king is nowhere in sight. While Charles's claim on Naples will not be contested in such a condition, what is the use of ruling this land? How might this affect the balance of power between Charles and Rodrigo? If Charles no longer wants Naples, Rodrigo loses his hold over him. Charles may be angry, too, about Cesare's abandonment of the trip. Will Charles seek revenge as season two begins? Or will he take Rodrigo at face value, and go home without bothering Rome?

     Cardinal Della Rovere's play for control of the papacy ends anticlimactically. After months, possibly years (the timeline is vague), of scheming and making deals with various rulers, Della Rovere's plan comes to nothing, as Charles separately negotiates with Borgia. What sway can a mere Cardinal hold for such strong leaders such as Charles? It is easy to see what is in it for Della Rovere if Rodrigo is overthrown, but his struggle is to find someone with the might to help him, and has the motivation to do so. Thus far, his efforts prove fruitless.

     That is not say that the threat Della Rovere poses is over. Not by a long shot. Cesare attempts to recruit him back into the fold, but Della Rovere refuses. He has strong moral convictions, and is offended by Rodrigo's reign. Such an enemy is extremely dangerous because he is certain in his beliefs, and will settle for no compromise. Rodrigo surely has grounds by now to strip Della Rovere of his title, and yet does not do so, even as Rodrigo humiliates all of the other cardinals. Is he subscribing to the apt, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" If so, what advantage does that provide in this situation? None is obvious.

     Rodrigo is not the only intelligent Borgia. Without Lucrezia's quick thinking, no agreement between Rodrigo and Charles would be possible. She single-handedly stops two armies from combat. She ushers Charles into the city, and cuts Della Rovere out of the meeting. While Lucrezia is still relatively young, as the season finale approaches she shows just how much she learns, and with her new-found skills, she is a formidable presence in the Borgia family.

     Lucrezia has help in her growth. Giulia Farnese (Lotte Verbeek) is instrumental in teaching Lucrezia how women can influence powerful men with their wiles. Lucrezia takes those lessons to heart, and applies them against Charles. Lucrezia has taken quite quickly to his father's new mistress. Just how greatly will that upset her mother, Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), when she finds out?

     Lucrezia also demonstrates she has absorbed scheming from her brother and father when she orchestrates an annulment with her abusive husband. While how much of the planning is Lucrezia's is not clear, she is at least complicit, and likely has a lot to do with the humiliation of Giovanni. She also makes no effort to tell her baby's father, Paulo (Luke Pasqualino), of the child. Is this more scheming? Lucrezia appears to care for Paulo, and yet, she is keeping the baby known only to the Borgia family at this time. There is no telling what her motivations are for this, or if she will ever even return to Paulo.

     Juan Borgia's (David Oakes) run may be near an end. Failing militarily and falling from favor, he shows no appreciable skills to benefit the family. He is no longer necessary, as Lucrezia and Cesare do just fine protecting their father without him. His foolishness and arrogance puts him in danger, and it will not be surprising if he is killed before long. Possibly next season's finale?

     What are the chances of a Cesare / Ursula (Ruta Gedmintas) reconnection? She is a nun now, but admits to still being tempted by Cesare. She assists Lucrezia in giving birth, drawing her further into the family. Ursula likely will leave the habit behind. It is hard to resist someone as influential as Cesare, and while Ursula has shown little regard for social standing, she has shown mighty lust for the man.


     The Borgias has been renewed for a second season, though eager viewers are in for a long wait, as it will not return to Showtime until 2012.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To be notified when The Borgias is released on DVD, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: The Borgias - "Nessuno (Nobody)" on Blogcritics.