Back in April, ReelzChannel scored the biggest coup of its short lifespan with the airing of the controversial miniseries The Kennedys, which reportedly enraged the namesake family enough that they pushed on some friends in high places to get it booted off History’s schedule even after production had wrapped. Just when it appeared the Greg Kinnear-Katie Holmes starrer was destined for the direct-to-DVD market, ReelzChannel stepped up and rode the series to eight nights of ratings gold. Critical praise also came later as costar Barry Pepper won an Emmy for his earnest portrayal of Bobby Kennedy.
The miniseries continues to be a source of pride (and material) for the network, which will air a new special, The Kennedys: After the Controversy, Saturday at 7, with several encores throughout the week. Executive producer Joel Surnow (24) and writer Stephen Kronish will talk about the miniseries and how they handled the controversy that greeted it, and the eventual praise it garnered. Hardball host Chris Matthews will also be on hand to share from his new biography Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. Other guests include People magazine’s Liz McNeil, former NBC News White House correspondent Sander Vanocur and USA Today‘s Gregory Korte.
It all kicks off a re-airing of the entire Kennedys miniseries Nov. 6-14. For all our past coverage of the miniseries, including our episode-by-episode reviews, click here.
