THE KENNEDYS

I can't tell you how disappointed I was to learn that "The History Channel" had shelved its presentation of "The Kennedy's". I had been waiting a long time to see it. I had been enthralled by the Kennedy mystique since I was a little girl. An odd thing for a girl who was brought up middle class, Republican and, certainly not Catholic.

I remember being in the third grade and ushered in from the playground so our teacher could tell us the President was dead. I remember her saying...."I see the gleam in some of your eyes and that's not good". I was terrified that she might be referring to me because all I knew of this man with a beautiful wife was what I had heard through adult family members and their friends. Which was not favorable in the least. I can't be sure if I was aware of the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis or just learned of them later. All I knew of Marilyn Monroe was she was a movie star who was found dead in the nude.

After the death of JFK and all the years that followed, I became a Kennedy watcher. As an adult, through the books I devoured about this family and their constant presence in the media made me quite the historian of this clan. I can remember crying uncontrollably as I watched the televised coverage of RFK's body going home on the train. And, in later years wonder how Teddy could have the audacity to run for office when he had essentially committed murder. I saw Joe and Rose's grandchildren, most my contemporaries, go on to do great and scandalous things. There was never a book published about the Kennedy's I did not read or would I let any TV show about them or an interview with them go unwatched.

When I first heard of this latest installment of their story, I was pleased with the casting choices of Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes as Jack and Jackie. I knew little else of what this series with such a broad title would entail.

Thanks you to the Reelz Channel for giving me this opportunity. I had no idea that you were in my cable package or, had I ever heard of you. I read that some 7 million dollars were spent to acquire this work. I can only think this was a very wise purchase for your network.

I knew "The History Channel's" decision was based on objections from the Kennedy family. After viewing the series I honestly can't figure out why they were so concerned. The facts depicted were nothing that I didn't already know. I think the same pretty much holds true for most.

This eight part saga focused on Joe, Jack, Bobby and, their wives. We saw a little of Joe Jr. and Rosemary and that was it. Ted Kennedy was never mentioned even though most of the series took place at the time his career was beginning. We saw them mourn the death of Joe Jr. but, there was no reference to daughter Kathleen who perished in plane crash just a few years later. They only other sibling referred to was Pat as she was married to actor Peter Lawford and included in a scene about the Hollywood connection.

I thought the depictions of Joe and Rose (Tom Wilkinson and Diana Hardcastle) amazing as a person who had read and viewed so much about them. Joe was a power hungry, womanizer and, Rose was the devout Catholic who put up with it all with such dignity and some spice of her own. The series only showed their love for each other and their children. Even the most meager of families have their ups and downs.

(Barry Pepper and Kristen Booth) as Bobby and Ethel were spot on from all I had ever known about them. Bobby was probably the only devoted husband of the group and the most abrasive. Ethel popped out baby after baby enjoying every minute of it and, her life as a Kennedy. Theirs' was a great marriage.

I was very familiar with the works of Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes long before this series was ever created. It never occurred to me prior that they were both dead ringers for Jack and Jackie. Again, the work showed them as a loving couple with deep respect for each other. It showed JFK as the great man we all knew he was and, his love for the ladies. The first lady was depicted as an elegant and caring woman.

So........To the Kennedy's, we know everything. We know that some of your children were accused of rape, died of drug overdoses and, slept with their children's babysitters. We also know that others have gone on to do great very things. Why on earth did you find this series offensive?..............To The History Channel you might have given up too easily..............To REELZ, way to go!