Sorry, Katie Holmes: History Channel Cancels Controversial Kennedy Miniseries

by Alex Alvarez | 3:43 pm, January 10th, 2011

» 7 comments

The History Channel has decided to pull The Kennedys after the network deemed the documentary 8-part miniseries “not a fit”. The series was originally set to air this spring, and starred Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy and Greg Kinnear as President John F. Kennedy.

Despite never making it onto TV screens, the series still managed to drum up controversy for its allegedly skewed portrayal of the former president. The miniseries was developed by Joel Surnow, known for his conservative leanings and for having co-creating a little show you may have heard of – 24. It seems Surnow’s vision for the series did not sit well with certain people on the left, including some historians and former Kennedy adviser Theodore C. Sorensen, who told The New York Times that “every single conversation with the president in the Oval Office or elsewhere in which I, according to the script, participated, never happened.”

The Hollywood Reporter has a statement from The History Channel about the decision not to air The Kennedys:

We recognize historical fiction is an important medium for storytelling and commend all the hard work and passion that has gone into the making of the series, but ultimately deem this as the right programming decision for our network.

Nonetheless, the show’s producers have expressed optimism that their series will be seen by American audiences sometime this year.

CNN reports that the series will be aired this March in Canada, as planned.

Joel Surnow, The History Channel, The Kennedys

paulmdoro

Sounds eerily similar to the outrage over CBS’s Reagan movie from a few years back, only this time the other side is complaining. The complainers got what they wanted both times. Too bad they didn’t let people make up their own minds.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Greg-Palmer/100000481076398 Greg Palmer

“Not a fit?” Isn’t this the network that claims alien mafia bosses in flying saucers killed JFK and created the Beatles?
paulmdoro

They caved to pressure. CBS caved to pressure from the right over the Reagan movie, and now the History Channel has caved to pressure from the left. A shame.
Alex Alvarez

Greg Palmer said:
“Not a fit?” Isn’t this the network that claims alien mafia bosses in flying saucers killed JFK and created the Beatles?

Thumbs up for making me snort, loudly.
Kird

The History Channel has gone the way of MTV; reality shows like Pawn Stars and Ice Road Truckers replaced documentaries about history.
notsofast

I guess they didn’t want the public to see all the hookers JFK had, his drug usage and the fact that it was his and Bobby’s machinations to kill Castro that led to the Cuban missile crisis.
CAconservative

Controversy! Nothing sells a picture like controversy.