Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the first two-hour instalment of History Channel import HATFIELDS & McCOYS, which premiered on Channel 5 in the UK last night. It's an Emmy-winning miniseries starring Hollywood stars like Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton... but does that mean it's any good? It's a six-hour Western telling a story that won't mean anything to most Brits, after all...
As a viewer, I'm admittedly at two disadvantages with Hatfields & McCoys: I've never particularly enjoyed Westerns and, as an Englishman, I was ignorant of the real life story it's based on, which has since entered American folklore. Consequently, I knew this two-hour premiere would struggle to win me over. I'm sorry to say it failed, although the blame can be pinned on dull characters, a feeble basis for such a famous rivalry, and a storyline that simply doesn't justify its lengthy running time. Six hours total? Three feels indulgent.
Continue reading at MSN TV...
