The Hatfields and McCoys

Kevin Costner and the real Devil Anse Hatfield

Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy

We've finally watched the Hatfields & McCoys that played on The History Channel in May.  We were in San Francisco when it came on, and since JR & Ashley don't have television, darling daughter taped it for us!  It's taken us a while to get to it, since it was three episodes worth, but we finally had some time for it.
I have to say, it was so very well done...I think the casting was absolutely perfect, from Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield, to Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy, and the best - Tom Berenger as Uncle Jim, and Mare Winningham as Ran'l McCoy's wife.  PERFECT casting!  I could absolutely believe that each and every one of them were the characters they portrayed.

Tom Berenger as Uncle Jim

This is the type of programming that I wish every network would create.  Beautifully done, and if the history was told correctly, I blame the whole feud on Uncle Jim.  He was an unforgiving, nasty snarly bastard who could whip those young boys into a killing furor.  Glad he got was coming to him, but sorry his dog was killed at the same time (oops! is that considered a spoiler?!)
I really don't think you can have a spoiler on a historical program, since we've all heard this tale before.  Or maybe not, are they still teaching American history in the schools?
Amazing that it wasn't until 2003 that these families finally called a truce.