Historical Programming Archives - Page 4 of 14

Craig Ferguson says History’s “Join or Die” features “unhinged, dangerous, rollicking” conversation

February 12, 2016 Jeff Pfeiffer

It’s always nice to see when a network gets back to its original mission — and its name — and History has been doing a fine job of that of late. For history buffs, miniseries like Texas Rising have helped complement other series like Pawn Stars, and the new series Join or Die With Craig Ferguson should also be a welcome addition for those who like to discuss, and debate, history. The series is the brainchild of former late-night host Craig Ferguson, and will feature a roundtable of people talking about six historical events or figures, whittling them down to […]

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

#ACSFX: Courtney B. Vance recalls O.J. Simpson case, meeting Johnnie Cochran

January 28, 2016 Ryan Berenz

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll likely remember where you were the evening of June 17, 1994. Perhaps you’d settled in for a Friday night of watching TV when regularly scheduled programming was interrupted by aerial footage of a white Ford Bronco pursued at low speed by several police squads through an empty Interstate 405 in Los Angeles. In the back of the vehicle was football legend O.J. Simpson, charged with the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. You probably also remember where you were on Oct. 3, 1995, when the not-guilty verdict […]

NGC special marks 30th anniversary of Challenger disaster

January 25, 2016 Jeff Pfeiffer

I can still remember sitting in my sophomore homeroom on the morning of Jan. 28, 1986, when our school’s principal came on the intercom system to inform us of the tragedy that had occurred when, 73 seconds into its launch, the space shuttle Challenger abruptly burst into flames and broke apart, killing all seven crew members. Among the deceased was Christa McAuliffe, a social studies teacher who was supposed to be the first American civilian in space. Thirty years on, the image of the Challenger disaster has become embedded into the psyches of most Americans who are old enough to remember the […]

“Mercy Street” explores conflicts between nurses on opposite sides of the Civil War

January 14, 2016 Ryan Berenz

Mercy Street, a six-part drama series is set in Alexandria, Va., in 1862 and follows two volunteer nurses on opposing sides of the Civil War. New Englander Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Confederate supporter Emma Green (Hannah James) have an ideological clash at the Union Army’s Mansion House Hospital, formerly the Green family’s luxury hotel. Inspired by real accounts from Mansion House doctors and nurses, Mercy Street also stars Josh Radnor, Gary Cole, Peter Gerety, Norbert Leo Butz, McKinley Belcher III and Shalita Grant. Mercy Street premieres on PBS Sunday, Jan. 17, at 10pm ET/PT following Downton Abbey (check […]

Walking the talk — how Saints & Strangers’ native American cast learned to speak Abenaki

November 1, 2015 Lori Acken

Saints & Strangers executive producers Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo had a quagmire on their hands. Setting out to create the most authentic retelling of the Thanksgiving story ever committed to film — on a blistering schedule — the pair also knew they didn’t want to risk stereotypes for the sake of time. Especially when it came to honoring their Native American characters. • MORE Saints & Strangers: Think you know the Thanksgiving story? We’re on set as NGC tells the real tale. “It was a big debate up until two weeks before the actors were starting whether we would […]

Saints & Strangers: Think you know the Thanksgiving story? We’re on set as NGC tells the real tale

November 1, 2015 Lori Acken

The two-night event Saints & Strangers premieres Sunday, Nov. 22, and Monday, Nov. 23, at 9/8CT on National Geographic Channel. Vincent Kartheiser is doing his best to be patient. Sporting coarse Pilgrim garb, a full beard and shoulder-length tresses (no Mad Men, this!) as Plymouth Colony leader William Bradford on NGC’s Saints & Strangers, Kartheiser finds the speech he is about to deliver — one arguably launching American free market commerce — interrupted by a loud buzzing sound emanating from somewhere on the Stellenbosch, South Africa, wine farm on which the project’s main sets are nestled. The buzzing stops. Kartheiser […]

“The Last Kingdom”: Violence, revenge, intrigue and the birth of England

October 6, 2015 Ryan Berenz

BBC America’s new eight-part drama The Last Kingdom will appeal to Game of Thrones fans, though the former lacks dragons, effective sorcery and the (likely) resurrection of dead primary characters. Based on a historical fiction book series by Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom is set in ninth-century England. At the center of the story is Uhtred, a Saxon who was captured as a boy and raised into a man by Danish invaders. Amid waves of violence, revenge and intrigue, Uhtred’s loyalties are tested on his quest to reclaim his birthright. The journey will lead him to join King Alfred in […]

The Bastard Executioner Episode 2 recap: Brattle by a nose…

September 22, 2015 Lori Acken

When we left Welsh soldier turned barley farmer turned reluctant Bastard Executioner Wilkin Brattle (Lee Jones), he had just used his battle savvy to sever the head of Chamberlin Milus Corbett’s (Stephen Moyer) hapless half-brother. On said Chamberlin’s orders. This week, we open on Brattle’s spiritual adviser Annora of the Alders (Katey Sagal) employing a massive dead hog to teach Wilkin the ways of the punisher, so he can maintain the ruse she insists is his destiny. “A man’s flesh will give to the blade,” she tells him, as his knife glides through the poor beast. Cut to a sculptor teaching […]

The Bastard Executioner: The cast and creators talk Kurt Sutter’s breathtaking medieval drama premiering Tuesday on FX

September 11, 2015 Lori Acken

When Kurt Sutter announced he was bringing his FX hit Sons of Anarchy to a close last year, speculation began immediately as to how the writer/producer would next apply his signature brand of storytelling. Sutter was already on the job. Having tackled cops with their own brand of morality in The Shield and outlaw bikers with the same in Sons, Sutter opted to indulge his love of history and a need to “work out all my Catholic s–t” and craft a story around another soul whose morals and mission are often at odds. This time, a medieval executioner. Set in northern Wales in the 14th century, a time […]

Drunk History back for another round on Comedy Central

September 1, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Comedy Central’s hit series Drunk History is back for a 13-episode Season 3 beginning Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 10:30pm ET/PT. According to Comedy Central: “In the season premiere, host and director Derek Waters takes viewers on a historical journey to New Jersey, presenting inebriated accounts of The Bone Wars, The Balloon Corps and The Big Bang. Mark Proksch narrates the rivalry of fossil-hunters Othniel Marsh (Christopher Meloni) and Edward Cope (Tony Hale); Tess Lynch recounts Thaddeus Lowe’s (Greg Kinnear) contributions to America’s first air force, founded by President Lincoln (Stephen Merchant); and Jenny Slate explains how scientists Arno Penzias (Justin […]