The Kennedys After Camelot

Not sure why but this series received lots of negative criticism. I was in college when JFK was shot, I remember it well and the general theme of what happened in the following years. I have no complaints with the casting but will assume most of the "behind the scenes" activities and conversations are partly or mostly fiction, to tell what is believed to be the family reaction to various events.

I found the four episode series on a two DVD set at my public library. My wife and I watched the first episode, it has a "gossip column" feel to it, and is presented almost like a soap opera. My wife had no desire to see the remaining three episodes. I watched the fourth one, it ends right before JFK Jr's fateful plane trip that ended his life and presumably signaled the actual end of "Camelot."

As a student of The Kennedy administration and old enough to remember, this sequel was disgraceful! I agree with the other reviews. The script is borderline comical and insulting to the viewer. The original series was far superior, not perfect by any means but considerably better.

Matthew Perry was the producer which explains quite a bit, he was difficult to watch as Ted Kennedy as was the character who portrayed Ethel. If I had to hear one more "Kiddo" reference to Jackie, it would induce vomiting. Additionally, where was Caroline? She may have had some input, one can speculate, because she was simply not written into the script.

Katie Holmes does a decent job in her role as Jackie but each time I had hoped for something...anything to resurrect this from near death, it was too late. The other objection I had as how they condensed part 2 of this series. Not much attention was paid to John Jr either. It seems as though his big line was, "My father is dead".

Good lord, this was so bad. It really left so much to be desired and should never have been produced at all.

Depicting the lives of The Kennedy's seems to be very much in vogue of late. Katie Holmes had had a go previously in the series the precedes this one, and Natalie Portman won great acclaim in the so-so film 'Jackie' earlier this year.

This series however decides, as the title suggests, to show the decline of the super family, and adds former 'Friends' star, Matthew Perry in for good measure (and as a ratings booster) as Ted.

It's well made, and well acted mostly, but it's very hammy, and I imagine playing very fast and loose with the small detail of fact.

I thought Matthew Perry gives a good performance, in a role that is a real test for him.

This isn't the best piece of TV drama you'll ever see, but it passes the time.

Matthew Perry as Ted? Oh no. Perry is 15-20 years older than Teddy was at the time - and looks even older and more dissolute. Actually, an Osmond kid would be a better fit. Onassis was barely 5' - a squat, ugly man - not a good-looking 5'11" Arab. A Boris Karloff look-alike would have been better. Katie Holmes is not terrible as Jackie but that has more to do with the hair and clothes than her acting. Was Jackie really that nervous when Onassis was negotiating her dowry with Teddy? Because Ari's estate "settled" with Jackie for $25 million upon his death so she wouldn't contest the will. After 7 years of marriage - not a bad investment of time.

Firstly at nearly 80 years old I remember "Camelot" clearly (I even wrote a fan letter to JFK and received an auto-penned photograph) and as such found the entire first miniseries outstanding -and in particular Greg Kinnear as JFK- as it stripped away the mythology of America's greatest political dynasty and revealed that family for the deeply-flawed people they were.

Originally, Showtime was to air THE KENNEDYS but panicked when Caroline Kennedy threatened legal action which nearly scuttled the entire project before the Reelz channel picked up the broadcast option. And even after airing, the DVD release was very slow in coming... especially to the United States. I actually had to order mine from Canada where the series was filmed.

AFTER CAMELOT avoided any such legal problems by simply eliminating Caroline from the narrative and that's why you won't see her portrayed here.

While AFTER CAMELOT lacks the style and quality of THE KENNEDYS it nevertheless furnishes an accurate account of a family riddled with all-too-human frailties and failures as both erase the legends we were once convinced to be genuine.