The Kennedys
User Score
6.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 3 out of 20
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User Reviews

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  1. heyitsmegrif4
    Jun 13, 2012
    5
    An extremely well acted mini-series from the whole cast, and technically brilliant. Yet, the whole thing isn't anything we haven't seen before about the controversial family.
  2. marquis_de_vaux
    May 3, 2011
    6
    It's never easy turning national tragedy into tasteful TV. Often fears of controversy cause programme-makers to act conservatively, play it safe, and hope to duck controversy by putting a glossy sheen on historical events. Unfortunately for The Kennedys, although it does do some things brilliantly, its creators, who seem to have been all to conscious of the risks, have nonetheless createdIt's never easy turning national tragedy into tasteful TV. Often fears of controversy cause programme-makers to act conservatively, play it safe, and hope to duck controversy by putting a glossy sheen on historical events. Unfortunately for The Kennedys, although it does do some things brilliantly, its creators, who seem to have been all to conscious of the risks, have nonetheless created a drama that ends up falling between two stools. Undoubtedly, The Kennedys hits certain nails squarely on the head. First of all, the casting for the series was brilliant - Greg Kinnear was as good a JFK as you could hope for, the perfect balance of vulnerability, presence and sleaze - and although she's received a lot of flak, mostly due to events that have nothing to do with the series - Katie Holmes, at moments, truly owns the role of Jackie Kennedy. That's not to say that her performance doesn't slip; like most of the principle actors in The Kennedys, Mrs. Cruise struggles to maintain her embodiment of one of the 20th centuries iconic figures, but I would argue that such a failing isn't really the fault of the performers. What really lets The Kennedys down is the writing. Joel Surnow and David Kronish are, of course, most famous for their work on 24 and, much like The Kennedys, that series was held together by the magnetism of the core cast. Unfortunately for Surnow and Kronish however, the lives of The Kennedy family include few opportunities for on-screen torture, explosions and car chases (although it would be wonderful to see John F. Kennedy trying to solve the civil rights problem in one wild day, armed only with a Glock and a mobile phone). The net result is that Surnow and Kronish manage to turn many of the key events of modern American history into pedestrian re-enactments, affairs generally lacking the gravitas they deserve. Worse still, and the primary problem with The Kennedys, is that the programme-makers have tried to cram far too much into too small an amount of screen time. 8 episodes to try and encapsulate even only the significant moments in the legacy of the Kennedy family just isn't enough, and in the whistle-stop tour delivered by series director Jon Cassar we skim along the surface of what happened, never managing to go into depth. Of all things, the series ends up feeling light-weight, and the seemingly constant need for Cassar to flash back or forward kills the pace and tension of proceedings stone dead. Of course, some of the most laboriously expositional dialogue in recent television history also distracts which, combined with the most functional, dull and themeless music I have heard in a TV drama of late, is likely to leave audiences perplexed; bearing in mind that 2008's John Adams, directed by Tom Hooper (the recent recipient of a well-deserved Academy Award for The KingÃ¢â… Expand
  3. chocolatekiss
    Oct 6, 2017
    0
    Katie Homes cannot act. Greg Kinnear is more interested in playing Kennedy rather than telling his story. It isn't like we don't know everything there is to know from history, books, gossip, documentaries and past TV movies that we really needed another one. I think Katie likes wearing the pink suit.
  4. CritiqueGirl
    Apr 6, 2011
    2
    I gave it a 2 for Jackie's outfits. The acting is bad. The script is bad. We already know the plot and outcomes so there are no surprises. I can see why the History Channel ran from it.
  5. RogerSmith97
    Apr 15, 2011
    4
    Honestly My Review Is Mixed! :D
    The Acting & Writing Is Really Bad. But There Is A Little Hint Of Good With The Show...
    This Is NOT The Worst Or Best Show Currently Airing On T.V.
  6. PevMaster
    Aug 29, 2011
    9
    Excellent. I have no idea why this work of art is getting such mixed reviews; The Kennedys is great. You can really tell that each actor worked very hard to portray the character they portrayed, and in doing so the acting is near flawless, with many strong performances.Just brilliant.
  7. jordi
    Jan 26, 2013
    9
    Muy real, muy sincera, muy bien interpretada, con saltos adelante y atrás en el tiempo. Interesante para los que nacimos después de esta historia y no la conocemos bién.
    Magistral el papel de Katie Holmes y Greg Kinnear.
  8. gzayas91
    Jul 24, 2018
    0
    Very solid as a romantasize miniseries of the most family in the history of America. I watch lots of times and I'll keep watching them again.

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Most Discussed TV Season of 2011
64
#64 Most Shared TV Season of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
50

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 24
  3. Negative: 5 out of 24
  1. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    Apr 7, 2011
    70
    The sheer power of these stories carries The Kennedys even during the occasional stumbles that result from trying to pack 40 years of history into five and a half hours of programming.
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  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Storm
    Apr 4, 2011
    40
    Except for Tom Wilkinson, who's extraordinary as Joe, most of the actors, especially poor Katie Holmes, even if she at least looks like Jackie Kennedy, seem like furniture, too.
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  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Paige Wiser
    Apr 1, 2011
    50
    The Kennedys is eight hours long, trying to strike an uncomfortable balance between high-minded and trashy. It does not succeed.
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