"Centennial" has a superlative (television) cast. It's like the baseball All-Star Game, where every team sends a representative. It seems like very great old t.v. show has a cast member in this stew somewhere.
James Michener's source material is long and boring (one does not have to go through the processes of evolution just to get characters for a novel -- just try to get through that first part of the book).
The long-winded, sanctimonious parts are tiresome. The really good parts commence at the episode "The Longhorns" with a cattle drive led by Dennis Weaver ("Gunsmoke" & "McCloud"). "The Shepherds" brings in a range war between Timothy Dalton's ranchers (yes, James Bond as a rancher) and sheep-herders. "The Storm" continues the story with the herds beings destroyed by global cooling. Really. Look it up.
"The Crime" and "The Winds of Change" begin the most fascinating parts of the drama and I wish they would release these separately from all the boring parts. The main story concerns a sheriff (Brian Keith, "Family Affair") tracking the wonderfully crooked Mervin Wendell (Anthony Zerbe, in the best performance of the series).
"Centennial" drags on to a rather stupid conclusion in the modern day (well, the '70s) with a whole shovel-full of t.v. actors. David Janssen ("The Fugitive"), Andy Griffith, Sharon Gless and Robert Vaughan ("The Man from UNCLE") all make fools of themselves in an anti-climax comparable to Bobby in the shower.
Out of eleven episodes, the five listed above -- in the middle -- are worth watching. The rest are either preachy, silly or historically misleading -- or a blending of all three.
The best part of the whole series is the reason we who were kids in the 70s were fascinated by the miniseries format, seeing so many familiar t.v. actors rubbing shoulders together. Actually, the acting varies wildly. As a man who always looks for the best, I won't mention the disappointments. Anthony Zerbe, Brian Keith and Timothy Dalton shine.
James Michener's source material is long and boring (one does not have to go through the processes of evolution just to get characters for a novel -- just try to get through that first part of the book).
The long-winded, sanctimonious parts are tiresome. The really good parts commence at the episode "The Longhorns" with a cattle drive led by Dennis Weaver ("Gunsmoke" & "McCloud"). "The Shepherds" brings in a range war between Timothy Dalton's ranchers (yes, James Bond as a rancher) and sheep-herders. "The Storm" continues the story with the herds beings destroyed by global cooling. Really. Look it up.
"The Crime" and "The Winds of Change" begin the most fascinating parts of the drama and I wish they would release these separately from all the boring parts. The main story concerns a sheriff (Brian Keith, "Family Affair") tracking the wonderfully crooked Mervin Wendell (Anthony Zerbe, in the best performance of the series).
"Centennial" drags on to a rather stupid conclusion in the modern day (well, the '70s) with a whole shovel-full of t.v. actors. David Janssen ("The Fugitive"), Andy Griffith, Sharon Gless and Robert Vaughan ("The Man from UNCLE") all make fools of themselves in an anti-climax comparable to Bobby in the shower.
Out of eleven episodes, the five listed above -- in the middle -- are worth watching. The rest are either preachy, silly or historically misleading -- or a blending of all three.
The best part of the whole series is the reason we who were kids in the 70s were fascinated by the miniseries format, seeing so many familiar t.v. actors rubbing shoulders together. Actually, the acting varies wildly. As a man who always looks for the best, I won't mention the disappointments. Anthony Zerbe, Brian Keith and Timothy Dalton shine.