Was It Really THAT Bad?

[Tricia]

While I am still waiting for my LBH photos, I've spent some time over the week I've been back from Montana re-watching the infamous Into The West. Going into the narrative and remembering how terrible I thought it was with my first viewing, I found it better during my second. While I'm still convinced TPTB screwed the Custer part of the plot to a point beyond recognisable history, I found myself more impressed with the rest of the story.

Granted, the script did tend--unashamedly--towards family strum und drang/melodrama, it might have bit off more than it could have chewed (the building of the railroad), and I think Eric Schweig was terribly mis-cast as Sitting Bull, but a second time through the Spielberg production was time pleasantly spent. However, it wasn't the "best television drama I've ever seen," as is often espoused at the Netflix website.

Any other thoughts now that a year has passed since the show's appearence on TBS?

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[Tricia]

Also, according to CNN, Into The West received at least sixteen Emmy nominations ...

[alfuso]

I found it *that bad* and I don't care to watch it again.

Indians all good, whites all bad. Add in strum und drang and I can't stomach it.

alfuso

[Tricia]

I thought with my first viewing that the NAs were getting a free ride at the expense of the truth, but in viewing it again, I did find examples of what is often considered "brutality." They mostly occurred in the early episodes--a scene with Chivington and three Anglo bodies, providing motivation for Sand Creek--and I thought the hold-up where Margaret Light Shines' husband is murdered by Roman Nose's (?) band also seemed effective. And Margaret's brother, when downed at LBH by fellow Lakotas, did receive treatment similar to that given to Issiah Dorman (though I don't know when GAC acquired a Lakota scout) ... granted it wasn't very bloody, but this is prime time television.