So here lately we’ve seen more and more cable networks try to get into the business of rural programming, or, if you’re feeling snarky, red state programming. Both The History Channel (which produced H&M…not the clothing brand) and A&E (the new series Longmire’s network) are no strangers to rural programming. Whatever actual “History” the History Channel wanted to explore was long ago jettisoned for a lineup of shows called—-I shit you not—-“Swamp People” and other shows about wrestling, hunting, and living with alligators. For its part, A&E regularly features shows where people clean toilets or sell things at pawn shops, as part of its lineup of “Thank God I Went to College So I Don’t Have to Live Like These People” programs. Or, if you’re actually watching either of these channels, “Thank God There’s People Like Me On The TV” programs. I could write a whole item about how The History Channel (by definition, a channel celebrating the past) is the most red-state watched channel on TV, but instead I’ll review the actual shows you might have clicked on this article to read about.
Longmire: For those that don’t know, this is A&E’s new crime drama (supposedly based on a series of books I’ve never heard of) and its about a small town sheriff (are there any other kinds?) living in Wyoming, solving various murders and crimes. In other words, it’s a very straight-forward show—-the title character of Longmire prides himself on being plain spoken—-and really not much different from your average police procedural on CBS, USA, TNT, stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Longmire’s biggest strength so far is its wide-open Wyoming setting. Whereas most cop shows sequester the viewer in tight, confined spaces (holding cells, interrogation rooms, the cramped inner city streets), Longmire’s Wyoming takes us to beautifully sprawling countryside and takes full advantage of the view of an open sky or field. The cinematography is beautiful and each episode moves along at an easy clip, but so far I’m having a hard time getting involved in much besides the setting…and, uhhh, I don’t know that I’ll still find grassy mountains all that fascinating ten episodes in. B-
Hatfields & McCoys: I thoroughly enjoyed this miniseries, and a lot more than I thought I would to be quite honest. Deep appalachian country isn’t so fascinating to me since it’s pretty much one of the few worldly environments I’m familiar with, but this miniseries is history at its best. It found a way to keep showing me things I didn’t know about this legendary feud (just one example is that the Hatfields are from West Virginia and the McCoys are based in Kentucky, thus it was an epic, interstate feud of hundreds instead of the two families in each other’s small backyard, as I had always assumed) while also weaving a fully compelling narrative around it.
In fact, I was almost embarrassed at how much this brought out my own feuding nature, as I fully rooted for The Hatfields (smarter, and less violent) over The McCoys (much more quarrelsome and ignorant). I hated Randall McCoy (Bill Paxton, in an accurate portrayal of joyless hatred, even before things really get going, McCoy is self-righteous yet obliviously hypocritical to the damage his bloodlust is doing) and cheered for the leader of the Hatfields (Kevin Costner, in another performance of sly, grizzled cunning). And yet, I feel like someone else could watch the exact same miniseries, and possibly root for the McCoys (the pricks). This miniseries does what The History Channel has always wanted to do, but so rarely has: It makes history come alive. A triumph for the network, and a small pleasure for the viewer, which is what the Summer is all about. A-
I think I will have to go and watch this now. good article