DYNASTY

Since Mad Men is off air and won't be returning for a 5th season till at least next year I needed a regular dose of early 60s American drama, machinations and private struggles. Que The History Channel with The Kennedys - the closest thing ever America came to a Royal Family. Despite an outrageous budget the show's critics have been far from nice and many have called the 8 hour Ode to the (in)famous clan, historically inaccurate, badly scripted and staid.

My biggest qualm with the show, for it is watchable seeing as GLEE! is on Easter hiatus, is that they cast KATIE HOLMES as Jackie Kennedy-Onassis (Jackie-O). Before Michelle-O and Carla Bruni made First Ladies fashionable there was Jackie. Holmes struggles with the broad and nasal Boston-Irish accent and brings a girl-like vulnerability to the role which I find unnerving (coz this aint Dawson's Creek anymore) and Jackie comes off as weak-willed, infantile and less than glamorous.

Bitch fit aside, the show which some may take to be the gospel truth, paints a very damning picture of the Kennedy's. That they steal elections, are ruthless, carnivorous womanisers and have no hubris. Joe Kennedy, the family's patriarch and JFKs father comes of as Darth Vader by way of Winston Churchill; cold, calculating, ruthless and ferociously ambitious - pushing his sons to the highest offices in the great US of A.

I'm about half way through the series, all I need now is Marilyn Monore and trip to Dallas in an open top limo and I think I'll call it a day. Needless to say, the show does not make any shocking revelations. All in all a clever way to learn misguided history while killing time.

Now if only GLEE could get back on air!