The Kennedys arrived on our screens amid a maelstrom of drama that the show itself has yet to top. Descendents of the Kennedy clan, Caroline Kennedy and Mari Shriver, proved quite the formidable force, going above the History Channel’s head to parent network A&E and pulling a few well connected strings to get the docudrama dropped. Consequently, the show slid down the ranks from a well-respected plinth to the much lesser known Reelzchannel. On top of this, film-maker Robert Greenwald condemned the show as “political character assassination” and urged people to sign a petition on StopKennedySmears.com.

But there’s nothing quite like fuelling a fire to bump up the ratings. Us folks across the pond only cared for the kerfuffle because it paved the way for a show set to slander America’s answer to the Royals. Besides, cracks in this pristinely polished family ruptured well before Joel Surnow, the mastermind behind 24, broached this project, so what’s on show here is hardly unchartered territory.

But before I get distracted by Katie Holmes’ shortcomings (particularly in the wig department) I should mention that, for better or worse, I’ve taken this miniseries with a heavy pinch of salt, particularly considering its double dosing of caricature. Firstly, Tom Wilkinson’s utterly unscrupulous portrayal of Joe Kennedy is, without exaggeration, Machiavellian. He’s the axis of evil that the Kennedys are all having to battle with;  the archetypal adulterer sowing the seeds for Jack’s wandering eye, the God-hating machine giving the orders for his daughter’s lobotomy. Perhaps more intriguing is his Bostonian-come Hannibal Lector accent, which only adds to his unprincipled exterior.

Secondly, if you can get past the wig (I eventually did), Katie Holmes’ other faux pas is her manic-grinning meekness, which fails to strike a balance between the subservient-turned trailblazing Jackie O. It’s a strained and embarrassed delivery, as if Holmes has finally come to terms with her inability to act, opting instead for a poor impersonation that stands out like a well-manicured thumb against Greg Kinnear’s polished performance of JFK.

But it’s Barry Pepper’s portrayal of Bobby that’s the unexpected scene stealer, casting his fellow actors to the shadows in which, ironically, Bobby often resided when it came to family matters. Fake nose granted, it’s a wholly convincing performance, expertly capturing that toothy expression and East Coast accent where others fall short. Pepper shines when he takes on the US General in the Situation Room and equally so when playing hubby to his vivacious wife Ethel, played by Kristin Booth.

Currently three episodes into this eight part miniseries, the third installment outshone the others, handling harrowing issues such as Rose Marie’s lobotomy and Joe Kennedy’s stroke with poignant sensitivity. However, any show gravitating The White House is bound to draw comparisons with the outstanding West Wing. A curse for The Kennedys it would seem, because if this script had half the dynamism of Aaron Sorkin’s intelligently fast-paced dialogue, then maybe we’d all be hooked.

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About the author

Jessica Jones-Berney
Jessica is a London-based arts journalist, writing about pretty much anything from cutting edge contemporary art at up-and-coming galleries to established names at our biggest institutions. The more bizarre the better. She graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Masters in Research on African American photography and has been writing about all things arty ever since. She also writes for Spoonfed. North, South, East or West? Where North meets East High Class or Common or Garden? Beer Garden preferably Clothes or Culture? Culture My best night out ever made me feel...... Elated at the time, slightly embarrassed in retrospect but thinking about it now never fails to crack me up.