Epic Ratings for ‘Hatfields & McCoys’ on History Channel

The New York Times ^ | May 29, 2012 | BILL CARTER

[Bratch]

The most spectacular success of the summer season on television may have come before summer has even started: the miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys” on the History Channel attracted a monster audience Monday night, 13.9 million viewers, the second largest for a cable program that did not involve sports.

By comparison, the finale this month of NBC’s singing competition hit, “The Voice,” attracted 10.5 million viewers. Most hit shows on cable are in the range of two million to four million viewers, though “The Walking Dead” on AMC reached what seemed then to be an impressive nine million for its finale in March.

But that did not come close to the total Monday night for the History Channel’s depiction of the legendary American family feud, which stars Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. The viewership even dwarfed the biggest competition on the broadcast networks on Monday, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” which brought in just over 10 million viewers.

[TomGuy]

The pig incident was the catalyst. Problems had been building between the two clans for a while.

==

I did notice that the Costner character (IIRC) kept referring to the pig as a razorback. However, I don’t think the pig they showed with a notch in its ear was a razorback, unless the term refers to a wider variety of swine.

[libstripper]

Did it look like it was filmed in WVA and KY to you? I live in E T N and it lied slot more like CA. Too bad they didn’t run credits showing where it was filmed.

[Drew68]

I meant to watch it then forgot about it.

I'm sure you'll get a chance. After these monster ratings, History Channel will probably play it endlessly throughout the remainder of the year.

[yarddog]

I noticed it is coming on in just a few minutes. I don’t think I will forget this time tho that is always a possibility.

BTW, all these reality shows such as Swamp People, Pawn Stars, Pickers etc. have little to nothing to do with history, not that they are all bad shows.

[cripplecreek]

The first killing was Asa Harmon McCoy some 13 years before the pig incident because he fought on the union side on the civil war.

[patriot08]

Great movie. Got it set to be taped tonight.

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

No wonder there were so many killings.. Everyone misunderstood what each other was saying. LOL

[patriot08]

Rosanna 1949

Good movie

[rabidralph]

Thanks for the reminder! I missed last night’s and I am tuning in right now!!

[X-spurt]

I think you are dead on about the poopy “semi-whisper” audio. Too bad.

Regarding lack of humor, hey probably not much humor while barely subsisting in that part of the world following the War of Northern Aggression.

So far it looks to be sticking close to historical.

[rabidralph]

I never saw “Wolves” but he was great with Duvall in Open Range.

[Wuli]

I’ll have to see if I like it better than my three top History Channel shows - Pawn Stars, American Pickers & American Restoration - “non-fiction” but more interesting than many documentaries and always with lots of history (and lots of “characters” too).

[X-spurt]

They couldn’t PhotoShop out all the trailer houses in the real Hatfield & McCoy area.

[AGreatPer]

"following the War of Northern Aggression."

Interesting choice of words.

You don't indicate but guess your a loser from the south.

[Rebelbase]

My favorite Duvall quote from Lonesome Dove:

“Ain’t much of a crime, whackin’ a surly bartender”

[Fledermaus]

It’s true. But after she and Johnes split it fueled the feud some more.

The “feud” started over the Tug Fork tributary and got worse when they fought on different sides in the Civil War.
The Hatfield patriarch, William “Devil Anse” fought for the confederacy. Asa Harmon McCoy fought for the Union.

[gusty]

I found the audio for the dialogue very low. I had to watch with the remote constantly adjusting the volume.

[I Drive Too Fast]

I just recognized the names Tug River Valley. It sort of looked like it a little, but it could have been greener. The muddy river looked similar. Since they film things all over the world, sometimes they get close and sometimes they don’t. IMDB says they filmed it in Romania.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985443/locations

[Drew68]

The Roseanne Johnes IS true. Johnes actually left her later, while she was pregnant, and married her cousin Nancy McCoy.

That's good to know. I guess I can appreciate this aspect of the story a little more now that I know it wasn't just a dramatic plot-enhancement. I had a feeling Jena Malone's character was going to turn out to be a homewrecker!

[Jet Jaguar]

very good show.

Thanks.