Just when we were getting more pumped than ever to see Katie Holmes playing Jackie O. in the History Channel's The Kennedys, network suits have gone and pulled the pillbox-hat plug on the much-anticipated miniseries.
What happened?
"While the film is produced and acted with the highest quality, after viewing the final product in its totality, we have concluded this dramatic interpretation is not a fit for the History brand," the network said in a statement.
Sure, Kennedy supporters weren't too thrilled with its supposedly negative portrayal of the political dynasty, but the History Channel gave the go-ahead after the final script was vetted by historians for accuracy, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported news of the cancellation.
"We recognize historical fiction is an important medium for storytelling and commend all the hard work and passion that has gone into the making of the series, but ultimately deem this as the right programming decision for our network," the network said.
The eight-part miniseries not only stars Holmes, but also Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy, Barry Pepper as Robert F. Kennedy and Tom Wilkinson as patriarch Joe Kennedy.
The series reportedly depicts JFK as a so-called sex fiend who tells his brother Robert he gets migraines if he doesn't have sex with new women often. Papa Joe is reportedly seen smashing a crucifix on his knee and there's even the suggestion that it was JFK's idea to build the Berlin Wall during WW II.
The Kennedys will still air internationally. Producers reportedly may shop the project to other networks for a U.S. broadcast, and they sound confident that the miniseries will ultimately reach these shores.
"We are proud of the work all of our talent put into the making of The Kennedys and the painstaking efforts that went into creating a drama that is compelling while rich in historic detail," Muse Entertainment and Asylum Entertainment said in a joint statement. "Although we regret this does not fit into the History Channel's plans, we are confident that television viewers in the United States will join viewers from around the world in having an opportunity to watch this series in the near future."
Holmes certainly hasn't been sounding any alarms about how the family was being depicted. "I worked as hard as I could, because I loved her," Holmes says about playing the former first lady in the new issue of Elle. "On set there was this feeling that we had to create something very special, because these people were very special."
But maybe just a little too special for the History Channel.
(Originally published Jan. 7, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. PT)