Calling all fans of The Crown! Netflix has a fantastic family dynasty drama on the way, and if you’re looking for a fresh historical drama that takes viewers behind the scenes of one of the most famous families in history, Kennedy is your next must-watch. Based on Fredrik Logevall’s book JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956, the show charts one of America’s “most notorious dynasties”, led by Michael Fassbender (The Agency, Black Bag) as patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr. Kicking off before John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) served as American president in the White House (which happened between 1961 until his assassination in 1963), the show is set in the 1930s as Joe and his family first begin to capture America’s attention.
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John F Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, met the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip back in 1961
Why I’m excited for Kennedy
I love a historical drama – and Netflix’s collection of historical hits like House of Guinness, The King, The Crown and The Express never fail to impress. Kennedy sounds like the perfect story to explore next, and I can’t wait to see how Michael Fassbender leads as the head of the famed family.
Plus, showrunner and executive producer Sam Shaw – who has extensive experience bringing lesser-known periods of history to life in series like Manhattan and Masters of Sex – is sure to treat Kennedy with all the same care and consideration it deserves.
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The show will follow the Kennedy family from the 1930s
What is Kennedy about?
The show will explore how the “titular” Kennedy brood navigated the romances and rivalries that molded them – as well as American culture.
The synopsis reads: “Kennedy reveals the intimate lives, loves, rivalries and tragedies that shaped the most iconic dynasty in modern history, and helped create the world we live in today. Beginning in the 1930s, the first season charts the improbable ascent of Joe and Rose Kennedy and their nine children, including the rebellious second son, Jack, who struggles to escape the shadow of his golden-boy older brother.”
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Michael Fassbender stars as patriarch Joe Sr
Who stars in Kennedy?
While details of the cast have been kept mostly under wraps for now, it’s been confirmed that Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Steve Jobs, Prometheus) will lead the series as Joe Kennedy Sr. As for the rest of the Kennedy cohort, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled and letting you know as soon as we find out!
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The show is based on Fredrik Logevall’s biography
What has the creator said about the show?
Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, showrunner Sam Shaw said: “The story of the Kennedys is the closest we have to American mythology – somewhere between Shakespeare and The Bold and the Beautiful.
“But Fredrik Logevall’s stunning, nuanced biography pulls a veil on the human strivings and burdens behind the myth, revealing as much about our present moment, how we got here and where we’re going, as about the Kennedys themselves.”
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The show is a must-watch for The Crown fans
He continued: “I’m thrilled to be able to explore this saga of a family and a world in transition with Eric Roth, Thomas Vinterberg and our incredible band of artists and partners, at a moment when our past feels urgently present.”
A release date for Kennedy has yet to be announced.
