I agree with Tia to the extent that the series is wonderfully drawn and realized. Many of the performances are simply perfect(Conrad, Chamberlain, Everett etc.) I find it only second to "Shogun" in the mini-series genre. The development of fictional characters using the reality of events is wonderful. When I watch it, it always reminds me of how much I miss David Jannsen and how good Andy Griffith can be. In my opinion, it is the best thing Robert Conrrrad ever did. It may also be the the best acting I have seen from Barbara Carrera. The continuing downer , however. of epics like this is the complete destruction of the native American's way of life. It was an inevitable event once the settlers started to move west but it never becomes easy to watch. The mind set of people in that era is almost incomprehensible in this day.
