The Wild West

This three-part 2007 BBC miniseries, co-produced with the Discovery Channel, focuses on a trio of legendary figures of the American West: General George Custer, Wyatt Earp, and William H. Bonney, aka Billy the Kid. The task, of course, is to separate the colorful mythology from the often disturbing truth, with archeological research and new forensic technology brought in to confirm or deny the wild stories connected with each figure. To its credit, the program offers invigorating re-enactments of historic events including the Battle of Little Big Horn and the shootout at the O.K. Corral, while fine actors—Britain's Toby Stephens as Custer and David Leon as the Kid, and Ireland's Liam Cunningham as Earp—do their best to exude the visceral passions of these icons. Ultimately, however, the series is somewhat disappointing, due in large part to being overly familiar—and, truth be told, many of the facts dug up here are not particularly remarkable. Still, this often entertaining diversion is likely to please Wild West aficionados. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)