The Awakening Land

This mini series was based upon a series of books, The Trees, The Fields and The Town, by Conrad Richter, who also wrote A Light in the Forest. I am in the process of re-reading them, and I 'see' many of the scenes I remember from the show.

This mini series was also one of my favorites, I keep wishing that it would be released on Video/DVD.

Elizabeth Montgomery did a good job of playing "Saird", the woodsy who was responsible for building a town. Hal Holbrook was believable as the Solitary. What surprised me was reading that William Macy played Will Beagle, the Bound Boy.

How many mini-series have generational staying power? Roots? OK, what else? In my case "The Awakening Land" stands by itself in this regard. The characters may be fictional, but they're woven so well with the known history of the region and era that they *might be* real. For my money this stands as perhaps Elizabeth Montgomery's most enduring performance. Its certainly the one I'll remember her for.

Elizabeth Montgomery gave a surprisingly impressive performance in this story from a rarely covered period of US history, back when the edge of the American frontier was just over the Appalachians. In the unlikely event that this is ever shown again or otherwise becomes available, don't miss it... and let me know so I can see it again.

To put many previous posters out of their misery, I'm happy to say that this magnificent mini series is now available on DVD. It is not cheap, but for something which will be watched over and over again, it is worth it.

I have had it on VHS tape (complete with commercials) since it was first shown and have watched it whenever I want to recall the winter nights when we would curl up in front of the fire and wallow in a few nights of great TV.

The series beautifully recreated what must have been a hard life for the early pioneers as they pushed the frontier further and further west. I particularly loved the 18th century dialogue and the rustic frolicking at the wedding of Sayward and "the hostile", after the failure to marry him off to an available spinster. the storyline which saddened me the most was that of the teacher, a refined and educated woman who fell in love with the only educated man in whom she had any contact with. How desperately lonely her life must have been.

The lovely songs, although few, added greatly to the atmosphere. They sure don't make them like this any more.

I enjoyed this miniseries so much when I was a teen. It was great, seeing Elizabeth Montgomery's real talent, so much more evident than in "Bewitched." I read Conrad Richter's trilogy and it was good to imagine the characters in the stories.

Later, when the Internet was available, I found a company in California that had "The Awakening Land" for sale, converted from VHS tape to DVD. They did advise me that the picture would not be very sharp (not HD) but they had it without the commercials.

I gladly paid the price they asked, and I watch it occasionally when there isn't anything worth watching on TV. A wonderful story of pioneer life, how they struggled and made good.