Legends & Lies

The way that they portrayed Grant was so historically inaccurate. Kilmeade and o'Reilly Are NOT historians and should just stay quiet, keeping their revisionist history to themselves.

This series is ironically named "Legends & Lies," for it not only perpetuates lies and myths but it is notable for its many important omissions. In fact, it is on the level of a school book primer. For example, the episode on Jesse James doesn't mention his association with a KKK-like white supremacist group for which his robberies were fund raisers. This is a glaring omission and reveals the lack of knowledge of its writers, narrators and researchers. If you don't know about this side of James, you know nothing, because it was his sole motivation before, during and after the Civil War - to help this organization create a slave empire and see the South rise again. It did not mention his joining Quantrill's Raiders, either - a vicious and barbaric guerrilla group noted for its atrocities. Nor did it mention the millions in gold he'd accumulated to fund his cause, which is reputedly still out there to be found. Also not mentioned - terribly important - is the fact that the man buried as James looks nothing like him and was just a fall guy enabling James to make a clean escape from justice. Just examine the photo of the man said to be James in death and compare it to his known photos and you can see this for yourself. Yet O'Reilly and his associates seem totally unaware of this side of the story. I could go on but I think I've made my point. And this kind of thing is true of all the episodes I've seen so far - but I have another gripe, too. The acting is horrible. (Likely non-union, by the way.) It is so corny as to distract from the story and present an inaccurate picture of true events. The narration is monotone and often overshadowed by the overly loud background noise and annoying music score. This series is the worst of all supposed Western era expose shows popping up everywhere on cable TV these days and - shame on you, Bill O'Reilly - reflects a lack of proper research and respect for the documentary genre itself. This is sophomoric stuff, to be kind, with the pompous pretense of presenting much more. There is much more to reveal but this show doesn't begin to get at the truths rarely told about the legendary characters it chooses to showcase. In fact, I haven't seen one new fact presented on this show. This series is just a dull rehash of familiar and faulty fairy tales.

I didn't see the first season, but only the two following ones. What's striking to me is what has already been expressed a few times here. It pretends to go beyond the common narrative. But in fact, it totally gives in to the common narrative! And doesn't go any deeper. It's well made and it's good, but only skin deep. The title is only a pretense, a bait. I don't dislike O'Reilley. He's the type of guy whom you can call "wholesome". He comes in all square. The series here are the same: no subtleties, but interesting nonetheless and fun to watch.

I was very disappointed in the Jesse James episode of Legends & Lies, as were other Missouri residents I've spoken to who know his history better than most. WHO were your "experts?" People from places I've never even heard of. Not one from Missouri. Was there any contact with personnel from the James Farm, where there is an extensive museum with extensive information on - Jesse James. No. And what about the law enacted in Missouri that "barred from voting, civil offices, and even the pulpit anyone who could not swear that they had not engaged in any one of a list of 86 forbidden acts of rebellion." (cited from the American Experience website at www.PBS.com) In other words, men who had fought for the Confederacy. It wasn't even mentioned. And Zerelda as a driving force in what made them bad guys? Really? And it wasn't mentioned, as is cited in another review, that Jesse and Frank rode with Quantrill and his raiders, which is a HUGE oversight. Poorly done and sadly researched in my opinion.

When someone claims to be dispelling histories lies it would be best if they had information to offer that would bring the truth to light. Unfortunately, this show, which I was eager to see, only perpetuated many of the problems with historical research of the old west. Bill makes claims that are supposed to be laying down the truth for all of us in the dark. Problem is, he merely takes a point of view on an issue that is still undecided by both historians and historical information and proclaims it to be established fact now that he has said so (Thanks Bill, glad you could do that for us!).

How does Bill O'Reilly know more about Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp than the hard working researchers who have dug and dug in order to bring forth the most information possible to this point? Obviously he doesn't, but the problem is that this doesn't stop him from delivering his claims with bloviating conviction.

If a person watches this show for entertainment, great; there are a lot of westerns I enjoy that are factually mistaken. But if you watch this to learn something, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, for your sake and the good of our collective community intelligence, do no repeat what you see on this show and assume you are passing along wisdom.