The Hatfields and McCoys had a family feud that proved to be great for TV and the the History channel.
The miniseries about the two warring families shattered basic cable ratings records, according to Nielsen Company figures that History released Thursday. After three nights of clan clashing, Hatfields & McCoys reigned supreme as the top-rated entertainment telecast ever for ad-supported basic cable.
Parts one and two of the post civil war drama were at the top of the ratings charts with 13.9 million and 13.1 million viewers, respectively. However, it was the 14.3 million viewers attracted by Wednesday’s finale of Hatfields & McCoys that made the miniseries the No. 1 non-sports and non-news program ever on ad-supported cable.
The previously standing record shot down by the program was held by TNT’s 2001 Western drama Crossfire Trail, starring Tom Selleck and based on the Louis L’Amour novel.
Hartfields & McCoys was carried by a star-studded cast that included Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Sarah Parish, Mare Winningham, Matt Barr, and Lindsay Pulsipher. The miniseries is set for Blu-ray and DVD release on July 31st.
