Getty President John F. Kennedy with family, circa 1960s.
The History Channel’s eight-part documentary series about the life of President John F. Kennedy, titled ‘Kennedy,’ will debut at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Saturday, November 18, just days before the 60th anniversary of his assassination.
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The series will be televised on History Channel, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch ‘Kennedy’ streaming live or on-demand for free on DirecTV Stream or Philo TV.
Here’s how:
‘Kennedy’ Streaming Guide
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” History Channel is included in all of them, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch ‘Kennedy’ streaming live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Philo TV
You can watch a live stream of History Channel and 60-plus other TV channels on Philo TV, which comes with a seven-day free trial:
Once signed up for Philo, you can watch ‘Kennedy’ streaming live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the Philo app or website.
Compatible devices for the Philo app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast (compatible on Android mobile), any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Sling TV
If you’ve used up all your free trials, Sling TV is the cheapest way to watch a live stream of the series. History Channel is included in either the “Sling Orange” or the “Sling Blue” bundle, which are each just $20 for your first month:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch watch ‘Kennedy’ streaming live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
‘Kennedy’ Preview
The eight-part series will air over a period of three days. The first three episodes of “Kennedy” will be broadcast and/or stream on November 18. The next three will air on November 19. The final two will air on November 20.
The series is directed by 23-year-old Ashton Gleckman. Reviews suggest it takes a comprehensive book at President Kennedy’s life before, during and after he took the oval office.
JFK served 1,000 days, but his presidency remains ensconced in history as one of the most memorable. Kennedy was assassinated at the age of 46. That’s one detail most people remember about his presidency, but Gleckman hopes to dig much deeper.
“Kennedy” will look closely at the relationships the 35th President had. with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, former President Richard Nixon, Ted Sorensen, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Nearly 80 members of the Kennedy family were interviewed for this project. Notable interviewees include Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Conan O’Brien and Bruce Greenwood.
Actor Peter Coyote will narrate the docuseries. Producers include Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, and Robert Meitus.
“Kennedy:” What The Director is Saying
“Part of my mission from the beginning was getting far away from just focusing on people who covered JFK. I wanted to (interview) people who covered the time and the context of JFK to really create a full picture of that time period,” Gleckman said, via The Indianapolis Star.
“The second half of the show is crisis after crisis,” he added. “You probably become aware that more things happened in his 1,000-day presidency than typically happen in a four-year term or even an eight-year term. The amount of things happening, whether it was the Berlin Crisis, the Bay of Pigs, the Cold War brewing and the Cuban Missile Crisis, which nearly brought the world to nuclear war, it’s also a time of hope with 15 years after World War II, the baby-boomer period where all things seemed possible. When Kennedy was killed, we faced an awakening that things were about to take a darker turn. That’s what happened with the Vietnam War and everything else.”