American Crime (2015 …) is a first-rate series out of ABC, somewhat surprisingly, since its characters are more complex than we usually expect from the major networks. Like one reviewer observed, it seems much more like an HBO or some other cable original. My wife Nini and I loved the first two seasons, with different story lines each season. To our delight, we just read a report that there is going to be a third season.What I most like about the series is the way its characters are both smart and obtuse just like the rest of us. They are not stupid, as in, "How could anyone who's supposed to be that smart be so stupid?!" In American Crime, people misunderstand one another just as they do in real life: not from being stupid, but from not being sophisticated enough or just plain patient enough to consider all the angles in a complex interaction. American Crime is drama, and definitely not didactic. Yet it could effectively supplement an academic class on how people interact when under pressure in an unfamiliar situation.The mind does not naturally associate American Crime with another TV series, Lonesome Dove (1989). Yet a friend stimulated me to compare the two when he complained that the latter lacked a plot. In recognizing that he was right, and wondering why I had not experienced that as a lack, I realized that there is no plot in life. We do not usually die at the culmination of a project whose end coincides with our death and which gives complete meaning to our life. Admittedly, there is a narrative involved in driving cattle to Wyoming; but that just organizes the evolution of personalities who may or may not survive the movie. We become emotionally involved with them not primarily through any plot, but through who they are and how they relate to one another. Just like life. There may be various projects in our life, but not an overall, guiding plot. The same for Lonesome Dove. That is why Woodrow Call's (Tommy Lee Jones) taking Gus' (Robert Duvall) body back to Texas wasn't anti-climactic, which it would have been if the central engine of the movie had been a plot about their herding horses to Wyoming. The return of Gus' body was so exceptionally moving just because it was carrying forward something much more emotionally involving than a plot: the keeping of a promise to a life-long friend by a man who was left behind and facing the decline of his life.American Crime is not involving in that way, but depends more on plot. Its characters' mix of smart and obtuse is not so much emotionally involving as interesting, if you happen to notice it while following the action. But by showing the complexity of human interactions, and in a way that does not drown us in complexity by being explicit about it, it is an exceptional account of how we interact with one another.

I originally watched Lonesome Dove when it was first aired on British TV some 24 years or so ago. I remember thinking "phew, I'm really glad I caught this one" as I enjoyed it so much. However, time fades the memory and twenty odd years passed before I finally got round to buying the discs and watching it again. I had forgot most of the story and how compelling it was, however I knew I was in for a treat when I sat myself down to watch it. What a feast for the eyes and ears, I was disappointed when it finished as I had enjoyed this grand production so much. This is the biggest compliment I can give Lonesome Dove as there has been very few films in my life that have delighted me as much as this. The pace is just perfect, not hurried along like a 2 hour plus movie so it has a lovely feel and gives you a real sense of the bond the characters have for each other and the years they have spent together. The casting director deserves a pat on the back for bringing together such a fine bunch of actors, something you didn't often see in mini series at the time. Duvall; you just cant take your eyes off him here...you can tell he loved playing the part and it fitted him like a glove. Tommy Lee Jones was superb too, as was all the cast. It really was an epic made in heaven, everything married together perfectly. I loved the way the characters spoke (particularly Duvall & Jones),the script and dialogue was absolutely superb and never slipped up once. I love this old feel, all too often modern dialogue and words slip in to films set in the past. I enjoy a good western, there is a fine list to choose from and Lonesome Dove is right up there at the top if you ask me. A great six hours of entertainment and my favourite western of all time.

This has been one huge disappointment. From the comments I had read before ordering "Lonesome dove" I understood this to be one of the greatest western movies/miniseries of all times. But let's see: the dialogues are corny, the acting is stilted; the tone is uncertain, going from serious (rarely) to slapstick (much too often), as if the director could not decide whether to opt for drama or comedy. The only reasons I finished it were, on the one hand, that I had paid for it, and, on the other, that I kept hoping the thing would ultimately redeem itself. Hopes were dashed. Money wasted. I certainly would not recommend it.

Lonesome Dove is not only the best western ever but it's the best miniseries ever. It's one of my favorites up there with the godfather, shawshank, and the dark knight. It made me laugh, made me feel sad, made me feel scared, and excited. They stuck very close to the source material which is good because Lonesome Dove is hands down the best novel ever.All the actors are cast perfectly and play the roles perfectly. The movie is long but has no pacing issues. I would recommend reading the book first but if you don't it won't take much away from the experience.Lonesome Dove is a timeless classic that my dad showed me and I plan to show my kids too.