History Series / Centennial

Even by the standards of the era, ''Centennial'' was among the longest and most ambitious of projects, with a budget of $25 million and a running time of more than 26 hours (with commercials) over its twelve episodes. And that's not to mention the impressive AllStarCast; see the Trivia page.

Even by the standards of the era, ''Centennial'' was among the longest and most ambitious of projects, with a budget of $25 million and a running time of more than 26 hours (with commercials) over its twelve episodes.

Then there's the huge AllStarCast, which includes Creator/MichaelAnsara, Creator/WilliamAtherton, Creator/RaymondBurr, Creator/BarbaraCarrera, Creator/RichardChamberlain, Creator/RobertConrad, Creator/TimothyDalton, Creator/CliffDeYoung, Creator/SharonGless, Creator/AndyGriffith, Music/MerleHaggard, Creator/MarkHarmon, Creator/GregoryHarrison, Creator/DavidJanssen, Creator/BrianKeith, Creator/SallyKellerman, Creator/AMartinez, Creator/StephenMcHattie, Creator/LoisNettleton, Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/LynnRedgrave, Creator/CliveRevill, Creator/ClintWalker, Creator/DennisWeaver, Creator/RobertVaughn, Creator/AnthonyZerbe, and Creator/StephanieZimbalist.

Then there's the large AllStarCast, which includes Creator/MichaelAnsara, Creator/WilliamAtherton, Creator/RaymondBurr, Creator/BarbaraCarrera, Creator/RichardChamberlain, Creator/RobertConrad, Creator/TimothyDalton, Creator/CliffDeYoung, Creator/SharonGless, Creator/AndyGriffith, Music/MerleHaggard, Creator/MarkHarmon, Creator/GregoryHarrison, Creator/DavidJanssen, Creator/BrianKeith, Creator/SallyKellerman, Creator/AMartinez, Creator/StephenMcHattie, Creator/LoisNettleton, Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/LynnRedgrave, Creator/CliveRevill, Creator/ClintWalker, Creator/DennisWeaver, Creator/RobertVaughn, Creator/AnthonyZerbe, and Creator/StephanieZimbalist.

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[[caption-width-right:220:Only the Rocks Live Forever...]]


A miniseries that aired in 1978-1979, during the heyday of TV miniseries, and based on the acclaimed Creator/JamesMichener novel. Just like most of his historical novels, the series follows the events set around a region of Colorado, starting the the formation of the land some million years ago! From there, it skips ahead to the beginning of western expansion. Characters and their long lines of descendants then make up the cast, as the story unfolds with the frontier they've made as their home becomes a trading post, then a cattle ranch, until a Western town slowly forms into a modern one, all over the course of two centuries.

Unlike most miniseries at that time, ''Centennial'' was possibly the longest and most ambitious of projects, with a budget of $25 million and rounding out at over 26 hours long! That's with commercials.

A miniseries that aired in 1978-1979, during the heyday of TV miniseries, and based on the acclaimed Creator/JamesAMichener novel. Just like most of his historical novels, the series follows the events set around a region of Colorado, starting the the formation of the land some million years ago! From there, it skips ahead to the beginning of western expansion. Characters and their long lines of descendants then make up the cast, as the story unfolds with the frontier they've made as their home becomes a trading post, then a cattle ranch, until a Western town slowly forms into a modern one, all over the course of two centuries.

A miniseries that aired in 1978-1979, during the heyday of TV miniseries, and based on the acclaimed James Michener novel. Just like most of his historical novels, the series follows the events set around a region of Colorado, starting the the formation of the land some million years ago! From there, it skips ahead to the beginning of western expansion. Characters and their long lines of descendants then make up the cast, as the story unfolds with the frontier they've made as their home becomes a trading post, then a cattle ranch, until a Western town slowly forms into a modern one, all over the course of two centuries.

Unlike most miniseries at that time, Centennial was possibly the longest and most ambitious of projects, with a budget of $25 million and rounding out at over 26 hours long! That's with commercials.

* {{Narrator}}: David Hanssen as Paul Jarrett, a modern-day descendant of the original settlers of Centennial.

* UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny

* MixedAncestry: Jake and Mike Pasquinel, and Lucinda [=McKeag=] nee Zendt. Lucinda's children Martin and Clemma, although only a quarter Native, suffer the stigma more than she does.

* {{Tearjerker}}: As the story takes place over many decades, new characters are introduced, become beloved, and eventually die.
** Also, anything having to do with the fate of the Native Americans.

* MixedAncestry: Jake and Mike Pasquinel, and Lucinda McKeag nee Zendt. Lucinda's children Martin and Clemma, although only a quarter Native, suffer the stigma more than she does.
* MountainMan. Pasquinel and Alexander McKeag. Sam Purchas is a less worthy example.

* MountainMan

* MixedAncestry: Jake and Mike Pasquinel

* ManifestDestiny

* AllStarCast

* KnightTemplar: Frank Skimmerhorn believes God has spoken to him, and tasked him with a "crusade" to eradiacte all Indians from Colorado.

* BigNo: Levi, on being told that he will be shunned