The Kennedys After Camelot is an American Mini Series based on the book After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to Present by J Randy Taraborreli.
A follow up to The Kennedys, it deals with the Kennedy family struggling to move on from the deaths of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, and the legal troubles of Ted Kennedy.
Marks the return of Katie Holmes as Jackie with Matthew Perry, Alexander Siddig, and Kristen Hager.
It aired in April 2017 on Reelz.
Tropes for the series:
- Ascended Extra: Ted Kennedy only appeared in several cameos as a child in the original miniseries. Here, he's part of the main cast, with his fateful night at Chappaquiddick and his failed attempt to run for President in 1980 forming part of the backbone for the series.
- Awful Wedded Life: It's clear that Joan and Ted are not having a good marriage, with Joan having been driven to the bottle at the fact that Ted leaves her out of things as well as being aware that he cheats on her. With this in mind, no wonder they're divorced by the end of the miniseries.
- The Cameo: In the beginning of the series, Barry Pepper makes an appearance as Robert F. Kennedy as he is going through the kitchen after winning the California Primary and is shot and later taken off support.
- Character Death: Jackie succumbs to cancer in the final episode.
- Curse: Discussed as Ted is reading a newspaper that says that the family may be cursed but Jackie dismisses it, saying that Ted has to take responsibility for his actions.
- Dope Slap: Jackie gives Ted a good slap for his actions in Chappaquiddick, even telling him that if Jack was still alive, then he would have been disappointed in Ted.
- Downer Beginning: Begins with Robert F. Kennedy getting shot before being taken off life-support.
- The Film of the Book: Based on J Randy Taraborreli's book After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to Present in particular.
- Historical Domain Character:
- Jacqueline Kennedy, who is dealing with her remarriage to Aristotle Onassis and the loss of Bobby.
- Ted Kennedy, youngest brother of the Kennedy brothers, who struggles with being in the shadows of his older brothers and with his involvement with a car crash that killed a young woman.
- Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the Kennedy family.
- Morning Sickness: Joan is visibly vomiting from her pregnancy as Ted prepares to leave for Chappaquiddick, much to his annoyance.
- Outliving One's Offspring:
- Alexandros Onassis dies in a plane crash and his father doesn't take it well, accusing Jackie of bringing misfortune to his family and effectively ending their marriage.
- Ted later encounters a couple grieving over the loss of their child whilst in hospital for his own son. It's hearing about how they were unable to fund the proper care in time that convinces him to take up public healthcare as a moral cause.
- Period Piece: Takes place from the sixties to nineties.
- Plot-Triggering Death: The whole plot of the miniseries begins with Robert's assassination, with the rest of it being everyone else's attempts to deal with it.
- Riding into the Sunset: The miniseries ends with John Jr. getting on a plane and riding off into the sunset with his wife, all whilst an epilogue informs us that he is due to die in a plane crash two years later.
- Stalker Shrine: Jackie discovers one by her husband Onassis in the third episode which is covered in photos of herself. Naturally, she is disgusted by this, especially since to her, it implies that he only sees her as a thing.
- Taken Off Life Support: The beginning of the miniseries depicts Robert being taken off life-support, seeing as his injuries are too severe to support life. Ethel doesn't want to go through it, but is convinced that he would not be able to lead any meaningful life and goes through with the decision.
- Tragic Stillbirth: Joan miscarries as a result of the stresses she has to go through as a result of Chappaquiddick and is clearly distraught over it. Jackie in particular feels that It's All My Fault for asking her to go with Teddy in the first place.
