https://youtu.be/TyJMdoHaHyM
Between August 1992 and April 1993, the FBI and the ATF were involved in two standoffs that did not go well. The first was Ruby Ridge and we watched it all unfold on live television. The law enforcement agencies were heavily criticized about how they handled it, so you would think they would be careful if they ever got themselves involved in another standoff. The second time they screwed up even more, and this one went done Texas. Tonight at 10p, Paramount Network tells both sides of the story of what really went down in Waco.
In the first episode, they give us the background of David Koresh (Taylor Kitsch), the religious leader of the Branch Davidian, and his followers which includes his many wives and children. You see how they interacted together as a family, who believed very strongly in their faith and their leader. They were not harming anyone.
Also in that episode, we get to know Gary Noesner (Michael Shannon), an FBI hostage negotiator. He will eventually be brought in to deal with Koresh, but tonight he is focused on Ruby Ridge.
Next week, the episode takes place 6 months afterwards. The ATF is looking into Koresh because they hear that several weapons have been sent to the compound. They want to know why. There is also interest about why Koresh has multiple wives and how young they were when they married him. They send in Agent Robert Rodriquez (John Leguizamo) as a spy to learn more about them. Even though he went in undercover, he has grown attached to them.
The ATF has decided that they are ready to go in on February 28th, and they send in the troops to serve a search warrant. When a TV news cameraman unknowingly asks one of the member of the Branch Davidian for directions to the compound, the member warns Koresh they are coming. Koresh tells Rodriguez to call it off because he knows who is, but it is too late.
And that brings us the third episode with a shootout that leaves 4 agents and 5 members dead. As both sides try to recuperate after the gun battle, Noesner is brought in to negotiate with Koresh.
Then for the next 3 episodes, he will try to get them out peacefully. But as we know on April 19, 1993, it all comes to a fiery and deadly end.
For a month and a half, we watched as both sides waited the other one out on live television, but we did not know the whole story. Starting tonight, we will hear what really happened from someone who has inside knowledge. The 6-part series is based on a book by David Thibodeau, who is only one of the 9 survivors from that day.
For over 2 decades there have been a lot of questions of what really happened during the standoff. Who is at fault? The bureaus blame the Branch Davidians for it, but a lot of people are skeptical of that. This series makes you rethink what you know about Waco and it is a good thing. Because we need to make sure this never happens again.
Not only is Waco great because of the story and who told it. It is also great because of the cast. Kitsch has really grown as actor since Friday Night Lights and gives one helluva a performance. If you didn’t know it was him playing the title role, you never would have guessed it. Same goes for Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist and Camryn Manheim.
I recently watched an old telemovie about Waco and it nowhere as good as this limited series. This Paramount TV’s first scripted program and they are starting it off with a bang. No pun intended.
