"Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower," produced for the History Channel by Lisa Q. Wolfinger.

World Premiere, Sunday, November 19 at 8PM.

See TimePage.org Review below the fold.

I have been given the opportunity to review a new docu-drama from the History Channel called "Desperate Crossing." It is a new account of the Mayflower voyage of the Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts and the hardships endured by them in the New World. It is scheduled to be broadcast on November 19. I haven't viewed the movie yet but when I have done so I will update this entry and give you the low down. Keep checking.

Update
TimePage.org Review: I have just finished viewing the History Channel's presentation, "Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower," and I must say that I liked it very much. The well known story is of an English religious separatist group, the Pilgrims, who fled religious persecution and founded the Plymouth Colony in the new world of North America. It is presented in the familiar, History Channel narrated documentary style but the dramatic re-creation by the actors ( English, Shakespearian actors for an air of authenticity) blended well with the various added commentaries by both historians and topical experts. The period costumes and cultural demeanor of both the Pilgrims and the Native American actors seemed credible.

I appreciated the amount of time spent on the back story which explained how the Separatists got into such a state of mind that they would consider such a difficult endeavor in the first place. This is a part of the story that is often passed over in favor of the actual adventure that the Pilgrims faced in traveling to, and surviving in, this strange new land. There seemed to be an effort to tell the story in an even handed and historical way, rather than simply retelling the mythology that has made its way into American folklore.

If you are a history fan, and particularly if you are fond of early American history, I think you will like this presentation a lot. There are enough thought provoking ideas in the story to keep you engaged and enough excitement to keep you on the edge of your seat.

History channel link: Desperate Crossing website