It took me a while to watch an episode of this new show, from Canadian writer Paul Haggis and his partner Bobby Moresco, because it was dropped into the time slot held by Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

I guess it was a bit of a tantrum.

But having watched all the episodes aired until now, I can say that it is great television, albeit very intense. Read more about the show in this week’s Channel Changer.

In an interview with reporters, Haggis mentioned that calling the show The Black Donnellys was a reference to the Canadian Black Donnellys, the family that got caught up in the notorious feud in Ontario.

My first memory of the historical Black Donnellys was a paperback – a true crime type publication – that I remember seeing in the possession of my uncle, J, when he was a teenager.

The feud was tied up in a land dispute, but was also reflective of the tensions among the Whiteboys, Blackfeet, and Orangemen factions from Ireland.

These themes are certainly reflected in the television show.

Don’t stress too much if you haven’t caught an episode, though, as NBC is replacing The Black Donnellys with a reality show starting April 23.

Still no word on a return of Studio 60, either.