It may not be like your family, but you come pointin’ guns in the direction of my wives and my kids. I’ll meet you at the door anytime.
Waco is Paramount Network’s new mini-series based on the true story of religious leader David Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas in 1993.
The mini-series arrives very near to the 25th anniversary of when the eyes of the world converged on Mount Carmel, a small religious community located just outside Waco, Texas. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) had just conducted a massive raid on David Koresh and his followers, known as the Branch Davidians. After what became the longest gun battle in U.S. law enforcement history, four ATF agents and six civilians were dead and dozens more were wounded. A 51-day standoff ensued, and the conflict ended after an FBI assault led to a fire that engulfed Mount Carmel, killing 76 men, women, and children.
What precipitated the ATF raid, and what transpired over the ensuing standoff, remains one of the most misunderstood stories in American history. Based on two biographies, Waco: A Survivor’s Story, by Branch Davidian David Thibodeau, one of the nine survivors of the final fire on April 19, 1993, and Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator, written by the FBI’s Head of Crisis Negotiation Unit Gary Noesner, the six-part scripted television series Waco will forever change the way the dramatic siege will be viewed.
Starring Taylor Kitsch (True Detective), Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), Demore Barnes (American Gods), Melissa Benoist (Supergirl), John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge), Andrea Riseborough (Birdman), Paul Sparks (House of Cards), Shea Whigham (Agent Carter), Rory Culkin (Scream 4), Julia Garner (Ozark) and Camryn Manheim (Extant).
The six episode mini-series kicks off today on Paramount Network (formerly Spike TV) at 9pm.
