As reported by Indiewire, the doubled-down, chronological version was first aired on NBC in 1977 in a watered-down version the network called The Godfather: A Novel For Television. While controversial, this latest revision isn’t the first re-edit of Coppola’s masterpiece. This re-edited version is, understandably, controversial as it strays from the original sequence of the film that Coppola constructed. The Godfather Epic covers all of the same territory as the original movies, but it tells the story from beginning to end: from Vito’s childhood in 1902 all the way through to Michael’s ascent. However, there’s a big twist in this new version. The Godfather II - a rare mix of sequel and prequel - stands up to the original (against all odds), both delving into Michael’s expansion of the empire, as well as cleverly going back to the beginning to see father Vito rose from a kid in Sicily to a Mafia kingpin in New York City. The latter film, which received six Oscars, was the first sequel to win Best Picture.

The first film, as most will recall, details the complex tale of Vito handing over his powerful Mafia organization to his son Michael. Everyone stops watching once footage from Part III begins ( check out Mad Max: Fury Road instead).That’s certainly plenty of time to catch up with the Corleone family, led by Vito and - later, of course - his youngest son Michael.

HBO was wise to stick with The Godfather Epic. It’s not the longest Godfather chronological edit out there, however: The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980 combines the first two films, as well as The Godfather Part III, into one 583-minute flawed masterpiece. 23, comes in at 434 minutes, or just over seven hours. The Godfather Epic, which is available on HBO Now and will re-air on HBO on Jan. Enter HBO, which is airing the re-named Godfather Epic throughout January, complete with restored violence and footage that was cut from the theatrical releases.

But with the Saga‘s toned-down violence and frequent commercial breaks, not to mention how it aired over four nights, it’s not the way The Godfather and The Godfather Part II deserve to be seen. The Godfather Saga had director Francis Ford Coppola’s blessing (he reportedly said yes because he needed money to finish making Apocalypse Now). It follows Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone from his young immigrant days, where he’s played by Robert De Niro, to when he’s a crazy old man with oranges in his mouth. In 1977, NBC found some time in its busy schedule of Chico and the Man reruns to air The Godfather Saga, a massive seven-and-a-half-hour chronological edit of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.

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