Elegantly shot and relatively educational, John Adams is a worthy addition to the genre -- though its casting leaves something to be desired. Read critic reviews
John Adams (2008)
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Episodes
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1. Part 1: Join or Die
Air date: Mar 16, 2008
After the Boston Massacre, John Adams agrees to serve as defense attorney for the accused British soldiers; several years later, he joins the Continental Congress.
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2. Part 2: Independence
Air date: Mar 16, 2008
Adams nominates George Washington to lead the newly formed Continental Army; Thomas Jefferson drafts the Declaration of Independence; Congress votes to declare independence from England.
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3. Part 3: Don't Tread on Me
Air date: Mar 23, 2008
Adams and Jefferson visit France to gain financial and military support for America's Revolutionary War effort; Adams falls victim to an illness.
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4. Part 4: Reunion
Air date: Mar 30, 2008
John and Abigail reunite in Paris; he goes to London as America's first minister to Britain, then must deal with family concerns upon his return to Boston.
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5. Part 5: Unite or Die
Air date: Apr 6, 2008
Adams becomes the country's first vice president; the ongoing conflict between the British and the French strains Adams' friendship with Jefferson; Adams is elected president in 1796.
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6. Part 6: Unnecessary War
Air date: Apr 13, 2008
President Adams tries desperately to keep the nation out of war; Adams disowns his alcoholic son, Charles; Jefferson claims the presidency after Adams fails to win a second term.
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7. Part 7: Peacefield
Air date: Apr 20, 2008
While in retirement, Adams begins to write his memoirs, corresponds with Jefferson after a series of personal tragedies, and lives to see his son John Quincy become president.
John Adams: Miniseries Photos
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Critic Reviews for John Adams: Miniseries
Audience Reviews for John Adams: Miniseries
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History is a passion for me, especially in the United States of America. So, hearing about this I was incredibly interested in watching, but I was wary. I wanted to be sure I was prepared to see beyond the drama and focus on real events. It took some time and some learning, but I finally sat down and watched this and couldn't have been happier. This miniseries is an adaptation of David McCullough's Pulitzer prize-winning biography on the American Revolutionary hero. Often history has praised its strongmen and warriors like George Washington and his presidency but the others from the politicians have been told with respect with various men such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin earning praise. But John Adams has been acknowledged to a limited degree. Why? Irascible, obnoxious, and despite his reputation as a revolutionary was more conservative than the other more liberal men of his era. This drama brings to light most of his life from meager lawyer, revolutionary, and politician, to being the first vice-president to the second president of the United States to his final years of life with the respect and dignity of a real person. As well as for many other contemporaries of his time. Part 1 – Join or Die. John Adams' story begins as a humble lawyer who becomes a part of the legendary Boston Massacre controversy in which British authorities were assigned to the American colonies in the collection of levies due to the wars between the French and American Natives. But the taxes are unpopular as the wealthy and commoners protest but one protest threatens to become a rallying cry for revolution. Adams is against taxation and the presence of the military, but he represents law and order, and he fulfills his duty defending the British soldiers accused of causing what was known as the Boston Massacre. Yet despite the verdict, the British expanded their influence making the Massachusetts colony into a state of aggression that leads to revolution. Part 2 – Independence. Adams represents his state alongside his cousin Samuel only to endure the agony of bureaucracy and the tamer members of the Continental Congress seeking reconciliation. But the British want retribution for disobedience as the colonials' cries for independence leads to all the American colonies seeking a declaration of Independence. It is not an easy journey as John deals with war affecting his family as well as getting to know all the thirteen colonies' concerns. Thanks to a well-written document by Virginian Thomas Jefferson and the diplomatic mastery of Benjamin Franklin the declaration is written and approved. Part 3 – Don't Tread On Me. With the Declaration of Independence signed John Adams serves the continental Congress as a diplomat. Only it was not a job he is accustomed to. The French who are providing aid, do not provide enough in the eyes of Adams who abhors their decadence and arrogant superiority. With backstabbing and calamity an unsurprising occurrence Adams feels powerless all the while his family endures his absence. Part 4 – Reunion. After years of war and disappointment, the war ends in victory as Adams and his fellow men begin to shape their new nation, and the uncertain peace between themselves and the British takes hold when Adams himself becomes the first US Ambassador to the British. But years of being away from his country take their toll as he returns to a nation of thirteen states under a new constitution set to elect one man to lead them. While considering retirement he sets to repairing his home and in doing so he involves himself back in politics and becomes the first Vice President of the United States of America. Part 5 – Unite or Die. Though chosen to become the successor to the President and not President himself, Adams is burdened with a lack of work. Too little responsibility is stifling him just as too much responsibility is for an ordinary man. But he slowly gets used to his job as an arbiter between the growing power of other men. George Washington is the President of the United States representing no political party, but his Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton represents the Federalists who want a strong government and favoritism of the British model that has always been known. Whereas Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson represents the Democratic-Republicans who prefer a decentralized government and separate from the British model. This strain between the two cabinet officers comes to head with the French Revolution's near anarchy causing a war between the British and the French with Adams choosing neutrality instead of favoritism. But it is the very duplicitous nature of Hamilton and the uncompromising nature of Jefferson that eventually elevates Adams to the presidency, becoming the second man to do so. Part 6 – Unnecessary War. In what becomes his only term as president, Adams must deal with the aftermath of the election brought upon the leaders of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican party. War continues between the British and French while the respective party heads show their partiality. With the French reaction being beyond antagonistic that the president has no choice but to enforce methods that border on the preparation of hostilities. The Alien and Sedition act is passed as well as Hamilton became a military commander to lead the war. But the French Revolution appears to be ending with Napoleon Bonaparte's new kingdom and peace is at hand. All the while all his years of devotion to his country and the president endures problems with his family as it all comes to an end with war avoided, others that hoped for conflict deny Adams another term. Part 7 – Peacefield. In what amounts to the final years of his life, John Adams endures with the remaining members of his family as he re-enters civilian life with one of his sons dead, but as the quiet years of life continue, tragedy would follow naturally. First his daughter and then his beloved wife. But if these tragedies bring anything beneficial is a necessity for Adams to fix the pieces of his relationship with Thomas Jefferson, which endures to the end of their lives on the very day they created the institution that we know as the United States of America. Before this movie, I had always identified William Daniels as the defining actor to portray John Adams. Now it's Paul Giamatti, despite not being of the same ethnicity, he portrays John Adams as the great American who provided the foundation for the nation. But not just Giamatti, but the rest of the all-star cast from Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane, David Morse, Danny Huston, Tom Wilkinson, Rufus Sewell, and others create splendid performances. Truly a great film and a faithful adaptation of history. Well worth watching.
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Although scholars cite perhaps 1 to 2% inaccuracies in the entire series, and I see a few myself, the scope of this epic is fascinating and historically correct on all major points. This is one of the few series that I will never tire of. And one of the best representations you'll ever see of the American Revolution.
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I'm rewatching this in 2022 and WOW... The political parrallels to today hit you like a brick to the face. This could be an allegory for the current state of America if it weren't the actual history of the birth of our nation, which just makes it that much more haunting. The writing on this show is some of the best I've ever seen. It would have been easy to glorify the American revolution but instead it takes a much more nuanced, impartial, and wise approach. It wrestles with the passion and patriotism of the founding fathers and the brutality and exclusivity of their revolution. ************************************************************************** The acting is flawless. No one gives a bad performance, or fails to perfectly play out their roles. The chemistry between Giamatti and Linney is as endearing as the tension between Giamatti and Huston is biting. Wilkinson is in at the top of his game as Ben Franklin, devouring every scene he's in. The whole cast is delivering such great acting it alone would make this worth watching, but with such powerful subject matter delivered with this level of care this is something you just can't miss. If you've never seen it, or if like me you haven't watched it since it aired, do yourself a favor and watch it. It really is essential viewing for anyone who enjoys great story telling, acting, cinematography, or quality films or television.
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This is a masterpiece of film making. I respect all those men for having the courage to take a stand for their convictions.
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Worst movie I've ever seen -- such a drag.
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This series is excellent in almost every way. It could have been enhanced with more war scenes showing fighting during the Revolutionary War. Although I wasn't ecstatic to find out Paul Giamatti was the lead, he did a fine job.
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It's really good if you don't mind the two leads. Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti are not fir for the roles, especially given their slipping accents. It's distracting how often they change or revert back to modern American. Their dialogue is delivered in a stilted and unnatural way. While I can't say for certain how the real life Adamses would have talked, I'm sure it would have been slightly less stiff than that presented by these two actors. Giamatti acts rather like an angry buffoon than the statesman, and Linney's go-to style of acting is "look like I'm going to cry" and/or crying. The rest of the cast is really pretty good, and the costumes, set pieces, and music are really good. I'm not sure why they employed so many dutch angles... Instead of adding something to the scenes, they were oddly placed.
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I'm sorry, "elegantly shot"? I just had to comment on this statement in Rotten Tomatoes' summary. The excessive use of extreme dutch angles is only distracting and too frequent to have the desired impact on any scene which might have benefited from the technique if done elegantly. This blurb is all backwards. The acting was actually very good, especially Laura Linney.
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The key character was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence, although this is not apparent in this series. Benjamin Franklin takes much credit for things he didn't do. His personality made him too untrustworthy to be allowed to write the Declaration of Independence. This series could have been shorter as it seemed like a soap opera at times. John Adams turned out to be a very boring character. Abigail Adam's character does much to make up for this. Their bedroom scene lacks authenticity as they were shown naked instead of in nightgown & nightshirt which would be accurate for that era.
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An accurate and entertaining miniseries that covers the life of John Adams
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