Customer Rating:  
Summary: the work of confederation drags heavily on...
Comment: As an Englishman hoping to learn something more about the historical ties between the U.S. and U.K. I found John Adams the miniseries to be a reasonable effort, but not without its flaws. I don't regard the time spent with it to be wasted, but I am, however, unlikely to ever revisit this miniseries as the direction swings from odd, to intriguing, to utterly incompetent with the frequency of a pendulum. Try hard as I may, weeks after I first saw it, I still cannot explain the logic behind staging a conversation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the subject of the French revolution, and filming it in such a way as to entirely obscure their faces from view, so that only their words can impart any meaning. If there's any truth to the argument that 90% of all communication is non-verbal, the director of this scene did his actors, his audience, and the historical legacy of the American revolution itself a great disservice by treating this project as nothing more than a venue for his misguided experimentation. Other reviewers have made mention of it, and rightly so. The direction of this series is nothing short of appalling. It is plagued by endless use of odd angles, including entire scenes viewed either upside down or from a bird's eye view (once again nullifying the actors' best efforts), and all of it for no apparent purpose.
Other drawbacks include the sometimes harsh and unpleasant content of the story itself. A British tax collector being tarred and feathered and a somewhat prolonged, though by no means explicit, scene in which Nabby Adams undergoes a mastectomy due to cancer. These are not failings on the part of anyone involved with the production, just a creative choice I would perhaps have made differently. I do not believe that uncompromising reality is always a good thing, especially where dramatic retellings of history are concerned. This series could have done a better job of balancing its obligations to historical accuracy with the need to create a widely accessible and palatable viewing experience. But I do concede that I'm probably just a little too squeamish.
Also on the topic of accessibility, I did find myself often thinking that, other than John and Abigail's gradually greying hair, some mechanism could have been employed to emphasise the rapid passage of time, as some episodes comprise events stretching over a decade or more. Brief captions to indicate an advance in years would have sufficed, yet were for some reason absent. This presumes a degree of foreknowledge about this era on the part of the viewer. So if you intend to learn about the American revolution from this series, you may want to familiarise yourself with the basics, especially the timeline, beforehand.
On the positive side, the acting is largely excellent, especially the portrayals of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Nabby Adams. There are, however, some poor performances in the earlier episodes during the debate for and against independence from Great Britain at the Continental Congress. I'm not familiar with all the names, but the overblown dialog sticks in my mind for the worst of reasons. I've no doubt these arguments were impassioned in real life, but they didn't come across well here. Ultimately though, that's a minor criticism. A major point to the credit of this series, however, is the soundtrack, which may be worthy of a standalone purchase.
Overall, it isn't bad, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it. Too many things aren't up to the standard that could reasonably be expected, and the direction really is a killer blow to this otherwise capable series. I've only seen comparable ineptitude behind the camera from Alex Graves on season 7 of The West Wing.
A final word to its credit is that it has inspired me to read a wonderful book titled "The Adams-Jefferson Letters, the complete correspondence", so I suppose this series must have made some kind of lasting impression on me. Ultimately it is entertaining and sometimes quite moving, and if you are prepared to invest some more of your time and money after the credits roll, it will continue to offer education on a remarkable period of history, for both America and Great Britain, to modern citizens of each. I hope you'll take the time because, despite all drawbacks, I'm glad I did.
Customer Rating:
Summary: John Adams
Comment: I have seen all episodes and highly recommend them to everyone who thinks they learn all they needed to know in History Class. This was so much richer in story and facts. Living in the general area I will definitely do some touring this summer. I loved President Adams conviction in liberty and freedom and the right for all people to have it. Also his lack of slaves was a very surprising fact. I also researched as I watched the series and learned so much more than I expected, I will be ordering the DVD'S and getting the book. I wish more meaningful series like this was on TV. This needs to be shown on regular TV for all people to see. Thanks to Mr. McCullough for writing this book and the producers for having the vision to make this series.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Superb - would have been better without tobacco use!
Comment: A terrific series with brilliant cinematography! I DO wish that the producers (Tom Hanks certainly had the say) had left out the use of the tobacco drug. We don't need smoking or other use of tobacco in ANY movie. Otherwise, a memorable series that everyone over the age of 12 should see! I understand that the DVD extras as really supposed to be something. I've already got my order in for the set.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Comment: I greatly enjoyed the John Adams HBO Miniseries. I am going to miss watching. I thought it was a wonderful depiction of life during this time period. Like others, this show made me more interested in learning more.
I intend to read the book that was based on the miniseries. I wish there more shows like this on TV that are worth watching. I also, thought that the acting was excellent and ofcourse Tom Hanks did a great job.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Glimpse of the Past
Comment: I'm not a big American history buff... but this movie was really interesting and I found myself in awe of those who fought so hard for our country. You don't see guts and bravery like that anymore. This movie made it so real to me, and not just some stories I've heard, etc. Everyone should see this movie.
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