John Adams

Based on David McCullough's bestselling biography, 'John Adams' chronicles the early years of the United States of America, with special focus on its second president, his family, friends and colleagues.

Paul Giamatti plays John Adams with breadth, depth and gritty conviction, while Laura Linney is fantastic as Abigail, his devoted wife, friend and loving critic.

The complexities of the human relationships involved in the formative years of independent America are deftly portrayed, as are the huge differences in the transport, communication and medical knowledge that existed at the time.

The English are definitely portrayed as 'baddies', but never in a caricatured manner, and John Adams' meeting with the English king is particularly illuminating.

The last years of John Adams life are detailed and measured in pace, as the once vigorous participants in America's independence grow old and die. Often sad, but never maudlin, this is the most successful part of the series.

History is not my strong point, and American history even less-so, but I feel like I know a little more after the 7 hours I spent watching this series, and hope there will be others like it produced in the future.
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