Mroto1017

Agreed. And let's not forget that they were cramming in a lot of details for a microseries.

kuifje_007

I saw this series and I love it! Although I am from Holland, I am very interesting in the American History and thanks to the series John Adams I learned how USA was founded, who made the Declaration of Independence, the first three and the sixth presidents, The White House and the war against England and France.

John Adams seemed to me a honest person who wanted to do everything right to the American people. Despite his effort many people disliked him. The first 7 presidents of USA were presidents all for 8 years except John and his son John Quincy. I wonder how comes this? John Quincy also seemed to me a good president, maybe to be too modern. I find John Adams earned to be elected his second term as a president but I think he had very bad luck he had Thomas Jefferson as his oppenent, who also were very important for USA.

Ashiusx

HBO should a similar show but on Paine. Paine's life is screaming for a movie or a TV series.

''[Paine] lived a life that would make the cheesiest Hollywood screenwriter blush in frustration.'' Jon Katz

tjadams

I just don't think the viewing audience would be that big for it.

Ashiusx

Come on man. He tried to run away to join a privateer crew led by Captain Death ( yes that is his real name). It doesn't get any better than this. Paine almost joined the crew but his father stopped him. It highly likely Paine would have been killed if he joined since the ship had a disastrous altercation with a French Vassal nearly all crew members were killed. Paine ran away again to be privateer in a vassal called King of Prussia but gave up being a privateer after a few months.

Rongo

Welcome to the forum! Yes, it was a great series. I have to say I never liked John Adams much until I saw the series. It gave me a new perspective on him.


John Adams came very close to getting a second term though. I think if it hadn't been for the Alien and Sedition Acts he probably would have got it.

Mandate of Heaven

I wish HBO would do a series on Hamilton. His life is as dramatic as anyone of his generation, and definitely most interesting. Imagine a masterful presentation of the Hamilton-Jefferson feud. That would be like a Titanomachy!

tjadams

If a Hamilton one just had to be done, maybe keeping it to two parts would make it appealing.
Hamilton lived into only his late 40s and was out of the national scene by 1795. The highlight
of the series would be his part in getting Jefferson elected president and of course, the famous
duel would end it. For any chance of holding and audience's attention, it would have to have
a lot of Washington, Adams and Jefferson cameos to prop up the show, whereas those three
wouldn't need a Hamilton to support their series.

Mandate of Heaven

There are too many high lights. From his poverty-stricken childhood in the Carribeans to the highly conservative royalist King's College. There is dramatic irony for anyone. Then his generalship in the revolutionary army. Constitutional Convention where he shocked everyone by advocating life-long dictatorship. The ratification process where he wrote the collasal Federalists. And of course, his striving mightily against Jefferson, whom he not only had great ideological differences, but sibling rivalry of a sort to win the favor from Washington. And of course, Hamilton won handily on that. And lastly, the dramatic end to his life, the duel with Aaron Burr. Things befitting of Aeschylus' tragedies.

tjadams

^True, but thats' a lot of talking and only brief respites of action.
Hamilton didn't write the volumes of a Jefferson or Adams, of course having
a shorter life does limit the output, but there just isn't enough material to create a long
series on the size of the Adams episodes. Adams had the nice historic backdrop of
the Dec. of Ind. and all the characters within, the Boston Massacre backdrop, the time
as diplomat to England, the time as Vice president, then president, and add in his strong
wife's presence and then kick in having a son become president. That's a lot of nice material
to make into seven episodes. I don't see Hamilton having that much to go on other than a
two parter and with a lot of made up dialogue.