John Adams - B+

This HBO miniseries aired in March and April 2008 and was nominated for 23 Emmys (most this year) this past week. It’s based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by David McCullough and stars Paul Giamatti as the 2nd U.S. President and Laura Linney as his wife Abigail. There are seven parts (now on DVD) span from Adams defending British soldiers from the Boston Massacre in 1770 to his death in 1826 . . .

For history junkies like me, quality shows (or movies) like this are rare. Everyone from top to bottom speak intelligent, often witty dialogue. Characters’ motivations are quickly yet perfectly laid out. The famous founding fathers are well-played by David Morse (George Washington), Tom Wilkinson (Benjamin Franklin), and Stephen Dillane (Thomas Jefferson). It’s great to watch the strengths of all the men used to their full effect to support such a complicated and tricky endeavor. It's also great to see one of the lesser-known founding fathers finally get his day in the sun.

The music by Joseph Vitarelli is obviously inspired by Last of the Mohicans, but is still as dynamic and rousing has anything heard on television in recent years. There are too many tilted camera angles by director Tom Hooper, but the sets/costumes/locations are impressive. There are several moments of R-rated violence, from a realistic tar-and-feathering, to kids with small pox, to a squirm-inducing leg amputation. And that’s just the first 3 episodes. At 501 minutes, I haven’t squeezed the time in to watch it all yet, but if you’re inclined to watch historical dramas, the founding fathers have never been done as well. B+