I find it an excellent series as far as the story goes. I enjoy the glimpses in to history that this series gives. My favorite part is watching and listening to David Morse as George Washington. I think he is incredible. I wish that they would do a series on Washington with David Morse in the lead. I cannot add much to what the other people have said about the series but I want to add two observations.
First, I think that, in many places, they give a little more credit to Adams than he deserves. I know that he is regarded as the leader in the push for independence but I think this series even exaggerates that beyond the actual fact. Also, I am concerned about his leadership when he was president. I think that they make it much more powerful and important than it really was considering how history has looked at his presidency.
My second and hardest thing to get over in this series is the 'look'. I am reading a book called Max Quick: The Two Travelers. In this a couple of boys are transported in time back to 1912. One of the boys comments that the look of people in 1912 is different. He comments that if a few people from 1912 were transported to our time and mixed in with people from our time he could tell which ones were from 1912. This is the problem I have had with the John Adams Series from the beginning. There is something about the look of the people that just does not ring true. I cannot put my finger on it. I am not sure if it is the makeup or the dress or the language or the mannerisms but something is just not right. I think Paul Giamatti is the hardest to get get used to. I am not putting down his acting or his performance, it is just that there is something about his look that just does not sit right with me. The same seems to apply to most of the characters. They just do not seem like they live in the 18th century. As I mentioned above the only one that seems to pull it off is David Morse.
This is the only reason I am giving it 7 stars instead of something much higher. Otherwise it is a very good series. I recommend it to any fan early American history.
First, I think that, in many places, they give a little more credit to Adams than he deserves. I know that he is regarded as the leader in the push for independence but I think this series even exaggerates that beyond the actual fact. Also, I am concerned about his leadership when he was president. I think that they make it much more powerful and important than it really was considering how history has looked at his presidency.
My second and hardest thing to get over in this series is the 'look'. I am reading a book called Max Quick: The Two Travelers. In this a couple of boys are transported in time back to 1912. One of the boys comments that the look of people in 1912 is different. He comments that if a few people from 1912 were transported to our time and mixed in with people from our time he could tell which ones were from 1912. This is the problem I have had with the John Adams Series from the beginning. There is something about the look of the people that just does not ring true. I cannot put my finger on it. I am not sure if it is the makeup or the dress or the language or the mannerisms but something is just not right. I think Paul Giamatti is the hardest to get get used to. I am not putting down his acting or his performance, it is just that there is something about his look that just does not sit right with me. The same seems to apply to most of the characters. They just do not seem like they live in the 18th century. As I mentioned above the only one that seems to pull it off is David Morse.
This is the only reason I am giving it 7 stars instead of something much higher. Otherwise it is a very good series. I recommend it to any fan early American history.