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HBO's mini-series on JOHN ADAMS in a single word was just 'awesome'! The fact that they actually spent adequate money to produce this, plus cast great actors and really make this a unique story that embodies much of Adams life is just astonishing that truly makes History interesting and educational. I also found it quite interesting that two of the key figures in the signing of the Declaration of Independence (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) not only died exactly 50 years after the signing, but they also happened to die ON July 4th, which is the precise date in history 50-years later in 1826....what are the odds?

So what makes this mini-series so great?

Well, first is the fact that it's not treated like a documentary NOR does it try to squeeze a large chunk of history into 7 parts. Rather the treatment of John Adams life is done so through his perspective on the major events in history, yet at the same time the series has gaps in time that are paced in a slower manner rather than attempt to do several history lessons in 8 or 9 hours. By doing so we are taking through pivotal moments in American History through the lens of one of the most important keystone figures in all of that - Adams. Most people are unaware of the link that he provides to Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin, and just about every-other important figure of that era, plus he is uniquely linked to the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Signing of the Declaration of Independence (he convinced Jefferson to write it), The Constitution, and was also highly responsible for treaties between France and England. There is no doubt that Adams was largely responsible for carving out the initial framework from which we [Americans] still stand today.

There was also a price to all of this, which the series also brings forth in the emotion that is conjured up over years and years of Adams life as he was away from his wife and kids, there is a passionate scene in which Abigail Adams reconvenes with her husband in France after MANY years apart, it is in this scene that they look at each other with some distance as if they were looking at each other for the first time, then moments later as Adams is showing his wife the many rooms of the house he lives in there is a non-verbal communication happening here as the two are in many ways falling in love again, they are re-connecting a lost tie. Moments later Adams is returning to American soil for the first time in many years with Abigail and all of his kids are waiting for him, though they are now adults and he looks at them and realizes in this single moment that time has escaped him and that he has sacrificed MUCH for America and the price was his family and not seeing them grow up before his eyes.

Towards the end of the series there is yet another great moment that some may overlook. Adams and Thomas Jefferson were quite close in the early days of the Nation and eventually were President and Vice-President together, although they quickly had a falling out after the first term, which lead to a bit of rivalry and semi-hatred of one another. Their opposing beliefs became apparent and they went their separate ways. However, late in years Adams and Jefferson begin to write to one another again and they end up forgiving and forgetting their past and re-establish a close connection via letters. This is truly a great moment in this series as both men choose to let their opposing views rest to the side, while they accept friendship through their encouragement to one another through letters, this all happens once Abigail passes away and Adams begins to seek comfort through the letters of Jefferson, who is without a doubt the only man who understood Adams fully.

Unlike many mini-series this one has some amazing depth and scope, yet at the same time chooses very carefully on what it wants to focus on and really encapsulates the complexity of John Adams, while at the same time painting a very vivid picture of an early Nation being formed and the pains of that process. The production value here is very key as makeup and constume are top-notch considering we end up seeing about 85 years of history altogether. The casting is superb with Paul Giamatti as John Adams and Laura Linney as his wife, plus David Morse plays an exceptional George Washington. All of the casting is top-notch here! The other key factor was getting a cinematographer who understood how to capture not only history being re-created, but also the feel, the look, the emotions....Tak Fujimoto, who has lensed other important films and his most notable being the modern classic SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. His work here is astonishing and sets this mini-series apart from the crowd. Together with all of these factors this is easily one of the best mini-series EVERY produced.