Anyone watching "John Adams" on HBO?

[Desert Rat]

I'm learning a lot from this miniseries......very well done, in my opinion

[MyracleMan]

I've got it all on my DVR... just waiting for a chance to sit down & watch it.

[Jane Craig]

Impressive -- as anything with Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney would be expected to be. I really like David Morse as Washington as well. I thought the first two episodes were extremely well-done, right down to the details of costume and lighting.

That whole men-wearing-preposterous-wigs thing is just bizarre.

[Lazlo Toth]

I don't know. Worked for Wm. Shatner and Bruce Willis.

It's been excellent. I don't usually go looking for things on On Demand, but I saw snippets and then went to find the entire first two episodes.

[Sultanosurf]

Don't have time to watch right now, but I'm interested in how it matches McCullough's terrific book.

There were some nasty political divisions then, despite everyone's misty depiction of the Revolution. And the Adams story also reminds how important letters are in resurrecting history. Historians will have an interesting time with all our emails. Does anyone save them to the degree of letters?

[writer2]

off topic, shame on me.
But I'm loving it.
Visited Boston last year.
Second episode ended with the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Sent chills down my spine. Terrific!

[Jane Craig]

I tend to shy away from long biographies of Famous Dead People (manyof them are just ponderous), but the series is making me contemplate reading the book,

[Firestarter]

It is fantastic television. The major networks should get back to smarter programming. How sad that we have to pay 11 bucks a month to have access to a show like this---while at the same time offering the poor folk who get free TeeVee shows like "My Dad...." and "Are you smarter than..."

Good stuff, per usual from HBO.

[commercial hack]

I wanted to see it, don't have HBO. I guess I'll have to wait till it comes out on DVD.

[jrat33]

Am watching it. It serves two purposes... enlightens me on historical events and puts my two year old to sleep!

It's really well done. In the first episode, where they tar and feather the guy, I had to turn away. It just gave me the heebie jeebies.

[Tripe Face]

I read the book and loved it.

I too can't wait for the DVD.

Sultan's point about letters is very true. Martha Washington burned most of what George Washington wrote and what she wrote. So we don't know NEAR as much about his thinking about crucial issues that still affect this country as we do about Adams and Jefferson's thinking.
They both wrote constantly and those letters and other documents were saved.

[Clever Login Name]

I'm learning a lot from this miniseries......very well done, in my opinion

Uh, why don't you have your Giants Super Bowl DVD playing on a continuous loop like I, a true Giants fan, do?

And for those without HBO, I think they have a free preview weekend coming up ... I'll see if I can catch some of the series then. It will be hard to match the book, though.

[Lazlo Toth]

I wanted to see it, don't have HBO. I guess I'll have to wait till it comes out on DVD.

Have your friends tape it.

[Desert Rat]

[quote=Clever Login Name;367435]Uh, why don't you have your Giants Super Bowl DVD playing on a continuous loop like I, a true Giants fan, do?

:worship: :worship: :worship:

I just got my copy yesterday and checked it out, once again another stellar job by NFL Films...

I wonder if Mr. Rugen would like a copy of the NFC divisional playoff game highlights against the Giants. I would be more than happy to send him one.....you know just in case he forgot what happened.

[Pro]

OK, here's some spoilers: The revolutionists won the war. John Adams was elected as the second U.S. President. He got into a p*ssing match with Thomas Jefferson. They later made up and became great freinds. They died on the same 4th of July.

Now, you don't have to watch it. ;)

[Diplomat]

OK, here's some spoilers: The revolutionists won the war. John Adams was elected as the second U.S. President. He got into a p*ssing match with Thomas Jefferson. They later made up and became great freinds. They died on the same 4th of July.

Now, you don't have to watch it. ;)

You beat me to it.

[Stupid]

So far I've loved it. I have a question about David Morse's portrayal of Washington. What is the accent he's using? I can't place it.

[Sultanosurf]

I read the book and loved it.

I too can't wait for the DVD.

Sultan's point about letters is very true. Martha Washington burned most of what George Washington wrote and what she wrote. So we don't know NEAR as much about his thinking about crucial issues that still affect this country as we do about Adams and Jefferson's thinking.
They both wrote constantly and those letters and other documents were saved.

It really makes you wonder how we'll track the past twenty years. Anything intimately revealing will probably get a delete on both ends.

Then again, maybe letters were a luxury anyway. Did the Sumarians write home how their robes itched and how bad the chow was?

It'll be a loss, though. The Adams letters were revealing on both the highest and lowest level. And Washington's letters to his property caretaker were among the most detailed and anguished of the direst times in the Revolution.

[CKMD]

I watched it tonight.
We should all watch it...and join together to remember what we were built on, what they fought for, why it is important.
Amazing historical look at what was done, why it was needed and visions of the future.
Forgetting history only continues ignorance.

[Stupid]

I watched it tonight.
We should all watch it...and join together to remember what we were built on, what they fought for, why it is important.
Amazing historical look at what was done, why it was needed and visions of the future.
Forgetting history only continues ignorance.

Agreed. Liberty and freedom. We seem to have lost those principles. On both sides of our current aisle.

[TVShootist]

No .

[Stupid]

No .

You should watch it. It's well done television.

[Tripe Face]

It really makes you wonder how we'll track the past twenty years. Anything intimately revealing will probably get a delete on both ends.

Then again, maybe letters were a luxury anyway. Did the Sumarians write home how their robes itched and how bad the chow was?

It'll be a loss, though. The Adams letters were revealing on both the highest and lowest level. And Washington's letters to his property caretaker were among the most detailed and anguished of the direst times in the Revolution.

It's not just letters and written material.

Every new advance in technology for recording visual images deteriorates sooner than the previous. Paintings of George Washington are in much better shape that the Photos of Abe Lincoln and the earliest film of FDR is in better shape than any video recording of Truman or Eisenhower.
But those are presidents, every effort is made to save whatever there is of their legacy. That's not true of the visual images of other people and key events of their time.

Now think about your station's first foray into digitally recorded and stored images. How long will the software that allows you to view and use those first digital images be around?

And videotape isn't the answer. I've talked to the person in charge of my network's library... The video of the First Gulf War is deteriorating on the tape faster than the 16mm film used to record much of the Vietnam, Korean and WWII.

Let me ask you, how many of you have a 3/4 inch videotape of early career triumphs? Could any of you watch that today... even if you wanted? Even if there were a 3/4 machine hooked up to a tv in your building?

I don't know why tv stations don't invest more in library and archives personnel and equipment. They spend fortunes buying cameras and hiring people to get this video...it is practically their one tangible "product" and then a day after it's shot they treat it almost like old newpapers.

OK, I've gone way off topic here. Back to our discussion of John, Abigail, George and Thomas and the other original Liberal Elite.

[Sultanosurf]

Hey, the 3/4 stuff I might find a machine for, imagine all the stuff on Beta SX.

You don't think that compatible software will allow conversion of digital stuff? If not, I'm spending a lot of time to convert, and it'd be nice to know if it's going somewhere that' be accessible, or if I'll face the same problem all over again.

[Tripe Face]

Hey, the 3/4 stuff I might find a machine for, imagine all the stuff on Beta SX.

You don't think that compatible software will allow conversion of digital stuff? If not, I'm spending a lot of time to convert, and it'd be nice to know if it's going somewhere that' be accessible, or if I'll face the same problem all over again.

I know that where I work, some of the stuff we cut on Final Cut Pro isn't compatible with other Final Cut Edit bays... if the material is cut on a version of FCP that is NEWER, it won't be compatible with machines running an older version of FCP.

Then there is the problem of our bureau cutting on FCP and our other bureaus cutting on Pinnacle... so all their stuff must be converted before we can use it.

Oh, we have tons of Beta SX and SP machines... bring your stuff to DC... I'll convert it for the low low price of $250 a minute. Cash!

[Roy Hobbs]

I think Sandbagger is downing some Samuel Adams right about now...

[Clubbeat]

It appears to be pretty accurate, great costumes, sets and scenery, excellent script and very well lit & lensed.

On the accuracy part, it cleared up some confusion as to where the founders stood on a few issues, especially the one dealing with slavery.

HBO, once again, comes away with a winner!

[TVMattNYC]

LOVE it!

And I'm not surprised. Anything produced by Tom Hanks is pure gold.

Love Laura Linney. I keep waiting for her to slip into her Manolo Blahniks and into her condescending tone: "No, Nanny. No."

[Groucho Marx!]

off topic, shame on me.
But I'm loving it.
Visited Boston last year.
Second episode ended with the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Sent chills down my spine. Terrific!


If Anyone in Washinton had time to Read it!
http://www.geocities.com/california_state_unfair2002/groucho_marx_2007.jpg
...it would probably Send Spines Down Their Chills! too.

[CKMD]

LOVE it!

And I'm not surprised. Anything produced by Tom Hanks is pure gold.

Love Laura Linney. I keep waiting for her to slip into her Manolo Blahniks and into her condescending tone: "No, Nanny. No."

I liked her as well in The Truman Show. Great Actress.

I do have a question about the Pox scenes in Adams...why were they giving them to each other like that?

[TVMattNYC]

I liked her as well in The Truman Show. Great Actress.

I do have a question about the Pox scenes in Adams...why were they giving them to each other like that?

It was a crude method of inoculation.

[Spike]

Love Laura Linney. I keep waiting for her to slip into her Manolo Blahniks and into her condescending tone: "No, Nanny. No."

She completely convinced me of her talent with her minor role in Mystic River. She was freakin' scary and stole the movie as far as I was concerned.

I wanted to see it, don't have HBO. I guess I'll have to wait till it comes out on DVD.

Too bad you have scruples, because otherwise you might end up downloading it with bittorrent from an Italian server.

http://www.eztv.it/index.php?main=show&id=650

I'm just sayin'.

[CKMD]

It was a crude method of inoculation.

That's what I thought, but was unsure. Thanks.

[Mom]

I haven't been able to watch it as it airs but saw part 2 on HBO On Demand. I'm wondering why HBO On Demand doesn't have part 1? I guess it's a moot point now since I've already seen part 2 and the first 30 minutes of part 3.

It's wonderful. The first scene in part 3 when John and Abigail are in bed talking about his impending trip to France is enough to earn both of them an Emmy. So nicely underplayed and natural. I was riveted. The pox innoculation scene and the scene of cutting off the captain's leg on the ship are as graphic and gruesome as anything I've seen in a long time.

If you're a Laura Linney fan, I recommend "You Can Count On Me," a film for which she received an Oscar nomination. It co-stars Mark Ruffalo who is terrific in the film as well. And Paul Giamatti is, of course, brilliant in "Sideways."

I too, want to read McCullough's book now. But when I went to the library, surprise-surprise, all the copies were checked out.

[Desert Rat]

What I found quite interesting in Part 3 was the fact that America "passed the hat" at a French party for funds to finance the Revolution.

If this scene wasn't embellished for dramatic reasons who would have thought that America would end up passing the hat.

[Stupid]

It's easily Giamatti's best performance since Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton!

[Lazlo Toth]

What I found quite interesting in Part 3 was the fact that America "passed the hat" at a French party for funds to finance the Revolution.

If this scene wasn't embellished for dramatic reasons who would have thought that America would end up passing the hat.

Remember that America at the time was basically what is now the Eastern seaboard, not the great ocean to ocean, full of resources country you think of today. And it had just declared independence from its foremost trading partner.

[Desert Rat]

Agreed Lazlo,

But still, just the thought boggles my mind.....and I love the part where John Adams is handing out flags to the donaters.

"But he didn't donate" said John Adams...

"Give him one anyway" said Franklin....I laughed out loud at that..

[writer2]

Hot sex scene in the episode last night when John and Abigail are reunited after a long separation. Wow!
Must get a copy of their letters to one another. Understand they are riveting, since they were so often apart.

[Lazlo Toth]

Hot sex scene in the episode last night when John and Abigail are reunited after a long separation. Wow!
Must get a copy of their letters to one another. Understand they are riveting, since they were so often apart.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

[TAFKA wacowx]

I don't know why tv stations don't invest more in library and archives personnel and equipment. They spend fortunes buying cameras and hiring people to get this video...it is practically their one tangible "product" and then a day after it's shot they treat it almost like old newpapers.

No it's not...videotape is designed to be erased. Fine young reporters can help by 'cleaning' said tapes and then you don't have to worry about archiving.

;)

[Stupid]

Just finished watching episode 4. The scene with Adams and King George had me on the edge of my seat. The facial expressions and carefully chosen and measured words in their conversation were remarkable. The tensions portrayed by a very nervous Adams, and a king who seemed to be teetering on the edge of exploding at one point, then cool and collected the next, were brilliantly acted .

And of course, I couldn't stop my eyes from welling up at the end of the episode. I know, I'm a weak man for it.

Can't wait until next week!

[Jane Craig]

I agree with both w2 and Stupid. This show amazes every weeks and its understatement (especially the King George scene) is breathtaking.

[Lazlo Toth]

I kept thinking of the movie The Madness of King George as I watched that scene.

And I thought Abby was going to jump Tommy Jeffs any minute.

[Stupid]

Just watched episode 5... keeps getting better.

Jefferson's toast:
Jefferson: "To the revolution..."
Adams: "Whose?"
Jefferson: "They are one and the same, John! Are they not?"

Brilliant acting once again, and moving performances all around

[Desert Rat]

It didn't take Adams long to figure out that the Vice-Presidency was going to be very boring..

[The Fedora]

No it's not...videotape is designed to be erased. Fine young reporters can help by 'cleaning' said tapes and then you don't have to worry about archiving.

;)

now THAT was some funny stuff...

nice.

[Lazlo Toth]

Still excellent, but the mastectomy scene was a little hard to watch this week.

[Tripe Face]

I see that the DVD ships in two months 6/10/08 $59.99 from HBO. Probably less from Wal-mart and Target.

Can't wait

[writer2]

Still excellent, but the mastectomy scene was a little hard to watch this week.

The doctor: "Are you ready, my brave girl?"

I cried buckets during the final episode.

[Almost Virga]

... yup ... getting old is a b....

[MyracleMan]

No it's not...videotape is designed to be erased. Fine young reporters can help by 'cleaning' said tapes and then you don't have to worry about archiving.

;)

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Where's Mr. Fast Guy when you need him!

[The Fedora]

that was a GREAT mini-series!

Loved every minute of it...

[MyracleMan]

Got it all on the DVR; haven't had a chance to watch any of the episodes yet.

[Pro]

Is Paul Giamatti a brilliant actor or what? Clear off a space on a shelf, Paul, an Emmy's heading your way, no doubt about it.

[MyracleMan]

Hate to bump just to add, but I have to say...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I was sick for a few days this last week, and spent the better part of those two days watching this miniseries.

I absolutely loved this miniseries. The most singularly brilliant work of Paul Giamatti's career. Laura Linney was wonderful as Abagail Adams, as well. She, such a strong and humble woman, him, such a steadfast, strong man.

I love how John addressed each letter to Abagail... "My Dearest Friend..."

I had no idea the family suffered such tragedy... one daughter lost to cancer, one son lost to the alchoholic ravings of his own mind.

And the shots of the still-under-construction White House in the still-rural Washington D.C.... I cried buckets at the end: "Thomas Jefferson outlives me."

Well written, lit, lensed, and acted... I see awards in Giamatti's and Linney's futures!

[Murphy Brown 2003]

John Adams won 23 (well-deserved) Emmy nominations, including nods for Paul Giannati and Laura Linney in the lead category and for the actors who played Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington in supporting.

[jrat33]

Hate to bump just to add, but I have to say...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I was sick for a few days this last week, and spent the better part of those two days watching this miniseries.

I absolutely loved this miniseries. The most singularly brilliant work of Paul Giamatti's career. Laura Linney was wonderful as Abagail Adams, as well. She, such a strong and humble woman, him, such a steadfast, strong man.

I love how John addressed each letter to Abagail... "My Dearest Friend..."

I had no idea the family suffered such tragedy... one daughter lost to cancer, one son lost to the alchoholic ravings of his own mind.

And the shots of the still-under-construction White House in the still-rural Washington D.C.... I cried buckets at the end: "Thomas Jefferson outlives me."

Well written, lit, lensed, and acted... I see awards in Giamatti's and Linney's futures!

The series didn't touch on the child that was still-born.

[Murphy Brown 2003]

The series didn't touch on the child that was still-born.

They mentioned that Abigail was pregnant with her, but then never said another word about it. Their biographies say they named her Elizabeth and it was quite a loss for both of them.

[Another OMB]

I just wanted to thank all of you for starting and contributing to this thread. I had read the book and thought as I read it that it would be awesome as a mini-series.

Because of the great response on here, I got the DVDs of the series, since we don't have HBO.

Like you, MyracleMan, I got to watch some of it while I was sick at home two days this week. I only got to see parts 1 and 2, but loved them!

I kept thinking that school children should see things like this (maybe edited somewhat) to bring history to life. I love it, but I love history anyway. It just boggles my mind how difficult everyday life was back then--things we take for granted today.

And the tar-and-feather scene--wow. I remember reading about people being tarred and feathered and seeing drawings, but it seemed like a funny prank. I never thought about the pain of having hot tar poured all over you!

[Another OMB]

Forgot to add one thing I kept thinking as I watched: John Adams has got to be our most underappreciated Founding Father. No coins or currency with his image, no states, cities or buildings (as far as I know) named after him. What gives?? Where's the love?

Even Jefferson called him the "Collossus of Independence" for being the leading voice in the Continental Congress for independence.

[Tripe Face]

I put this on my Blockbuster.com queue and just watched parts 1 & 2.

It's everything you all say it is and more. I read McCulloughs book and it was wonderful... but the miniseries really helps you understand completely what these folks were doing.

I really like how Adams recognizes, with Abigail's help, his own faults and tries to overcome them, or at least not let them get in the way of his goals.

I'm encuraging my son who is taking AP US History to watch it too... I can only imagine how much it will help him understand what he's studying.

[Murphy Brown 2003]

I put this on my Blockbuster.com queue and just watched parts 1 & 2.

It's everything you all say it is and more. I read McCulloughs book and it was wonderful... but the miniseries really helps you understand completely what these folks were doing.

I really like how Adams recognizes, with Abigail's help, his own faults and tries to overcome them, or at least not let them get in the way of his goals.

I'm encuraging my son who is taking AP US History to watch it too... I can only imagine how much it will help him understand what he's studying.

Keep watching, it just gets better. It's an amazing miniseries with great insight into our forefathers and the early legislative process, for better or for worse. On a personal level, I particularly love Adams's relationship with Abigail, looking to her as not only a wife but an advisor. At that time in history, it says a lot about him.

[Desert Rat]

The art of politics was the same then as it is now...that's the one thing that stuck out in my mind.

[Murphy Brown 2003]

John Adams broke an Emmy record tonight by winning (with last week's wins) a total of 13 Emmys, including one for writing, one for Paul Giamatti, and one for Laura Linney for lead actor and actress respectively.

[Another OMB]

John Adams broke an Emmy record tonight by winning (with last week's wins) a total of 13 Emmys, including one for writing, one for Paul Giamatti, and one for Laura Linney for lead actor and actress respectively.

Very well-deserved! I'm so glad to see something of this quality, and especially of this subject matter, be awarded so handsomely.