John Adams.... not the composer

You may or may not know I am a bit of a sap about American history. Though thoroughly jaded about the current state of American politics, I am completely, romantically enthralled with the passion and pluck of our fore-fathers, and a simple reading of the Gettysburg Address (yes I know, 100 years later) can bring me to tears. More on this around July 4th, I expect.

Anyway, why did it take me so long to discover the very excellent John Adams (HBO Miniseries)? Can those guys at HBO do no wrong?

The series, of which I have only seen three parts thus far, spans a great deal of time, from colonial strife to the Continental Congress, to the forming of the new country, the Revolution, and the early days of Presidency, focusing on that unsung hero, John Adams, portrayed brilliantly by Paul Giamatti. One of the most lovely aspects of the series is the relationship of Adams and his wife Abigail, again, played with subtlety and sensitivity by Laura Linney. Adams is a wildly intelligent, incredibly flawed man, and I for one am entranced by his every blunder, his constant internal conflicts, and his passion for this new world order. See it!