John Adams (2008)

Based on David McCullough's tome John Adams, this same-titled TV miniseries delivers an exceptionally good historical portrayal of the life and times of John Adams (Paul Giamatti), his wife Abigail (Laura Linney), and our nation's founding fathers (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and others). We see John Adams as a highly principled soul who so clearly believes that man is to receive impartial justice through the rule of law that he risks his legal career to defend the British soldiers who fired on a street crowd in Boston. We also see Abigail counsel her husband on the most effective summation by tempering his pride. Through every stage of the mounting revolution to securing America's freedom through the Declaration of Independence, Adams is at the center of the intellectual and political fray, even to being elected the second U.S. president. We witness John and Abigail moving into the White House while it is under construction, even as they pause on the portico to survey the ranks of slaves who are building the nation's capitol. Every scene in this series is masterful and many are memorable -- so much so that the book and the DVDs are becoming a part of my library. 4.5 stars. (5-11-2010, posted 3-16-2016)