Why did the John Adams mini-series get so much hype?

[rhett o rick]

Why not Tom Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington or Tom Paine?

Although Adams did fight hard for the independence of the United States from Britain, after he became president seems to me that he acted a lot like George W. Bush.

He badly wanted religion to play a larger role in government. I believe he fought with Tom Jefferson about this as well as many other issues.
He had his own version of the Patriot Act which was actually four acts:
The Naturalization Act, The Alien Act, The Alien Enemies Act, and the Sedition Act. Under the pretense that these acts would make America safer, they were actually brought about to suppress political opposition of the Democratic-Republicans.
He did not support the Bill of Rights.
And he was famous for trying to appoint 250 of his Federalist friends as judges and other government officers, between the time Tom Jefferson (voted to succeed him) was elected and inaugurated. This was known as "The Midnight Judges".

The above facts are as I remembered them from history class. Corrections are welcome.

I would love to see a mini series about Thomas Paine, arguably the father of the American Revolution.

Also posted on: http://watercoolerwars.blogspot.com/

[SteppingRazor]

1. Because it was AWESOME!

I get what you're saying about Adams, as far as his politics once he became president, but the miniseries is really as much about Jefferson, Franklin and Washington as it is about Adams. And besides, enough has been written and filmed about those other guys to take up several lifetimes. Relative to them, Adams is something of an unknown quantity.

[Lex]

13. Yes indeed.

nt

[derby378]

2. I've only seen the first episode so far

It looks pretty damn good. My wife and I bought the DVD series for her dad last year for his birthday, and he loves it.

Paul Giamatti apparently pulled off an excellent performance as America's second POTUS.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I don't know why John Adams was picked ...

And I wouldn't call it hype, exactly.

The series was beautifully done, with great attention to detail and (I believe) historical accuracy.

I was riveted.

Join or Die...

I would love to see dramas on all those other folks, too...

Just sayin'...

[Lex]

14. It was picked because of McCullough's great book

on Adams:

[Warpy]

4. Your memory is correct, he's one of the early conservatives

who hadn't been quite conservative enough to support the King. Hamilton was another one, but I think Hamilton might have had a more beneficial effect than Adams did, given his pragmatism about things like banking.

The main things Adams had going for him from an historical perspective are his geographical location and Abigail.

[Fleshdancer]

5. The cast, the script, the set...all wonderful

I would love to see more like this created for other historical figures.

[LisaM]

6. I have no idea.

I was just glad it wasn't eligible for an Oscar.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. Excellent acting, writing, directing, musical score.

Yes, John Adams was a checkered character with good and bad points. So was Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, FDR and Lyndon Johnson. That doesn't mean they don't have good stories behind them all.

[rhett o rick]

9. Very good point. nm

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. It was because of that popular book, wasn't it?

I didn't read it. Struck me as a Bush era conservative wet dream.

[MichiganVote]

10. John Adams had the most foreign policy experience to bring to the office at the time of his term

The US was clearly a fledgling child and although John Adams was a Federalist, he was also very independent. His waterloo was the XYZ affair which led to an opening for the Jeffersonians to contest the four parts of the Alien and Sedition Act in several states. In fairness to Adams, when Hamilton called upon him to unleash federal troops against those who protested the parts that were considered tyranny, Adams declined.

Adams was brilliant in his way, he could write and did so daily, he could preach and practice law. He was tireless in the run up to and during the war of independence. He was not a well liked man as he was extremely opinionated and hated to share decisions. Cool to Congress and a maverick to the end in his own party.

Comparing his term to that George Bush is laughable.

[Occam Bandage]

11. I think because Adams was a very important and yet often overlooked Founding Father. nt

[rhett o rick]

17. And I think Tom Paine was more over looked and he was progressive. nm

[Occam Bandage]

23. There may well be such a market. nt

[El Supremo]

12. Because most talked like Irishmen.

Never could get used to that.

But seriesly, the book and the program were top notch. It got, what, 6 Emmys?

[cobalt1999]

15. Because history shows shouldn't be limited to the "best" folks

The good thing is, it shows that the U.S. will watch and like an intelligently done and historically accurate show.

[Alcibiades]

16. You're wrong about Adams

At least on religion. You should read "Moral Minority" by Brooke Allen, who sets the record straight on the founders' religious views.

"I mix religion with politics as little as possible."

According to Allen: "as he aged and developed (his views) became less and less doctrinare, even less and less specifically Christian." "by the end of his life Adams had abandoned all certainty on religious matters." He rejected the divinity of Jesus and the trinitarian godhead, staples of orthodox Christian belief. It's also claimed that he learned something from his attempt to institute a national religious holiday.

Although he was more religious than Jefferson, Franklin or Washington, when you compare him to the spirit of protestant evangelical Christianity, Adams seems almost agnostic.

[rhett o rick]

20. Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. I do not claim to actually know that much.

I like to get a discussion started, that's how I learn. I will read as you suggested.

[Alcibiades]

31. Here's the link on Amazon

where they have a preview, though your local library may have it as well. It's worth a read--one of the best popular books on the founders in years.

http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Minority-Skeptical-Founding-Fathers/dp/1566637511/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

[stray cat]

18. I haven't seen a good miniseries about the others you mentioned

If a miniseries hasn't been made about them then there is no hype for a miniseries. The Adams miniseries was well done and was actually made.

[fifthoffive]

19. Adams was pretty bitter

about his perceived treatment by his friend Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans. However, he wasn't exactly a favorite among his own party either.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were the product of Congress. Adams never vetoed a single bill. If I remember correctly, he was not particularly fond of the veto power.

Adams was actually a strong supporter of the Bill of Rights. He basically believed that the Constitution should have been based on the rights included in the Bill of Rights rather than having them attached as an after-thought. He was responsible for writing much of the Massachusetts Constitution and the Declaration of Rights for Massachusetts which included many of the provisions found later in the U.S. Bill of Rights.

Adams believed that religion (not any particular religion) could have an ameliorating effect on individuals and society. He was also well aware of the excesses perpetrated by religions intertwined with government and spoke vigorously against religion in government.

As far as the "Midnight Judges," Adams did appoint a lot of Federalist judges in the last days of his presidency following the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1801. The act was an attempt to correct the problem of having the Supreme Court justices riding circuits to review decisions made in the appellate courts. It was a legitimate problem, but the filling of the posts was handled poorly.

[rhett o rick]

24. I am impressed. I will read more about the Massachusetts Constitution.

I thought he often fought with Jefferson over the role of religion in government. Jefferson of course was a deitist. I see i have more to learn. thank you

wasn't the Judiciary Act of 1801 overturned by Marbury vs. Madison?

[fifthoffive]

25. I believe so, yes.

[PhilipDC]

27. Judges

Another point on judges. Adams appointed John Marshall to be Chief Justice ALSO after he lost the election to Jefferson. This was his greatest gift to the country. Marshall is considered as probably the most influential chief justices of all time--defintely the longest serving.

[azmouse]

21. I may be the only one who thinks that mini-series was crap.

It was incredibly dull and terribly miscast. I didn't even bother to watch the last 2 episodes. :puke:

[Lex]

28. you are right . . . you may be the only one

nt

[azmouse]

29. I dance to the beat of a different drum.

:)

[SteveG]

22. John Adams was a Federalist

Adams was a Federalist, but not nearly as staunch as Hamilton. One area you are quite wrong about, was that Adams supported religion. He was a Unitarian and did not believe in the divinity of Jesus. He wasn't as anti-clerical as Jefferson, but he didn't have much use for most organized religions (his letters to Jefferson when they resumed their friendship in their later years are very revealing about this).

Also, Adams was a patriot,and a man of real character, to compare him to Bush is disgusting. Bush's only patriotism was to the Neo-cons and the wealthy, and he lacks all character.

[rhett o rick]

26. I do appologize for the comparison to bush. I should have known better.

More than one person corrected me on the religion issue. I definitely need to do more research. Thanks for the info.

[Retrograde]

30. I'd like a series about Paine as well,

and Hamilton (read Chernow's excellent biography of him), and Aaron Burr, and James Madison and a lot of Revolutionary characters. And Jackson, and Polk, and Grant, and T. Roosevelt and Hoover.

The Adams series got the hype because it was well-written, well-produced and well-acted. Unlike most network television, it didn't talk down to its audience.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

32. Hmmmmm.... maybe because it was abolutely brilliant! And if you saw it, it wasn't about

making John Adams a hero, it was to tell his story and the story of the early days of our nation. This was taken from a very well written book and hopefully in the future we will have other movies about more founding fathers.