John Adams Episode 1

I finally convinced the wife it was time to borrow something a bit more substantial from Netflix and I am very excited about it! We are watching “John Adams” the HBO mini-series about one of our nations most overlooked founding fathers. But this is a conversation about the quality of the television episode and not historical significance.

I really enjoyed many aspects of this first episode. I love the musical score of this series; it manages to be uplifting and engaging without overusing the trite continental music themes of pipes and flutes. I am also keen on the way the show portrays the relationship between John and Abigail Adams. He relies on her opinions, respects her as an equal, and is obviously moved and saddened when he must leave her to go to the first Continental Congress. I believe the way they portray the city of Boston is very authentic as well, which as a history teacher is something I can really appreciate.

Speaking of being a history teacher, it is neat to watch this show and have little “geek out” moments. When they introduce Sam Adams, Thomas Paine, John Hancock, and others I get a little rush. It is similar to watching an X-Men movie and realizing that the mutant with the Russian accent that Wolverine refers to as Peter, is the X-Man we all know and love as Colossus. Yes, I did just compare John Adams to Wolverine and Thomas Paine to Colossus, I realize I have issues.

Anyway, I do have some issues with this series at this point as well. I cannot stand the lighting on John Adams. I understand that the series takes place in the 1770’s long before Tesla brought the magic of alternating current to every home in America, but that does not mean that the director of this show should keep the viewer in the dark every time he wants to shoot a scene at night. Candlelight is not the optimal lighting instrument for a big budget mini-series.

Also, the scene where the colonists tar and feather the ships captain was extremely brutal. Whenever I have thought of the process of tar and feathering I always pictured something slightly comical. That looked torturous and more like an execution than public humiliation.

I do like the way the show seems to paint the colonists with a realist brush. They are not all righteous and fair men who are being kept down by the British crown. They are shades of grey and in some cases extremely dark people. The treatment this episode gave to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party was the nearest to what I learned in my college classes I have ever seen. In any event I am excited to keep watching. I think this John Adams guy has a future.