HBO's miniseries John Adams

[Wretched Excess]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

[Lauri]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

crap! i hate missing a good series .. they are so far and few between.

[Wretched Excess]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

george III was crazy.  he was thought to have suffered from porphyria.  and it was widely whispered before the revolution that adams was a royalist, so it was a bit unsurprising that he did well in england.

[CactusCarlos]

People have complained about the cinematography at the HBO site. I don't know WHY they chose to do this.

I'd be happy if they'd just edit out the bugs buzzing.  Our forefathers had to deal with insects, I get it already! 

[mamacags]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

Well it isn't like it took more than 20 seconds anyway.   Poor poor Abigail.

[JohnMatrix]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

george III was crazy.  he was thought to have suffered from porphyria.  and it was widely whispered before the revolution that adams was a royalist, so it was a bit unsurprising that he did well in england.

he didn't really go crazy until his last years.

[LadyLiberty]

i saw a promo for another HBO special after john adams ended;  "recount", about (of course) the 2000 election.

I can tell from the horrible Cruella De Vil look that they gave katherine harris (and the presence
of kevin spacey in the cast ) that it is going to be a hatchet job on the republicans.

I can't wait.

I saw the preview for this before the first episode of John Adams 

The DUmmies are going to win...in fantasyland.

[LadyLiberty]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

You know, I thought the SAME thing.

[LadyLiberty]

I heard an interview with the director on the radio today.  Paul Giamatti is John Adams.

Or, you could just read the book. 

I am turning into quite a Paul Giamttie fan of late... even the stupid stuff he has done, he's just very gifted with timing.

Anyway, I will read the thread but where can people see it who dont have HBO? I'm assuming it will come out in DVD format soon?

I assume that sooner or later, something will be available here.  and giamatti will always be the merlot guy to me.

I LOVED that movie 

The other guy just cracked me up throughout that WHOLE movie!

He played in the movie the latest TV movie with Robert Duvall (    )

[LadyLiberty]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I thought King George looked totally pissed before Adams spoke...and I was surprised at how much JA kissed up!!

[redwhit]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I thought King George looked totally pissed before Adams spoke...and I was surprised at how much JA kissed up!!

Adams wrote to John Jay about that meeting, a very long letter, and described not only how unbelievably nervous he was but how King George tried to put Adams at his ease.  The crack about France, according to Adams, is what really broke the ice between the two men.  I thought the scene very powerful and right in line with Adam's letter to Jay (he also wrote Franklin and Jefferson a one paragraph note effectively saying, "Met the king today, no big deal") although I think it rained that day.

[LadyLiberty]

  about Adams using France to make a bridge with King George.

Nothing brings 2 people together like having a common dislike for someone else. Smart move on Adams' part.

[DixieBelle]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

[Wretched Excess]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

You know, I thought the SAME thing.

I know that they were trying to portray the adams' uniquely close and loving marriage . . . but I really, really, REALLY didn't need to see that.  I actually said out loud, "please tell me that they aren't about to show them doing it".  and, for future reference to HBO, if they ever do a mini-series about abe lincoln, I don't want to see him on top of mary, either.

[Wretched Excess]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I thought King George looked totally pissed before Adams spoke...and I was surprised at how much JA kissed up!!

Adams wrote to John Jay about that meeting, a very long letter, and described not only how unbelievably nervous he was but how King George tried to put Adams at his ease.  The crack about France, according to Adams, is what really broke the ice between the two men.  I thought the scene very powerful and right in line with Adam's letter to Jay (he also wrote Franklin and Jefferson a one paragraph note effectively saying, "Met the king today, no big deal") although I think it rained that day.

I have noticed that a lot of the dialog actually came from his letters;  or at least I am recognizing phrases in the dialog that I remember from his letters.  it stands to reason, though;  the man wrote several dead forests full of letters.

[Wretched Excess]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

Well it isn't like it took more than 20 seconds anyway.   Poor poor Abigail.

I couldn't believe they did that to him. 

[DixieBelle]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I could have done without seeing john and abigail going at it.  I like my founding fathers a little less accessible, I guess.

You know, I thought the SAME thing.

I know that they were trying to portray the adams' uniquely close and loving marriage . . . but I really, really, REALLY didn't need to see that.  I actually said out loud, "please tell me that they aren't about to show them doing it".  and, for future reference to HBO, if they ever do a mini-series about abe lincoln, I don't want to see him on top of mary, either.

BWAHAHAHA! Ewww...

Stovepipe hats are ruined for me now. Just ruined!

[Wretched Excess]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

I am pretty sure that the director took liberties with how long john lasted the first time in paris;  I can't believe that anyone recorded that bit of information.
 

[DixieBelle]

^yeah, but it wouldn't have been much a leap

[redwhit]

Very touching episode.  I love the way the founding fathers are portrayed realistically with their warts and all.  I just spent 30 mins trying to figure out who was playing King George III (Tom Hollander in case you are interested).  That whole meeting just freaked me out.  I wanted to pimp smack England for having such stupid rules when dealing with royalty.  I love this series!

I thought King George looked totally pissed before Adams spoke...and I was surprised at how much JA kissed up!!

Adams wrote to John Jay about that meeting, a very long letter, and described not only how unbelievably nervous he was but how King George tried to put Adams at his ease.  The crack about France, according to Adams, is what really broke the ice between the two men.  I thought the scene very powerful and right in line with Adam's letter to Jay (he also wrote Franklin and Jefferson a one paragraph note effectively saying, "Met the king today, no big deal") although I think it rained that day.

I have noticed that a lot of the dialog actually came from his letters;  or at least I am recognizing phrases in the dialog that I remember from his letters.  it stands to reason, though;  the man wrote several dead forests full of letters.

Exactly - there was a scene in an earlier episode where John and Abigail are side by side quoting the letters to each other.  The whole thing is really faithful to McCullough which is great - McCullough really did his homework when he was researching his book and (if you've read the book you know what I'm talking about) he is absolutely brilliant at setting the scene.

[LadyLiberty]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

Oh yeah, the flirting with Thomas Jefferson! That left a LOT of innuendo there, I thought. I got a kick out of Adams' reaction to it.

They are also depicting the ideological differences between Adams and Jefferson...who knew that Jefferson was opposed to a Constitution being set in stone like that?? I didn't know that.

I also thought Washington winning the presidency and then the swearing in was great...SOOO humble and genteel. Adams was too. He kissed the Bible...and well, the liberals can kiss it too.

[DixieBelle]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

Oh yeah, the flirting with Thomas Jefferson! That left a LOT of innuendo there, I thought. I got a kick out of Adams' reaction to it.

They are also depicting the ideological differences between Adams and Jefferson...who knew that Jefferson was opposed to a Constitution being set in stone like that?? I didn't know that.

I also thought Washington winning the presidency and then the swearing in was great...SOOO humble and genteel. Adams was too. He kissed the Bible...and well, the liberals can kiss it too.

I got choked up when he took the oath of office. The guy playing Washington is DEAD ON! Chill bumps!

And Adams was so funny/awkward standing there giving his little "speech" beforehand. Paul Giamatti is really doing a great job bringing him to life.

[Wretched Excess]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

I am pretty sure that the director took liberties with how long john lasted the first time in paris;  I can't believe that anyone recorded that bit of information.
 

this conversation makes me totally uneasy.

[Wretched Excess]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

Oh yeah, the flirting with Thomas Jefferson! That left a LOT of innuendo there, I thought. I got a kick out of Adams' reaction to it.

They are also depicting the ideological differences between Adams and Jefferson...who knew that Jefferson was opposed to a Constitution being set in stone like that?? I didn't know that.

I also thought Washington winning the presidency and then the swearing in was great...SOOO humble and genteel. Adams was too. He kissed the Bible...and well, the liberals can kiss it too.

jefferson and adams are having a major falling out, but it didn't have anything to do with hitting on abigail.  it had to do with the strength and the role of the central government.

[Wretched Excess]

Excellent episode!!!! I loved how King George could barely tolerate him and then kind of warmed up a bit. Poor Mr. Adams! He did not look comfortable at all with royal protocol.

And poor Abigail lol! I could have done without the love scene too but they had been apart for years. Couldn't expect much more out of the old boy the first time

I do wish they would have put the year up on the screen whenever the scene changed. I get confused when they leap forward in time by a considerable amount.

Thomas Jefferson is played well. I really like the actor. He captures what I imagined Mr. Jefferson to be like. And how about the flirtation with Abigail and John's jealousness? I wonder if that really happened.

And I nearly cried when they came back to America and John didn't recognize his children.

Oh yeah, the flirting with Thomas Jefferson! That left a LOT of innuendo there, I thought. I got a kick out of Adams' reaction to it.

They are also depicting the ideological differences between Adams and Jefferson...who knew that Jefferson was opposed to a Constitution being set in stone like that?? I didn't know that.

I also thought Washington winning the presidency and then the swearing in was great...SOOO humble and genteel. Adams was too. He kissed the Bible...and well, the liberals can kiss it too.

I got choked up when he took the oath of office. The guy playing Washington is DEAD ON! Chill bumps!

And Adams was so funny/awkward standing there giving his little "speech" beforehand. Paul Giamatti is really doing a great job bringing him to life.

it's funny how people that generally agree on most topics can watch the exact same thing, and come away with completely different impressions.  i think giamatti's portrayal of adams is so bad that it is painful to watch.   i am trying to figure out why that is, but I can't exactly put my finger on it.  i assume it has something to do with sideways, because i considered that a painful movie to watch.