Comments on: The Adams Chronicles http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/ culture blogging for the good of the planet Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:14:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Matt Petersen http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-113722 Matt Petersen Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:14:20 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-113722 Adams fans will be happy to know (if you don't already) that the 1976 PBS series, The Adams Chronicles, is now available on DVD from shoppbs.org, probably elsewhere, too. I remember taking great pains to avoid missing each episode back in '76 and am delighted that they finally made it available. It would be interesting to get David McCullough's thoughts on this earlier production. Adams fans will be happy to know (if you don’t already) that the 1976 PBS series, The Adams Chronicles, is now available on DVD from shoppbs.org, probably elsewhere, too. I remember taking great pains to avoid missing each episode back in ‘76 and am delighted that they finally made it available. It would be interesting to get David McCullough’s thoughts on this earlier production.

]]> By: Tom Watson http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101653 Tom Watson Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:50:57 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101653 Mark, we don't disagree - I'm enjoying some of Giamatti's performance ... I loved the continental congress portion - that should have been three episodes! Washington - yeah, a travesty. I really like some of the longshots - the landscape or the CGI rereation of Boston Harbor with the British fleet - it's well-done. Mark, we don’t disagree - I’m enjoying some of Giamatti’s performance … I loved the continental congress portion - that should have been three episodes!

Washington - yeah, a travesty.

I really like some of the longshots - the landscape or the CGI rereation of Boston Harbor with the British fleet - it’s well-done.

]]> By: Mark J. McPherson http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101641 Mark J. McPherson Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:54 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101641 I've enjoyed the series so far, particularly the first two which I found enormously moving with that good old American stuff. I don't think the producers have been too heavy-handed on the more gruesome aspects of Colonial life. I agree that the hacksawing aboard ship was gratuitous and derivative and out of place. Episodes 3 and 4 might be expected to be problematic, as they dealt with the period of Adams' mixed record at diplomacy. The wierdness of the French was interesting for a bit, but the producers seem to have abandoned any attempt to capture the nuances of what Adams and Franklin were trying to accomplish. An admittedly difficult task, but I hoped for better, given the way the pre-war intrigue unfolded. I am nonetheless enjoying the show very much, and have hopes it will rally over the final episodes. I think Giamatti has been better than reviewed. Part of the casting and part of his performance is he was always "against type" when in the company of such men as Washington, Franklin and Jefferson, but had surprising strength, vision and courage. Giamatti does this, even if he doesn't meet everyone's expectations of a Boston-accented Founding Father. The one strange directorial decision has been to turn a fascinatign character and a fine actor into a Disney Animatronic version of George Washington. I’ve enjoyed the series so far, particularly the first two which I found enormously moving with that good old American stuff. I don’t think the producers have been too heavy-handed on the more gruesome aspects of Colonial life. I agree that the hacksawing aboard ship was gratuitous and derivative and out of place. Episodes 3 and 4 might be expected to be problematic, as they dealt with the period of Adams’ mixed record at diplomacy. The wierdness of the French was interesting for a bit, but the producers seem to have abandoned any attempt to capture the nuances of what Adams and Franklin were trying to accomplish. An admittedly difficult task, but I hoped for better, given the way the pre-war intrigue unfolded. I am nonetheless enjoying the show very much, and have hopes it will rally over the final episodes. I think Giamatti has been better than reviewed. Part of the casting and part of his performance is he was always “against type” when in the company of such men as Washington, Franklin and Jefferson, but had surprising strength, vision and courage. Giamatti does this, even if he doesn’t meet everyone’s expectations of a Boston-accented Founding Father. The one strange directorial decision has been to turn a fascinatign character and a fine actor into a Disney Animatronic version of George Washington.

]]> By: Lance Mannion http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101588 Lance Mannion Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:55:08 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/03/30/the-adams-chronicles/#comment-101588 I wish I could be watching this. But based your post and other things I've read I wish more that I could be watching The Adams Chronicles. Sounds as though Grizzard was a better Adams and the writers understood his story as a drama while this series pushes it as a high school history lesson. I wish I could be watching this. But based your post and other things I’ve read I wish more that I could be watching The Adams Chronicles. Sounds as though Grizzard was a better Adams and the writers understood his story as a drama while this series pushes it as a high school history lesson.

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