What could have been a joyless retelling of well-worn historical facts surprises with nearly perfectly realized character studies of Adams, his wife Abagail and their place in the forging of a nation. This beautifully shot 8-hour miniseries is rarely dull, and at times unfolds like a superhero origins movie as we see the vividly depicted personalities of Jefferson, Washington and Franklin emerge from the mass of colonial rabble rousers. Giamtti and Linney are absolutely superb in the lead roles.

It's a fine attempt to produce a portrait of an often undeservedly-overlooked figure in American history, and the first two hours make for positively riveting viewing, but after America gains its independence there seems to be little left for Adams to do: not as Ambassador to France, not as VP, and worst of all, not in the Presidency. The result is a final five hours that can't live up to its initial promise, letting down strong performances from Giamatti, Linney, Morse and Dillane especially.

I learned so much from this miniseries. A highly engaging and enjoyable experience from start to finish. The only issue I have with this series is the almost wholly unflattering portrayal of Alexander Hamilton. Even if Adams had a negative opinion of him, I think the series could have done more to show the positive effects of Hamilton's ideas on the early development of the United States (as was afforded Franklin, Washington, Jefferson and other prominent people in the story).

I really liked it for its dramatic values. Too bad I'm not so versed in this episode of gringo history.

Quite enjoyed this series, has incredible scope without aggrandizing too much. Certainly an interesting person, with an interesting life. Paul Giamatti gives a wonderful performance, Linney is strong in the earlier episodes, and the costuming is marvelous. Weakest during the revolutionary war, for which John Adams is not present, which leaves the viewer feeling left out, although perhaps that is the intent, as surely Adams felt the same?

It's obvious from the get-go that John Adams is something extraordinary. Taking the strong narrative from the book with HBO's consistent high-end production values, Tom Hooper directed a masterpiece that is virtually unrivaled by all television programming. Giamatti is surprisingly excellent as the lead and all of the rest of the cast seems to do well. Though brief, it gets Adams' life across and is unflinchingly patriotic in the process. John Adams is fantastic and should be seen by all.

Really good. Not fantastic, though, and it could drag. Linney's the real star here.

You can tell when historical movies are successful by looking at your interest level in the subject area before and after the viewing. Not being American, I had always found early American history romanticized to such a high level that I would have gone far, far out of my way in order to avoid reading about 18th century America. I'm sure that this is true for a lot of people. Now, I would consider my interest in John Adams and the generation that founded the Republic to be moderately high.

Great

This probably deserves 100.

Started good, and just got better as it went along. All history should be taught this way.

A well-honored envisage of the Young Republic: breathtaking in its scope, concise and accurate in its portrayal and emotionally satisfying in its delivery. Intricately deals with Adams law profession, the throes of declaring Independence and the ensuing corruptible nature of power. At times, prophetically speaks to future generations of their inherent plight in preserving liberty for all, Jefferson more than any, shines a light in these dark places. In the end, it is unflinchingly patriotic.

An inspiring look at one of our principle founding fathers and second President of the United States. This is a marvelous look at a man nearly forgotten in modern times, yet he played such a crucial role in the formation of the US government. This series is very well made and feels authentic in every detail. It give me a new appreciation for the man and the times. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney are both marvelous in this epic telling of the lives of the extraordinary people from a bygone era.

Brilliant! The cast do an outstanding job, as indeed would be expected, but none the less. A just "15mins of fame" for a sort of forgotten President.

We hardly get ANY American Revolution movies, so getting an eight-hours-and-some-change miniseries makes up for some lost time. This production is in many ways just as prissy as the 18th-century upper crusters featured in it -- almost everything takes place in offices and sitting rooms, as if a real movie was going on somewhere else -- but the handsome production and rich historical detail were enough to keep me interested from start to finish

I was absolutely blown away by the first few episodes, but the latter ones really weren't all that engaging to me. This is not the fault of the production team, but rather that John Adams' life wasn't all that interesting after he stopped being President. However, this is still a must-see for any history buff or high school class.

I admire John Adams, the historical figure, but I thought this was just OK. I didn't think Giamatti or Linney were well-suited for the parts.

Uneven, but not bad.

It's well done, if a little over-produced. There were a number of effective shots isolating Adams in his environment, and the dialogue between Jefferson and Adams never ceases to be stimulating. Also, a nice, toned-down performance from Linney.

Linney and Giamatti really carry the series, though the gorgeous sets and outfits certainly do their part. The camerawork can be a bit too modern (Dutch angles don't quite mix with the 18th century) and the final episodes may be quite heavy on the drama, but the experience as a whole was pretty impressive.

Epic in the finest sense of the word. Giamatti is brilliant, as usual, and the history is really brought to life in this miniseries.

Giamatti and Linney were perfect as John and Abigail. Their story was entertaining and just the right length. You don't have to be a history lover to like this.

Finishes a little weak, but over it's 7 hour run, there are some truly amazing moments.

Made me want to stand up and applaud in my room.

Giamatti and Linney were excellent together.