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Monday, April 14th, 2008Just a couple of random observations…
Last night’s John Adams was the best of the series. I love Laura Linney, but her Abigail Adams was getting just a bit too saintly for my taste. The scene where she got angry at what the press was writing about her husband, then pushed him to sign the awful Sedition Act rang true, and gave the character more depth.
Also, any series that makes Jefferson the hero at Hamilton’s expense is A-OK by me. Stephen Dillane is absolutely brilliant.
Not at all related, but last week’s episode of 30 Rock featuring the faux reality series MILF Island was also brilliant, and hilarious. Naturally, it ticked off all the right people.
Yeah, Giamatti’s done a brilliant job with his portrayal of Adams. One moment you’re ready to dismiss him as a paranoid, self-absorbed, hothead incapable of taking good advice…the next he’s a practical idealist making smart compromises and very wise observations. I liked the scene where he told Jefferson he wouldn’t intervene in the affairs of the legislature to get him elected but then told him exactly what he’d need to do to get the Federalists to back him (without having to abandon all of his principles). Quite a narrow fence Adams had to ride during his time in office.
“incapable of taking good advice from anyone but his wife” I should have said. As evidenced by his unwillingness to learn from Franklin.
That “30 Rock” episode was funny. The MILF Island reference was made in the first episode of the second season, the one with Jerry Seinfeld. You can even watch it on the NBC website.
If they were gonna bitch about it, they should’ve done so back then.
I know he had a bit of a temper, but jeepers, I thought that John Adams would have made a great president after all those many years of service to the country. Who would have thought he had all those authoritarian leanings …
“The scene where she got angry at what the press was writing about her husband, then pushed him to sign the awful Sedition Act rang true, and gave the character more depth.”
Good. I read some of their letters (John and Abigail’s) they sent back-and-forth, and her comments pushing him to sign the Alien and Sedition Acts while ranting about the evil, traitorous Republicans were just downright disturbing, if not borderline psychotic.
I was hesitant about this series because I don’t particularly like John Adams, but your comments are now making me want to watch it.
He had his share of faults, but John Adams is still my favorite Founding Father. (Jefferson disqualified himself by not only keeping slaves, but raping them.)
Adams had to walk a fine line while holding onto his principles, and he didn’t have Washington’s reputation to help him. Yes, he signed the Alien and sedition Acts, but he disavowed them later. Now, if we can get Bush and McCain to renounce the Patriot Act…
I didn’t have much hope for this series after the first two episodes, but it’s getting much better. And any series that acknowledges Hamilton was a bad guy is OK.