John Adams
Seen it?2008 | 1 seasons | 60 min | Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won 13 Emmys, it earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong character drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- One season: easy to finish in a weekend or two, hour-long episodes, about 7 hours in all.
- What might put you off
- Rated TV-14. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Adapted from David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, this lavish seven-part miniseries chronicles the life of Founding Father John Adams, starting with the Boston Massacre of 1770 through his years as an ambassador in Europe, then his terms as vice president and president of the United States, up to his death on July 4, 1826.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.7 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 5 Emmys: Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Miniseries, Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie and 1 more. Won 4 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Miniseries or Television Film, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film, Golden Globe Awards: Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. Won 2 SAG Awards: Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. Won 1 Critics' Choice Award: Critics' Choice Awards: Best Picture Made for Television. Won 1 DGA Award: Art Directors Guild Awards: Excellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-series. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial. Won 1 PGA Award: Producers Guild of America Awards: David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television. Also nominated for 1 more Emmy and 1 more DGA Award. Plus 19 other awards.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Limited series that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 281K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Created by Kirk Ellis
- Paul GiamattiJohn Adams
- Laura LinneyAbigail Adams
- Stephen DillaneThomas Jefferson
- Danny HustonSamuel Adams
- David MorseGeorge Washington
- Sarah PolleyAbigail Adams Smith
- Tom WilkinsonBenjamin Franklin
- Steven HinkleYoung John Quincy Adams
- Madeline TaylorYoung Nabby Adams
- John DossettBenjamin Rush