I am just watching the second episode as I write. That very scene did give me chills. This miniseries is very good so far. Very good indeed. Fat old Knox brought me to tears.
I love the book and I am loving the series.
Jim
I wish they could have found time to explain Caesar Rodney’s ride. That is probably my favorite little story of the Declaration of Independence.
I feel terrible asking this question as I have an uneasy feeling that I should already know the answer. And the question seems sort of frivolous as compared to the actions detailed in the movie so far. But I gotta ask: what’s the deal with the fellow in the headband? He some sort of proto-Axl Rose?
I believe that was Caesar Rodney. In my link, I found this useful bit.
Another history question, what was Dickinson sick with? As the episode went on they showed him looking sicker and sicker until he looked to be at death’s door when Franklin asked him to be “indisposed” for the Declaration of Independence vote, but on the 4th he was shown leading out a regiment to war (I presume it was a historical liberty that the regiment he led left Philly on the 4th). Looking at his wikipedia bio, no illness is mentioned. Was he sick with anxiety or with a good old fashioned disease?
From my recollections, John Dickinson did not attend the final vote “due to illness.” The illness was nothing but a convenient excuse to avoid blocking ratification. He could not vote Yay! against his own Quaker beliefs and personal wish to retain the option to reconcile with Britain.
I don’t recall any real illness leading up to the signing. I would guess it was a little dramatic license and showing the stress he was under.
I could be wrong.
Jim
ETA: You got me interested and I did some Googling. I wonder if they moved his illness during the Constitutional Convention to this earlier period.
Heh.
I just watched the first episode and also liked it a lot. It’s not pompous and “important” like so many historical dramas. I had read the thread before watching so I paid attention to Abigail – I thought she came off as quite strong. Adams seemed to truly listen to her – he wasn’t being patronizing – and they do seem to be a very loving couple. The way he kept looking back at her as he was leaving for Philadelphia was very touching.
I chuckled at John Hancock’s ornate carriage and Adams’ reaction to it. I know very little about this period of history or these people – was that carriage meant to show us that Hancock’s a bit of a show-off? Is that why his signature is bigger than anyone else’s on the Declaration?
Something else that struck me was how scary it must have been to consider going to war with England. Like I said, I haven’t done any reading on this period, and I’ve always imagined that the colonists already had an army and weapons and that they were evenly matched.
This is good stuff. Can’t wait to watch part two. Guess I won’t cancel HBO for awhile.
Hey, I would have just linked the old threads, but for some reason I’m having trouble doing a search for them. 
Watched it last night. I give it a “B”. Not *Sopranos *or Rome, but still enjoyable. I was wondering about the (small?) pox inoculation scene-- did they just take samples from an infected person without any modification and rub it into cuts in the skin? How did this give you immunity instead of just infecting you 100% of the time?
I should have known. 
Thanks.
We didn’t win in the sense of thoroughly and decisively trouncing the British and driving them away. Rather, we won a few battles, lost a lot, got a lot of help from the French navy, and made it too expensive for King George to hold his grip.
I hadn’t seen the 3rd episode until tonight. It was still ok, but had none of the “gee whiz” keystone historical events. I kowm JA is the hero, but I found myself wanting to see more of what was going on with he war and less of Adams in Europe. It was interesting to see how hard it must have been to have to go begging to supercillious French and Dutch nobles for help, though. It also made me think that Americans don’t always give enough credit to France for the help that they did give. Without France’s aid, there probably never would have been a USA.
True but that France is long gone in their own revolution. Our good relations were largely with that part of the French People that another larger group brought to the guillotine.
BTW: Don’t let the miniseries fool you, this is very much from the John Adams perspective. Ben Franklin was correct in his handling of the French. Adams did not at that time and possibly at anytime really understand how to deal with them.
I admire John Adams very much, but he was far from perfect.
Which is how we did it as well 
I’m enjoying this show I have to say. It’s not the rip roaring story I imagined when I heard about it first but then again I wasn’t that familiar with Adams apart from the major highlights. I think it captures the times well and does give you a sense of them trying to find the real people behind the historical giants.
The depiction of the congress in Ep. 1 + 2 where particularly interesting to me. A lot of the same arguments etc. were used by Irishmen centuries later when they were at the cusp of gaining self determination.
All in all a very good show if somewhat slow in places. HBO is truly a great broadcaster. They have once again produced a high quality show with a lot of substance. I look forward to the rest.
I’m enjoying it too. Giamatti is great in this – I love his pursed lip look. Wilkinson as Franklin is good too – he’s nicely understated, for a character I’ve always thought of as flamboyant.
I was upset when he sent John Quincey to Russia at such a young age, but then I remembered that 14 wasn’t considered young in those days. Is Abigail going to be okay with that?
Where were you when I needed you? 
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9539786&postcount=68
“There would be no United States without a France.”
Don’t give the Iraqis any ideas.
Third episode was definitely slower. I liked the scenes in France. Production quality of this show is worth the price of admission alone, but it’s never fun to watch the “hero” cough & sputter for an hour, while his wife pines away at home.
Interesting look at John Quincy in this episode. I’d sort of forgot about him in the first couple.
The show didn’t do a good job of showing how precocious and intelligent John Quincy was. It didn’t help that the actor looks very young, although he’s about the right age.
John Quincy grows up to be an extraordinary man, but if I remember correctly, his brother Charles dies young, an alcoholic and all-around loser.
Charles Adams did die very young. He was only 30. I believe he has been described as an alcoholic but he died of a high fever if I recall correctly. He was a practicing lawyer in New York before he died and graduated from Harvard. He was married and left two daughter behind with his widow.
All-around loser is too strong a phrase.