Founding Fathers

The "bastard brat of a Scotch peddler" was how John Adams, himself one of America's founding fathers, characterized the brilliant, self-made Alexander Hamilton. Smugglers, drunks, neurotics, adulterers, the men who fought for, and ultimately founded, the first modern democratic state comprised a colorful bunch and this entertaining and enlightening A&E miniseries cheerfully breaks the textbook "plaster saints" mold to reveal the fully and fallibly human beings inside. James Woods, Burt Reynolds, Hal Holbrook, Brian Dennehy and others bring their mellifluous voices to this engaging portrait of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams, while scholars weigh in with illuminating commentary. Roughly spanning the years 1764-1789, with codas chronicling the final years of each of its subjects, this 4-part series differs from similar efforts (in which mini-biographies are often presented in isolated chunks) by weaving a continuous narrative throughout, introducing each character on to the stage precisely when history requires him to appear. James Madison said that "if men were angels, no government would be necessary," and as this entertaining and enlightening survey ably demonstrates, the founding fathers were definitely no angels, but they were able to rise above peccadilloes, petty squabbles, and personal ambition to create a more perfect union for all. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)