The Adams Chronicles

I saw the series when first televised on PBS (in the days before affordable VCR's) To my knowledge it has been televised one or twice since and I missed a few episodes each time. I really wish PBS would televise it again or at least offer it for sale. This is the best mini series on the beginning of America as an independent nation that has ever been made. It would be a success in any year, 1976 or 2076. I would like to purchase the series on vhs if it were available however, the copyright owner could make a fortune by remastering the sound/video for sale on DVD

I bought my copy back in 2009 or 2010 I would say; 4 DVD's, from amazon; recently made it to Quincy, the first 3 disks are very interesting and were obviously a back-bone and were reviewed for the HBO Adam's mini-series; many things are factually different when we first watched, the Adam's Chronicles is more accurate depiction of John and JQA. the later un-explored years of the Adam's family is unique, to my knowledge no other documentary exists beyond the lives of the original John and John Quincy Adams. One must also note and mention HENRY ADAMS who came to the shores of America within 50 years of Columbus landing here with 8 SONS, yes 8 sons, from Great Britain and founded co-founded or founded Quincy. I visited his grave site in Hancock Cemetery in the Center of Quincy. Amazing. What disappointed me is that the houses are surrounded by suburbs, I thought there would be vast farmlands, nope, it's all city. Very nice city. The town is pleasant and I encourage people that visit to stay close. May as well. We went to Boston for as much to visit Quincy, the old houses, Braintree, the presidential tombs, Abigal's birthplace and house, Hancock Cemetery and each great Italian. There is a GREAT Italian restaurant right down the street from the old houses. If's Magnificent! You must visit Alfredo's only a block up the street! You can buy tour tickets for the house downtown, and take their trolly's to do the escorted tours of the house, then go back and do pictures and have great Italian. It's worthwhile. First ever trip to Boston and we spent at least 50% of the time in Quincy.

The Boston Musiunm of Fine Arts has an excellent collection of George Washington and Adam's family portraits. Tickets are expensive BUT good for return visit. I think we could have gone back several times. The museum is superior to any other I've seen in the states and rivals anything I've seen in 3 European Country.

After so many years since the release of the ADAMS CHRONICLES I would like to thank PBS and WNET for this production. Grab your copy of this DVD collection on amazon if you can!!!!!!!!

In my opinion, the best TV miniseries were the ones from the 1970's, and this one just may have the number one spot, or close to it.

You get to know four generations of the Adams family and their places in history (as well as their personal lives) without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. If you want to learn more, there's always books you can read.

All the acting was excellent, and it was interesting to see William Daniels playing John Quincy Adams, when not too long before that, he played his father, John Adams, in the movie "1776". (He also played John Adams again in another TV miniseries around that same time, and later on he was in a series where he played the principal of John Adams high school. Do you detect a pattern here???

Don't miss this one!

I've also seen "The Adams Chronicles" in the mid-1970s when I was a College Student. I've skimmed through the published Adams Papers, witch lots of letters between Abigail and John Adams, and the series has captured the flavor of the Adams, with their love and intellectual exchanges with each other.

John Adams may have a lot to learn about good PR, but Abigail must have been one of the smartest and well-informed first ladies the US has ever had.

I wish I could buy the video series, but there appears to be none available. The film apparently is available in far-off university libraries throughout the country.

I am old enough to have seen this when it was originally presented on PBS. I also grew up in the shadows of Boston where most the mini series takes place.

I am currently listening to the audio CDs of JOHN ADAMS by David McCullough read by Edward Hermann which got me to thinking about how wonderful THE ADAMS CHRONICLES was. I came on IMDb looking for the series on DVD or VHS or in some form that would allow me to revisit it. Disappointedly it would seem not to be available in any of those forms.

If anyone KNOWS of or about a version or if this series may be run again on PBS would you please let me know.