This Emmy-sweeping masterpiece changed how we see American history.
Paul Giamatti transformed into John Adams perfectly.
But did HBO's "creative liberties" go too far?
Here's what they didn't teach you about our real founding:
First, some real talk.
This series deserves every Emmy it won.
Paul Giamatti transforms completely into Adams – capturing his brilliance, stubbornness, and moral complexity.
But holy smokes, the "creative liberties" are WILD...
What the show absolutely NAILS:
• The grimy, gritty feel of colonial America
• The tensions and dangers of revolutionary politics
• Adams' complex personality and principles
These elements create an emotional connection textbooks never could.
The physical world they created is INSANELY authentic.
Candlelit rooms, bumpy carriage rides, crowded taverns filled with revolutionary whispers.
You feel transported to 1776 in ways history class never managed.
But then... Hollywood showed up and chaos ensued:
Let's start with the Boston Massacre trial – a critical moment in Adams' career.
HBO shows Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty FURIOUS at John for defending the British soldiers.
Total fiction!
In reality, Samuel ENCOURAGED his cousin to take the case!
The show depicts Adams arriving at the Boston Massacre scene immediately after the shooting.
Nope! He wasn't even there!
The real Adams arrived much later after the bodies and soldiers were gone.
This completely changes the emotional impact of his decision to defend them.
The series combined TWO separate trials into one for dramatic effect.
In reality, Captain Preston and his soldiers were tried separately.
And contrary to what the show portrays, not all soldiers were acquitted!
But that was less dramatic I guess?
My absolute FAVORITE piece of Hollywood fiction?
That wild scene where Adams heroically fires the first shot in a naval battle during his Atlantic crossing!
I nearly spit out my drink watching this.
The real Adams never fired a single shot in any battle.
The tarring and feathering scene is another MASSIVE stretch.
HBO shows a horrific public torture of a customs official, supposedly ordered by John Hancock.
Such extreme violence was actually quite rare and revolutionary leaders didn't publicly promote it.
Pure shock value.
Even family moments got the Hollywood treatment.
The show depicts Adams' reunion with Abigail in Paris – a beautiful, emotional scene.
One problem: it never happened!
They actually reunited in London.
Paris just looks more romantic on camera, I guess?
Why does this matter beyond just nitpicking?
Because these changes fundamentally alter our understanding of the revolution itself.
The show suggests Samuel Adams and others were plotting independence as early as 1770.
Not even close to accurate!
In 1770, most revolutionaries still professed loyalty to the King.
They blamed Parliament and local officials for the crisis – not the monarchy itself.
The path to revolution was much more gradual than the show suggests.
The series also plays fast and loose with timelines:
• Adams' diplomatic travels are simplified
• Children appear at events they weren't born for yet
• His key role drafting the Massachusetts constitution is completely omitted
Real history is messy. TV likes it neat.
Even the language used is often wrong.
The show refers to the "Constitutional Convention" – a term no one would have used at the time!
It was simply a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation.
Its true purpose evolved in secrecy.
Details matter in history!
So here's where we land:
Did HBO create an incredible, emotionally resonant drama about our founding? ABSOLUTELY.
Does it sometimes play hopscotch with historical facts for the sake of better TV? YOU BET YOUR POWDERED WIG IT DOES.
Think of "John Adams" as the gateway drug to Revolutionary history.
Let it spark your interest in this incredible era – just don't take every scene as gospel.
Then dive into books, documents and letters these amazing figures left behind.
The real history is even better.
For those still reading this far (you beautiful history nerds):
I've barely scratched the surface of what this series got wrong and right.
But isn't that the fun of history? Digging deeper, questioning narratives, and finding the complex truth behind the myths we're sold.
Speaking of questioning narratives...
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Video/Image Credits:
- Ritesh Saigal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gABVTdrHV3I&ab_channel=RiteshSaigal
- Flying Dutchman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHVgZDuZMuQ&ab_channel=FlyingDutchman
- Bodiaz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQHkGPXMCU8&ab_channel=Bodiaz
- Buehler and Hummel's History Clips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcM42ZF48lY&ab_channel=BuehlerandHummel%27sHistoryClips
- hbo
- britannica
- by United States. Constitutional Convention (1787)
