John Adams

The HBO series John Adams, co-executive-produced by Tom Hanks (who also produced HBO’s From the Earth to the Moon and Band of Brothers), is very much the work of author David McCullough, hewing closely to the highlights of his Pulitzer Prize-winning book. So it’s fitting that the best supplement on HBO’s three-disc set is “David McCullough: Painting With Words,” a 39-minute documentary in which the acclaimed historian appears crooning by the side of a piano, typing away on his second-hand Smith Corona and even climbing the spire of Philadelphia’s Christ Church, where Adams once soaked in the view. For those not intimately familiar with McCullough, the piece is an eye-opener and reveals him to be a true national treasure. Rich in period detail, the sprawling seven-part series also is accompanied by HBO’s “Making of John Adams,” which looks at stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as well as the rest of the cast, among other elements. Each series segment has a pop-up information track, coyly dubbed “Facts are Stubborn Things.” Sadly, no one involved provides an audio commentary, which would have been the icing on this very welcome—and historically important—set.

Shelf Talk: Adams fever is running strong since this series aired in the spring to mostly excellent reviews. Combined with a release date timed for Father’s Day, the set could see strong movement with solid placement. It may even make for good summer viewing for the student set.