David McCullough’s John Adams is that rare biography that takes a historical figure and makes him accessible to the modern reader. The book grabs hold of the past and hands it to the reader on a platter so that we might examine it from a contemporary perspective.

HBO’s new original mini-series based on McCullough’s book attempts to do the same, but in its commitment to absolute authenticity, it stumbles a bit. Make no mistake, it’s a remarkable achievement, but what worked so well in the book — a contemporary take on an American legend — is hard to pull off on television.

Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney are both incredible in their portrayal of John and Abigail Adams — once can sense the vast amount of research that went into their performances. But by striving for complete authenticity in many ways they create a chasm of inaccessibility between the characters and the audience. 18th Century Americans — paticularly New Englanders — were resourceful, smart and moved by the injustice of British rule over the colonies. But emotionally, the were distant and formal in their interactions with one another. Giamatti and Linney nail it, but the audience must take time to acclimate before becoming emotionally involved in the mini-series.

This is not to say that I wasn’t moved by some of the key points in the first two episodes — Adams’ successful defense of British soldiers accused of massacring “innocent” American civilians, the horrific tar-and-feathering of a Tory sympathizer, George Washington’s earnest desire to help the besieged Bostonians, or (spoiler!) the grand political maneuvers necessary for unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence. But it took some work to get there.

There’s a delicate balance between authenticity and accessibility. Rome successfully conveyed a nearly alien culture while making its lead characters completely likable and sympathetic. No matter what, the audience always knew what Vorenus, Pullo, Antony, Brutus, Cato, Caeser, Octavian, etc. were feeling and thinking. But with John Adams, we have to guess, because very little of the characters’ inner lives (thus far) has been conveyed to the audience. The only exception is Tom Wilkins’ delightful portrayal of Benjamin Franklin, who was not only brilliant, but possibly the first modern American.

I think it’s important to note, however, that many of the background details are correct. Personal hygiene, costumes, etc. are all a far cry from the lavish spectacles we usually get in films and mini series set during the era. And the scale of conflict is quite small when compared to modern day — a sharp contrast to overblown spectacles like Mel Gibson’s dreadful film, The Patriot.

All and all, John Adams is a great mini-series for history buffs and fans of McCullough’s book. However, casual viewers may find the world of John Adams a bit too inaccessible to endure seven hours of it.

It’s for this reason that I give John Adams a respectable score of 3/5.