rnhaas

8/10

Spoilers

The new Ken Burns documentary is a very Ken Burns documentary. It at times asks Americans to question the history of the Revolution (or War of Independence, as I’d call it) but, in turn, reinforces cherished myths. I think it leans more to the former than the latter, which is a good thing. It is only six episodes but it is 12 hours long, so it is a bit of a commitment. Like all, or nearly all, of Burns’ projects, I think its worth it. My father is American and I grew up with his toys, his books and his movies. Though I naturally developed an anti-American attitude from living here in Canada, I also grew up with some idea of American exceptionalism, at least in the past, and particularly when it came to war. Though I was always more of a Civil War/WWII guy, I had books about the Revolution/War of Independence, and read them many times as I read the other books. I know the names of most of the major battles and I know the broad strokes. But, over time, I learned more. At some point, the Canadian in me triumphed and I stopped thinking about American military history in a childish way. I read histories of the US that told somewhat different stories. And recently, funnily enough, I found myself Alan Taylor’s histories of this era, the era before it, and the era immediately after. (Taylor is one of many historians in this show.) I know the version of the Revolution/War of Independence I grew up with was not correct. But I do wonder how many Americans know that. This show does a good job of telling a good version of the Revolution/War of Independence. There is a fair amount of time spent on the grievances, and how legitimate they may or may not have been, as well as Britain’s many own goals in the decade leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Where it excels most is how it explains how much of a civil war the Revolution actually was. This is a major focus of the documentary but, as far as I know, was not a major focus for most Americans’ education about the Revolution. It also does a pretty good job of situation the war in a more global context. (Though not as good as Taylor does in his book. If you’re interested, I strongly recommend reading it.) There is awareness of the rest of the world, something the books I read as a child basically didn’t acknowledge when telling the story. There is also more about the post-Yorktown time than an older documentary about the Revolution might have included. And it does a pretty good job of the roles played by Native Americans, African Americans and, to a lesser extent, women. Certainly, I didn’t know a lot of this or wouldn’t have known a lot of it without reading Taylor’s book. There are still moments that are very Burnsian in their celebration of American myths. There are fewer of them than I remember from The Civil War (which I haven’t watched in a while, but which I’ve seen twice) or The War but they are still here and there. He cannot help himself. (He is an American after all.) And I think the decision to do six 2 hour episodes is maybe not the greatest pacing decision. But this is something I’m interested in so I didn’t mind it. I do want to acknowledge the final episode. The first half is about the final campaigns in the south and Yorktown. The second half is about peace, the loyalists and, eventually, the failure of the first version of The United States, though this is treated briefly. (This is, by no means, an authoritative version of the post-Revolution era.) But, if you have ever had any questions about Burns’ politics, especially after the freakout about taking Koch money, Burns and his collaborators make their politics clear. Both in Coyote’s narration and in the quotes they use in the final moments, this documentary becomes explicitly anti-Trump and anti-MAGA. It should be, of course, but they could have also chose not to do it or they could have been more subtle. It is not subtle. In fact, the final quote from Benjamin Rush is basically a call for resistance. Just figured I’d mention it in case you don’t want this.

mindfog2287

0/10

It's clear some are upset with facts presented clearly and concisely. Another smashing success from Mr. Burns.

Johan

0/10

Americans that absolutely despise themselves, their history, their fair skin, and their country should not make a 'documentary' about how America started. It will never be factual or even fair. This TV show proves they will never be unbiased, in fact, quite the opposite. So I agree with the other reviewer, GenerationOfSwine. This is utter horsesh*t and laughable. I'm not even American by birth and I noticed several glaring omissions from the makers of this crap. It's the typical self-loathing and customary screeching we've all come to expect from PBS.

heygarrett

0/10

Very informative! There was so much I didn't know. It gives a real sense of feelings and motivations that I didn't gleam from textbooks and lectures in school. And with quite a cast to read quotes from history! I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a better understanding of how America started.

GenerationofSwine

0/10

A lot of it is actually pretty good... and then you get to the 1619 Revisionist history BS. The Native Americans inspired American democracy not the Greeks who the Founding Father's cited multiple times. Then slavery slavery slavery, evil white people, the American Revolution was about colonizing America and not shaking off it's colonial rulers. By the time you're done with it, you realize that he wasn't making a documentary, he was using the American Revolution to push far left revisionist propaganda.