25 Historical TV Dramas Grandma Would Approve Of

John Adams chronicled the life of the second U.S. president with a focus on historical detail. The series drew heavily from David McCullough’s biography, using letters and documents to craft authentic dialogue and capture Adams’s stubborn, moral, and sometimes irritable personality.

Some events were dramatized, like courtroom chaos during the Boston Massacre and the timing of Jefferson’s reconciliation, but overall the show portrayed the era, political struggles, and personal relationships with care.