My wife is on her way home from the Minnesota State Fair. While she was off helping run a booth, I watched the next episode in the John Adams HBO miniseries.

In this installment, Adams had to once again leave his wife and family in the name of duty. Adams departure for France truly tests his family’s metal. Abigail Adams insists that John take John Quincy Adams along, stressing that he give his son the experience that he was not afforded by his parents.

Abigail does not weather John’s absence well. Her portrayal was one of neurotic desperation and heart broken worry. I don’t know much about Abigail or her state of mind, but this was a significant turn in her character. In the previous two episodes, Abigail was strong and without want. She ran her household, farm, and even found time to entertain George Washington.

What surprised me was Adam’s expulsion from France. Adam’s temperament did not suite France. Adam was direct and spoke his mind. I think that Benjamin Franklin was right to send a letter to Congress asking to have Adam’s removed from France and that Adam’s threatened the progress that Franklin achieved. In diplomacy with France, Adam’s was a complete failure.

Adam’s, in this episode, also failed to secure a Ten Million dollar loan from the Dutch. The Dutch were not impressed with Adams and did not want to be the country to help America establish credit.

Adam’s also becomes very ill in this episode. There is an interesting scene where Adam’s undergoes a bloodletting. He passes out and has to be carried to bed. He hallucinates. He sees his family among others pass before him. This is where the episode ends. Adam’s in his sick bed.

One more thing of interest happens, John Quincy, at age 14, is sent by his father to Saint Petersburg, Russia. He goes as an assistant because he taught himself French on their long Atlantic voyage.  Oh, and while I’m on the subject of the voyage, it was grand. It was dirty, cold, wet. There was even a gun battle with a British vessel. One of the rouge cannon balls smashed someone’s leg, which had to be amputated, very ugly work.

Check out what Media Maven Musings has to say, I agree about the Unevenness of this episode.

The Soulless Machine