Benjamin Franklin

Ken Burns is THA MAN! We're so down with Burns documentaries in our house that we actually have a harder time paying attention to non-Burns history documentaries. The only reason I rated this a 9 instead of 10 is because I think some of his others rank a little higher within his own portfolio of work. (His Civil War is an exalted masterpiece among documentaries and his Roosevelt's piece is probably our household fave).

If you love Franklin though, this is the best way to absorb his story. Burns keeps you captivated with a cast of historians who are usually the top experts in their field who have written books of their own on the subject. He also is known for getting famous actors to portray the voices. Paul Giamatti reprises his role as John Adams in this, which is cool. The enormous compilation of images are expertly strung together to portray the story of Franklin's life. My 10-yr old sat and watched this whole thing with us.

A slaveholder who was its evil late in the game. A scientist of Nobel-quality and a great inventor who allowed his inventions to benefit the public while not milking them for profit. A committed Briton who essentially lost his son because Franklin started to see himself as an American. Yet, he 'saves' that same sons' out-of-wedlock child. A man so in tune with others but whom effectively abandoned his wife. Probably the best diplomat and possibly the best politician to ever serve our nation.

Ken Burns has again brought to light the subject's complexity, enlightening us on many facets of his life that our schools history abbreviated, to our school childrens' detriment.

OK, his link to the FreeMasons wasn't mentioned. Maybe Ken Burns will do a series on that.

Like the rest of Ken Burns' series, especially those that are biographical in any way, this two-part biography of Ben Franklin is well done, well-organized, and very informative.

And as always with Ken Burns, the series gives you warm fuzzies while at the same time teaching you so much you never knew. It's this human + informational + stylistic genius that makes Ken Burns the master of his form.

There are very very few Ken Burns programs that have left me uninterested or cold, and this is definitely not one of those! I enjoyed this entirely.

I had always known Benjamin Franklin was one of the U. S.'s Founding Fathers -- and also that he discovered electricity - but his real life had been quite vague during my 60-plus years. In my high school days (back in the 70s) he was just an important early American. I wish such historical viewing was available back then.

Therefore I believe understanding Franklin's productivity and mental capacity, as well as his hardships and how he helped form the United States of America, should be required of every American high school student lest the country continue in its modern decay.

And once again, thank you Ken Burns for rejuvenating interest and adding knowledge to our American history.

Countless of merely very interesting to very important and informative details in this brilliant work is not surprising and yet astonishing still. Mr. Burns is as prolific a biographer as Mr. Franklin was a Statesman, inventor, printer, humorist, publisher, liaison, and INNATE American. I am a die-hard fan of both and grateful to see such eloquence in showing Mr Franklin's genius as well as his faults and humanness.

Excellent is an understatement. Bravo again Mr. Burns.