Check out this Emmy-nominated miniseries on the life of John Adams during the Revolutionary period and the early years of the republic, and watch HBO make the man often (if unfairly) considered to be one of our most boring presidents look incredibly cool.

This television mini-series complements Founding Fathers by exploring the post-Revolution political careers of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton.

Founding Fathers is divided into four parts to (1) trace the early stages of the Revolution (2) focus on Ben Franklin's diplomacy leading up to the war (3) focus on Thomas Jefferson and George Washington and (4) chart the complex political negotiations led by Madison and Washington.

Actor Sam Neill (from the television series The Tudors) is Thomas Jefferson and Carmen Ejogo (Law & Order) plays Sally Hemings in this fictional tale based on historical events surrounding the controversial relationship between Jefferson and his slave mistress.

A 13-episode study of four generations of the New England family, The Adams Chronicles was produced in 1976 but has held up well. Six of the episodes follow John Adams' career from Boston lawyer to second President of the United States.