I hate to admit it but about a year or two ago I was talking with someone about another series – Poldark – and confused the American War of Independence with the American Civil War. Politely corrected, I made a mental note to brush up on my American history.

Washington training some soldiers.

My relative ignorance of US history shouldn’t be surprising. Ask an average American about Canada’s capital city and chances are you’ll get a blank look or as more recently occurred, a wrong (actually ethnically right) pronunciation of Ottawa.

Some people around the world seem to forget that the US and Canada are entirely different countries and are surprised to find just how unlike Americans we can be, and vice versa.

With all this behind me, the other day I noticed a new series on History TV and, talk about the time being right, I just absorbed Washington in sheer fascination, I enjoyed it so much.

The docudrama offers a balanced look at the great man’s military and political career. Yes, being a US production Washington is almost deified. But on the other hand, the US was the first modern nation to break away from the tyranny and unfair practices of distant royals. Nowadays its oligarchical leaders are arguably within, but that’s another story.

Washington’s relationship with his wife and also to slavery is examined, I think fairly. Meanwhile, most of the scholarly commentary adds something worthwhile to the overall narrative. These men and women are for the most part not there because they have well-established names or are in the ‘circuit.’ They just know a lot. At least, that is the impression I got. As for those who are well known (Bill Clinton and Colin Powell), well, they add something too.

No need to go any further. You’ll either be interested or not. But if you are, I do recommend checking this new series out.

Myself, I’ve now moved on to Grant which takes place about 100 years later… also enjoying very much. Review to follow!

12/11/20 – Review now online!