Review: 'Washington'

You sometimes hear a similar complaint about History (or as most people still call it "The History Channel): why do they air so many reality shows? Why don't air more programs about HISTORY? The reason is pretty simple. Producing new, quality historical programming requires money and a lot of time. So unless you want to own a TV Network that is comprised of 10 percent new things and 90 percent ancient documentaries, you have to diversify. And while History has found a lot of success with unscripted shows such as "The Curse Of Oak Island," "American Picker" and "Pawn Stars," it hasn't forgotten how to put together a good old-fashioned history special.

"Washington" is a spectacularly compelling six-hour documentary that airs in three two-hour episodes beginning tonight (episodes two & three air Monday & Tuesday). Executive produced by presidential historian Doris Kerns Goodwyn and narrated by Jeff Daniels, the mini-series provides a warts-and-all look at the man rightfully described as the "Father of our country."

George Washington's life has always been surrounded by so much mythology: the boy who could not tell a lie after chopping down his father's cherry tree; the man so strong he was skipped a quarter across the Potomac River. And while this documentary celebrates his many accomplishments, it doesn't skip over the numerous flaws of the man both before and during his time as President.

Episode one begins with a 22-year-old George Washington, who is eager to become part of the British military. But in his first command, he not only ends up accidentally killing a French diplomatic party, he is hunted down by the French Army & tricked into signing a surrender in which he confesses to war crimes.

This sad sack turn of events would have ended the career of most men, but Washington's stubborn belief in his abilities and a great deal of luck gets him past that moment and many others bad decisions during his life. In fact, George Washington turns out to be an erratic and sometimes inept leader, even during his time as head of the struggling Continental Army. For every victory, he has two defeats and many times it is only his stubbornness and loyalty to his men that gets him through the crisis of the day. 

In fact, Washington's greatest ability might have been his personal charisma and his innate judge of character. He inspired soldiers who were starving and sometimes barefoot to fight on against an army that should have been impossible to beat. The Continental Army lost New York City & the capital of Philadelphia. He lost nearly 2,000 of his 12,000 men to starvation and disease during one long winter at Valley Forge. And yet he stood his ground and inspired his troops to fight on.

The episodes are a mix of recreated scenes and commentary from a number of well-known figures and historians: President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, historians Joseph J. Ellis, Annette Gordon-Reed, Jon Meacham, Alan Taylor and others. The result is a fast-paced and thorough recounting of Washington's life and the earliest days of the United States. If you are a history nerd like I am, you'll find plenty of new facts and perspectives to keep you glued to your chair. And if you only have a casual knowledge of George Washington, you'll be drawn in by this lively look at one of the most important figures in American history.

And as I mentioned earlier, "Washington" doesn't shy away from tackling the unpleasant facts of his life. From his ownership of slaves to his disciplinary methods towards his troops that bordered on the cruel. the mini-series paints a balanced and ultimately fair look at a man who - like most of us - was neither all good nor all bad. George Washington was a man of his times, and that inherently means he did some things you might not agree with in 2020.

The acting on "Washington" is often first-rate and I'm sorry the publicity materials I have don't list in-depth cast information.  Nicholas Rowe ("The Crown," "Young Sherlock Holmes") does an excellent job as Washington and there were a number of equally good performances. The acting in these scenes that are essentially scripted bridges for the commentary can often seemed under-produced and slapped together hastily in many productions. But the acting and scenes were first-rate in "Washington" and that helped make the two-hour episodes seem like they were half as long.

I've only seen two of the three episodes of "Washington," but I feel comfortable recommending the mini-series without reservation. It's just what you'd want from a history documentary and based on this mini-series, I can't wait to see "Grant," which is apparently premiering on History in a few months.

"Washington" airs Sunday, February 16th, Monday, February 17th and Tuesday, February 18 at 8:00 pm ET/PT on History.