Benjamin Franklin Mini-Series Starring Michael Douglas Debuts on Apple TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA2Q4HfkNpk "Franklin," an eight-episode mini-series starring Michael Douglas, streams in April 2024 on Apple TV. In December 1776, Benjamin Franklin is world-famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when he embarks on a secret mission to France, with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance. …

Every Ken Burns Documentary, Ranked

A writer, Abigail Covington, of Redbook reviewed 30 historical documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns and ranked them according to general interest and what she learned. She links to several articles and films by Burns, including America (seven episodes on YouTube.com, one of which was on Congress), the Civil War, Country Music, and The Central Park …

‘See It Loud: The History of Black Television’

CNN is broadcasting a five-part series, "See It Loud: The History of Black Television." It "celebrates the achievements of Black actors and creators, examining the historical impact Black culture has on all culture" in an 80-year- struggle, according to a CNN press release. "The series takes viewers on a journey from Black television’s origins in …

Rise and Fall of the Western, and the US Frontier

Baby boomers, especially boys, were raised on the myth of heroic cowboys and frontiersmen through television shows like Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wyatt Earp, Rin Tin Tin, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry (the singing cowboy), Paladin ("Have Gun, Will Travel"), Gunsmoke (featuring Marshall Matt Dillon), and if you were a reader, …

Reactions to Mass TV Streaming of ‘Hamilton’

"Hamilton" has been characterized as one of the seminal pop-cultural moments and certainly musical theater events of the decade, beginning when the show debuted on Broadway in 2015. It shattered barriers by portraying America's founding fathers as people of color. But it has faced criticism since it is reaching mass audiences through streaming on Disney …

‘Hamilton’ Musical Now Available for Everyone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSCKfXpAGHc The stage version of the blockbuster Broadway musical "Hamilton" -- available live in New York for $600 or more per ticket -- is now accessible to the masses. Debuting July 3, 2020 on the Disney Plus streaming channel for $6.99, it is already creating buzz on social media, particularly on Twitter under the hashtag …

Medici, Italian Renaissance’s Banking Family, Produced Four Popes and Two Queens of France

Traditional accounts of the Italian Renaissance portray the Borjias as corrupt and evil religious leaders, and the Medici as heroic financiers and philanthropists of stunningly beautiful art and architecture as well as fair-minded popes. I've already pointed out the reasons that popular portrayals of the Borjias, particularly the popular TV series, exaggerate their deviance. Two …

Borgias Played Critical Role in Protestant Reformation, Renaissance, Colonialism, Columbian Exchange

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK6t8VpuFQg&t=19s In this video, Ryan Reeves, (PhD Cambridge) an Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, explains why the Borgia dynasty is, after more than 500 years, "remembered even today as something of a soap opera." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItLou92CsEM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpY1_iCUUa8 Popularized by a three-season TV series on various streaming services, the Borgias had a reputation …

‘Mrs. America’ TV Series Explores Both Sides of Women’s Liberation Movement

"There are two sides to every revolution....Mrs. America' recounts the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the unexpected backlash led by Phyllis Schlafly, aka the sweetheart of the silent majority.” Through the eyes of the women of the era, the FX series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture …

‘The Plot Against America’ Offers Frightening Choices And Lessons for America From History

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwMwrft7So8 Philip Roth's alternate history novel set in the 1940s, "The Plot Against America," is now a six-part series on HBO. "World War II is told through the eyes of a working-class Jewish family in New Jersey as they endure the political rise of Charles Lindbergh, who captures the presidency and turns the nation toward …