HIGHLIGHTS
- The Franklin miniseries explores the real-life events during the American Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1783.
- The show utilizes natural light and desaturated colors to craft a visually authentic 18th-century France.
- Award-winning director Tim Van Patten’s creative vision is evident in each episode, showcasing his ability to bring historical narratives to life.
Franklin is a biographical drama miniseries about the United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.
The series is based on Stacy Schiff’s 2005 book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America.
The series’s first season consists of eight episodes, each providing a profound journey of Benjamin Franklin.
Moreover, the miniseries reflects real historical events, presenting an authentic depiction of American history on television.
Franklin Series Is Set In The 18th Century During The American Revolutionary War
Franklin
Biographical drama miniseries about the US Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.
Genre
WarDramaBiographical| Release date | April 12, 2024 |
| Director | Timothy Van Patten |
| Cast | Michael Douglas, Noah Jupe, Olivier Claverie |
| Writers | Kirk Ellis, Howard Korder |
| Episodes | 8 |
The miniseries portrays Benjamin Franklin’s eight years in France, convincing King Louis XVI to support the United States during the American Revolutionary War.
It portrays his diplomatic endeavors, international political complexities, and relationships during this critical period.
Take a look at the trailer here,
Moreover, the show cast Academy Award winner Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin alongside Noah Jupe, Daniel Mays, and Ludivine Sagnier.
The miniseries has been noted for its captivating character portrayal and depth of American history.
The series showcases Benjamin’s diplomatic skills and his efforts to negotiate French support for the American cause, showcasing the themes of negotiation and diplomacy.
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Moreover, the series has been receiving acclaim for its casting choices and the profound performances delivered by the actors.
While some reviewers believe the series doesn’t delve deeply enough into the protagonist’s complexities, instead highlighting personal narratives over actual historical events.
Therefore, the movie has received mixed reviews from viewers for reflecting American History.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the “Franklin” miniseries has a 70% positive rating, reflecting that the series does have things to improve.
Similarly, the series has received a 7 out of 10 IMDb rating based on the feedback from 344 IMDb audience.
On the other hand, some critics have expressed dissatisfaction with the dialogue delivery, noting that despite the series being set in France, the characters mostly speak with English accents.
The Show Follows Benjamin’s Eight Years Journey In France Through Eight Episodes
The miniseries Franklin released its first episode, “Sauce for Prayers,” along with the second and third episodes on April 12, 2024.
The opening episode unfolds on December 3rd, 1776, along the Brittany Coast of France.
Moreover, the episode follows Franklin’s mission to convince France, King Louis XIV, to support the United States during the American Revolutionary War.
Following his mission, Franklin and his grandson meet Franklin’s friend Bancroft, a physician and former parliamentary companion.
Similarly, in episode two, we can see Paris police watching Franklin’s every move and Temple Franklin making a significant confession about the plan.
Franklin receives terrible news from America, which entangles Franklin in the intricate traps of Versailles in episode three.
Meanwhile, the episode addresses the tension caused by false reports of Lafayette’s death, which unsettled his friends and allies in France.
Overall, we may see more about the news from America and Lafayette’s death rumors in the upcoming episodes.
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With the release of three episodes of Franklin, the audience has found good chemistry between Michael Douglas and Noah Jupe as grandson and grandfather.
Moreover, the episodes aired so far have generally gained favorable audience feedback, with each episode achieving an average IMDb score of 7.5/10.
Meanwhile, some have pointed out atypical storylines and irrelevant subplots that complicate portraying characters based on historical figures.
Similarly, many series viewers have identified the pacing of time jumps as a significant source of dissatisfaction.
However, since more than five episodes of this series are still in progress for release, we cannot determine its successful conclusion yet.
Overall, the series has received mixed reviews from viewers for its detailed historical narrative and strong performances, though some have criticized the pacing and focus on less significant events.
