Charles Herold (cherold) Ken Burns wants you to know the Roosevelts were really awesome. Noble hardworking, intelligent people who devoted their lives to public service. And yes, they were. But they also had some serious flaws, and the only way you'll know that after watching this documentary series is if you knew it before watching it.FDR gets more time than anyone else, and while the series spends endless amounts of time on political minutia and his love life, it spends about two minutes on the greatest stain of his presidency; the Japanese internment camps. When it is mentioned it's cheated by focusing on Eleanor's rather mild early objections to the program.I have read elsewhere that, like most white people of the time FDR told racist jokes and seemed put off by other peoples, such as Asians and Jews, but there's not a hint of that here. The approach to Teddy is similar, obsessed with stories of his strong will and good deeds, but TR was a decidedly problematic character and we see little of that.This doesn't mean there's not a lot of interesting information, nor that the series doesn't make it's narrative compelling, but simply that I don't trust that narrative. To me there's something problematic about spending hours on a World War II president without looking at American antisemitism and those times when America rejected refugees just as we are today. The world is a complex place full of complex people, and I don't see the point in turning politicians into Prince Charmings.As Ken Burns documentaries go, I didn't find this one as engaging as my favorites, like Jazz and The Dust Bowl, but overall it's worth watching, even if it loses momentum towards the end.

sirk1971 I've watched this series multiple times. I'm not political. I've never really paid much attention to the Roosevelt's. But I absolutely love biographies. Ken Burns has done a fantastic job with this series. I totally recommend anyone who enjoys biographies to watch this series. I came away thinking that our country could use another Teddy Roosevelt. His beliefs and tactics is something our country could definitely use right now. Not too fond of FDR based on this series. Wish it would have went more into Elanor since she was a true Roosevelt by blood (side note....I knew they were cousins before I watched this and it's still very icky that he married his cousin). I would love for Mr. Burns to create more biographies of this nature. I've tried watching others and they've failed to keep my interest like this one did.

WellBullyForYou This is indeed my favorite documentary. It's an intimate look at the life of the best president ever Teddy Roosevelt, his niece Eleanor Roosevelt, and her husband Franklin Roosevelt. I am biased, you see, so I will admit that my favorite bits are about teddy, and his war hero sons. Although Eleanor's accomplishments are incredible and I'm more impressed with her than I am with her husband Frank.If you only see one documentary this year, make it this one. For I can only describe it with one word: BULLY!And remember, speak softly and carry a big stick!

David Ferguson Greetings again from the darkness. Ken Burns is renowned for his documentaries - two of my favorites are Baseball (1994) and Jazz (2001). The power he wields is measured by his ability to get 14 hours of documentary not just researched and filmed, but also broadcast via PBS. Think how many Hollywood producers can't get the green light for a 90 minute pet project. Mr. Burns is a national treasure who creates national treasures, and his latest is some of his finest work yet.Focusing on an incredibly prominent American family - one that dominated politics and history for years - the stories are presented in chronological order, interconnecting the biographies of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor with the key events in history that they helped shape. But it's not all politics, as we also learn about the families and the individual make-up (flaws and all) of the 3 principals. We learn of the Republican Roosevelts of Oyster Bay and the Democrats of Hyde Park.Mr. Burns has set the bar very high for his productions, yet somehow we still managed to be struck by the photographs, archival footage and insights of these people and the times. The sheer number of previously unseen photographs and footage is staggering. Add to that the commentary from writers and historians, and it's easy to imagine this being the foundation for a high school or college history course ... one that students would actually enjoy.There are seven parts to the whole, each presented in chronological order: Pt 1 Get Action 1858-1901, Pt 2 In The Arena 1901-1910, Pt 3 The Fire of Life 1910-1919, Pt 4 The Storm 1920-1933, Pt 5 The Rising road 1933-39, Pt 6 The Common Cause 1939-44, Pt 7 A Strong and Active Faith 1944-62. We witness the rise to power and fame for TR, FDR and Eleanor. The deaths of each is also highlighted, as well as their respective impact on politics and history. It's not surprising that some of the character flaws and even questionable political decisions are glossed over, but this is not without it's acknowledgment of such. The insight into the obstacles all 3 Roosevelts overcame is fascinating. We hear recordings of each, and the voice acting fills the gaps - Meryl Streep as Eleanor, Edward Herrmann as FDR, and Paul Giamatti as TR. Peter Coyote does a nice job throughout as the narrator, and numerous other actors are utilized through the production, including the final screen appearance of Eli Wallach. This is an incredible documentary covering some giants of US politics and some of the most historical events ... each with visual and audio depth that makes this an extraordinary viewing opportunity.