For Openers, HBO's 'Adams' Mini Averages 2.65 Million Viewers
HBO Supports Best Film Premiere Since 2004 With Enhanced Online Features
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 3/18/2008 9:24:00 AM MT
HBO’s miniseries about the second U.S. president got off to the best start for a film on the premium channel since 2004.
The first and second installments of the seven-part John Adams miniseries averaged 2.65 million viewers Sunday night. The opener at 8 p.m. drew a 5.2 household rating and 8 share within HBO’s universe, translating into 2.5 million viewers. The second installment built on its lead-in scoring a 5.6 rating, 8 share and 2.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
The performance was the best for an HBO Film premiere since May 2004’s Something the Lord Made, which garnered a 5.2 rating/9 share and 2.6 million viewers. In 2004, Nielsen began measuring audience delivery off the pay network’s primary feed, rather than incorporate them with its multiplex services.
Meanwhile, HBO is about to ramp up the support for the series online at www.hbo.com/films/johnadams, where users can find additional information about events tied to the birth of this nation, the marriage of Adams to his wife Abigail, and efforts to provide historical accuracy and authenticity to the filming of the miniseries, whose production costs have been reported in the $100 million range.
Site visitors can currently navigate their way through a timeline, chronicling the most important events and figures of Adams’ day, replete with descriptions, photos from the series and bios of the attendant actors.
In the "Shattered Romanticism" section, they can hear David McCullough, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book from which the project is adapted, and other John Adams creators talk about the difficulties of living in colonial times. Scenes from the miniseries' second part are available for viewing.
Housed within the “Making John Adams” section, the "Inside the Scene" area enables viewers to watch an extended 20-minute video, as well as conversations with McCullough, Tom Hanks, whose Playtone Productions created the miniseries, and Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, who portray Mr. and Mrs. Adams.
This area is also home to five exclusive content pieces that examine some of the extraordinary moments in the miniseries and period through behind-the-scenes images and video, audio commentaries by cast and creators, and costume and location sketches. It rolls out through April 18.
Several other sections on the site will go live in the weeks ahead.
Launching March 21, “Her Patriotism,” will show Giamatti and other John Adams' creators exploring a defining moment in the life of Abigail. Scenes from the third installment will be included.
A week later, “Beware the Common Man” will launch, featuring McCullough and 
others talking about the stubborn and principled sides of the statesman, backed with footage from episode five.
"Here Lies John Adams," accessible April 11, examines the relationship between Adams and Thomas Jefferson, whose political differences helped establish the two-party systems. Scenes from part six are featured in this area.
In "Upstaged" on April 18, Giamatti and company comment on Adams' legacy, with scenes from the final installment on display.
Screen Test
03/14/2008REVIEW: HBO’s ‘John Adams’
03/13/2008AMC Counts Emmy Returns
07/19/2008
