America! Apple pie, football, and... barbwire? Yes, the US of A is known for a lot of innovations, famous people, and milestones in human history; a melting pot of cultures from across the globe with a past that is at often times inspiring but also horrifying. History, the basic cable network that recently discover the goldmine of reality TV, sees it as an opportunity for some entertaining programing to make a twelve episode mini series.
America: The Story of Us starts off at Jamestown and John Rolfe, then moves along a brisk pace through many of the country's milestones. There is a lot of material to go through in 400 years, so instead of hitting every single noteworthy event to happen in America the show glosses over a fair amount of them. Moments, such as the midnight ride of Paul Revere are kept to just basic facts, while others like the US involvement in the Korean War and Jazz movement are oddly absent. The show also doesn't shy away from America's darker moments and is even critical of its habits, which should be given some credit.
America is told with the added commentary of present US celebrities by the likes of Rudy Giuliani, Michael Strahan, and Brain Williams. It's an wide range of who's who celebrities and a good slice of people from different backgrounds, though I am clueless as to why Vera Wang and Sean Hannity are featured voices on America (I guess to make sure everyone is accounted for).
The production values are what to be expected from a basic cable show. Most of the show is reenactments and clips shot in front of green screens with a heavy reliance on computer graphics. It is cheesy but gets the job done, with a few, such as the anatomy of how much damage a mini-ball can do to a Civil War soldier, stand out. A lot of it feels underwhelming though, and it's a relief once the show switches to using archival video. The soundtrack too is sub par - typical filler rock playing most of the time - I honestly was more engaged by the sound effects which fans of a certain first person shooting Space Marine will catch in one episode.
While not a complete history of the whole United States, and certainly no where near the level of quality documentaries done by others like Ken Burns, America: The Story of Us is okay entertainment. Not a whole lot of it shines the same way it tries to present to the history of a whole nation, but it's not terrible by any stretch. For the most part, it is serviceable enough as a rough CliffNotes of an elementary US history textbook without being too overtly patriotic. Those looking for a simple look into how America came to be a diverse nation will find some entertainment, but viewers looking for a complete and more filling historical fix of US history can find better sustenance elsewhere.
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