The American Experiment; Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness

“The Netflix homepage describes The American Experiment to potential viewers unwilling to read more than four words as “Sincere. Informative. Documentary series”. Well, my goodness, is it ever that, that and that! The five, hour-plus episodes about the creation of the United States of America to mark its 250th anniversary are as sincere and informative as you could wish. Possibly, at times, too much so. Ken Burns fans can probably sit this one out. This is not a time for flair and idiosyncrasy. This is a time for self-consciously milestone TV executive produced by Tom Hanks that is so carefully bipartisan, so cognisant of the stains on the country’s history, so balanced in every conceivable way, that it feels like the televisual equivalent of consuming a kale smoothie on a wellness retreat.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“There is also acknowledgment that the electoral college system may be flawed and outdated. [Hillary] Clinton provides a funny moment when she says with a laugh: “I think the electoral college is an abomination for obvious reasons.” She is referring to the fact that though she won the popular vote, she did not win the presidency. Pence says: “I think President Washington understood that democracy depends on heavy doses of civility.” You might think that is somewhat pointed. It is a punchy, spiky but cerebral few hours which recognises that the experiment is evolving and there is more work to do. It leaves the viewer in no doubt that we take democracy for granted at our peril.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Larry David plonking himself into key moments of American history, you say? The balding, petty, irascible old git mucking up the nation’s founding charter or doing a Larry when Rosa Parks chose not to move to the back of a bus in the segregated south? As a way to mark the country’s 250th birthday, it sounds prettay, prettay good, doesn’t it? Even the mere sight of David in an 18th-century wig, that bespectacled scowl staring down from a solemn portrait of the Founding Fathers and coming to life, as Barack Obama (also co-executive producer) introduces the seven episodes is fantastically funny. And as you would expect, Obama is a sassy performer, nearly as good as David and the many guest stars, including Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Hamm and Samuel L Jackson, who narrates. And yet… while the sketches in Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO Max) sound great on paper, many feel a little tame in the execution.”
Ben Dowell, The Times