The Mormons (miniseries)
A PBS documentary on the LDS Church's history and modern life.
Last updated
In 2007, PBS aired a four-hour documentary on the LDS Church, split across two nights. Produced by Helen Whitney, it marked the first collaboration between the series Frontline and American Experience.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 4 hours
- Original air dates
- April 30 and May 1, 2007
- Producer
- Helen Whitney
- Production companies
- Frontline, American Experience
Facts from the source article.
Content
The first segment covers the history of the LDS Church, including the life of Joseph Smith, his First Vision, and the Angel Moroni's delivery of the golden plates. It also addresses anti-Mormonism, polygamy, and the Mountain Meadows massacre. The second segment focuses on the contemporary church, profiling Mormon missionaries, the September Six, and the church's stance on homosexuality. It concludes with discussions of Mormonism and women and the personal growth of returned missionaries.
Reviews
The New York Times found the portrait of the modern church compelling. The Boston Globe criticized the documentary for not identifying Mormon from non-Mormon speakers and noted that Mitt Romney appeared in a film clip but declined to participate. Reuters considered the series hugely informative and watchable, though it noted the second night's focus on missions and the church's approach to critics as a weak point. The Nation expressed disappointment with the documentary.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: The Mormons (miniseries) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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