Hamilton 2.0: We Tell Their Story

You’re reading part 4 of our 4-part series on adapting Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” for television. Read part 1 here!

Finally, with format (part 1), cast (part 2), and production (part 3) figured out, it’s time to figure out how our own Hamilton: the Musical Miniseries will be structured.

To sufficiently cover the characters over both the revolutionary and congressional eras of the play, we feel the appropriate duration to aim for will be roughly 7 episodes, varying from 45min-70min in length.

The big goal to aim for is that each episode begins and ends with one of the bigger musical numbers, but with it being possible that some of the lyrics reworked into expositional/character dialogue. After all, we’ve been re-iterating all along that what works in a stage production won’t always work on screen. While we’ll incorporate as many of the original songs as feasible, our version will have substantially more minutes to fill than Lin-Manuel’s (~2h is now much closer to ~6h), so we’ll very likely have to produce original numbers and motifs as the story and character arcs beef out.

Episode List

Episode 01: “Alexander Hamilton”

Enter not only Alexander Hamilton but our entire revolutionary cast. In classic musical form, our first act will be a montage of character introductory pieces. However, where the original play somewhat rushes through the peripheral cast (Hercules Mulligan gets like, a sentence), we will now take the time to properly introduce Hamilton’s troupe of peers and rivals alike.

The opening “Alexander Hamilton” composition should absolutely be used to set our stage, except with verses extended and motifs teased as necessary as we follow Hamilton through his teenage and pre-revolutionary years. Likewise, the sections of our opening number detailing Hamilton’s childhood trauma in the Caribbean can be extended to give it the time and focus it deserves, leaving room for additional compositions as he works his way to America.

Eventually, we meet Hamilton’s peers and rivals, set to a more in-depth and extended version of “Aaron Burr, Sir” as we’re introduced to Burr, Lafayette, Mulligan, Laurens, etc – but now with more time to focus on each character’s background, motivations, and why they even hang out with this Hamilton kid. All of this leading to a Greatest Showman-esque rendition of “My Shot” to close out our introduction with a show-stopper.

Finally, we get the chance for a breather as we set up the plot: the immediately imminent colonial revolt. Here, we switch focus to the Schuyler sisters, whose positions in society give us a deeper look into the setting of the conflict itself, rather than just focusing on the men who want to fight it. Bits of “Farmer Refuted” playing in the streets for ambiance, some clear definition of the sisters’ relationships, etc. What is important here is that we should spend some time getting to know the sisters (even Peggy) as their background and roles are completely glossed over in the play. This longer sequence will be set to motifs of their own titular song (“Schuyler Sisters“), and end with news of the Revolution being officially declared. As this news reaches Hamilton’s peers back at the bar, we close on a somber rendition of “The Story of Tonight“.

Episode 02: “Rebels”

Opening on King George’s posh masterpiece “You’ll be Back“, this episode focuses on our character’s lives undergoing rapid change as the Revolution becomes real and forces are amassed.

This is also where we’ll focus heavily on the relationships and marriages of Hamilton, the Sisters, and Burr. Hamilton/Angelica/Eliza’s triangular courtship will be the central plot of this episode, with numbers like “Helpless” and “A Winter’s Ball” teased over the course of an extended montage. Again, we will leverage a Greatest Showman-inspired sequence for Angelica’s “Satisfied” as the play “rewinds” to reveal their conflicting love affair.

When this all ends and the dust settles, we cut to Burr watching all this from the sidelines, breaking into our episode-ending rendition of “Wait For It” in a Glee-esque pop-musical climax.

Episode 03: “Right-Hand Man”

Here, we turn to George Washington, General of the Continental Army. While he should have technically been introduced the last episode if we were following the order of the play, we want this episode to focus on Washington and Hamilton’s relationship through the early trials of the Revolution. From Trenton to Monmouth, to Valley Forge, we can see them working side-by-side as the Continental Army loses battle after battle – but nonetheless surviving and dragging out the war. This could give us a chance to view another side of the Revolution as well – as American history likes to embellish the Colonial victories, and completely forgets disastrous routs like the Battle of New York and Charleston.

Musically, this will be a more motif-driven episode, but lending heavily from “Right Hand Man” and “History Has its Eyes On You” for Hamilton/Washington scenes, with recurring cut-aways to Eliza with “Stay Alive” and “That Would Be Enough” as Hamilton’s letters return from the front.

Finally, this episode ends with Hamilton’s introduction to dueling and subsequent firing from Washington’s staff. Our big climax number here will be Laurens’ and Lee’s showdown in “Ten Duel Commandments“, which ends suddenly and uncomfortably as Hamilton is sent home. This is all out of his hands now.

Episode 04: “The World Turned Upside Down”

In probably our biggest deviation from the stage performance, we want to dedicate this whole episode to the Siege of Yorktown and the events that led to it. Consequently, since Hamilton spends most of this time being fired, this is our chance to focus on the revolutionary efforts of Hamilton’s peers, giving our side characters a chance to shine.

Expanding on “Guns and Ships“, we see Lafayette‘s military achievements in detail as the American’s French alliance begins showing returns. Similarly, detailed sequences around Mulligan’s tailor/spy network and Laurens‘ southern campaigns offers the opportunity for more original musical numbers and even more chances to put the wider space offered by the new medium (film!) to our advantage – we can show more than just the one stage for a little bit. Get your violent wartime trailer shots in and all that.

Finally, we see Hamilton recalled to service in time for the final siege and subsequent surrender of British forces to an American/French coalition. “The World Turned Upside Down” plays triumphantly. Credits roll over a Burr/Hamilton duet of “Dear Theodosia” as we show the cast changing out of their uniforms for the last time.

Episode 05: “Founding Fathers”

Politics.

Opening on a distressed, depressed, and noticeably less well-dressed King George III in the middle of a “What Comes Next?” performance, we now change camera filters, makeup, and costumes drastically to show that these are now post-military men living post-military lives, and now desperately trying to answer the question of “what was this all for?”.

Enter Hamilton’s rivals, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, with an extended version of “What Did I Miss?” set to a quick little expositional montage to properly lay out the early political parties of the Constitutional Convention. This addresses something we felt the play lacked, as it never really dove into the political beliefs and finer minutia of Jefferson’s and Hamilton’s ideological divide, and what Hamilton’s Federalists were all about.

We see Hamilton’s party and influence grow during his tenure as Secretary of the Treasury, and eventually lead to another montage around the “Washington On Your Side” number. Finally, we turn to Aaron Burr, watching all this from the relatively powerless sidelines as his mood sours. We end the episode on yet another climactic Glee-esque take on “The Room Where it Happens”.

Episode 06: “The Adams Administration” / “The Reynolds Pamphlet”

Our last episode ended with Hamilton at the peak of his career. Now it implodes.

Our focus this time around will be The Reynolds Pamphlet and Hamilton’s general falling out with his own party as his characteristically hot head gets the better of him. To do this chapter justice, we’ll play around with a little non-linear storytelling, as Alexander’s affair would have already been in progress by the time of our opening number.

After opening on Burr’s exposition from “The Adams Administration“, we jump back to Washington’s final term. Burr has been elected to Senate after defeating Schuyler Sr. and Jefferson/Hamilton continue to clash in cabinet meetings. Washington takes Hamilton aside to announce his retirement in the form of “One Last Time“. After an obligatory King George III reprise for “I Know Him“, we can add some much-needed exposition that was glossed over in the play: Hamilton’s public breakup with John Adams and his subsequent political isolation.

We now can dive into the events of The Reynolds Pamphlet as they are discovered by Madison, Jefferson, and Burr in the play. Or, as Lin-Manuel himself framed it in Drunk History:

It’s here where we can bring in songs and sequences from “Take a Break” and “Say No to This” as the details of the affair unfold over a series of flashbacks. As the events unfold and Hamilton’s hot head decides to make the matter public knowledge, we set up our climax piece: “Burn“.

EDITOR’S NOTE: One historically inaccurate but artistic change that was proposed by our head writer (Peter) for the last shot would be to burn down the whole house when Eliza torches the letters. However, since I (Dirk, the editor!) am writing these episode synopsis sections, I’d elect to leave this to the decision of the director. Lin-Manuel’s Hamilton already takes a fair few creative liberties when it comes to telling the 100% truth, and a big artistic set piece fire seems like a good way to enjoy having a production budget to throw around.

– Dirk Hortensius, Tyrannical editor for life.

Episode 07: “Who Tells Your Story?”

Our finale episode cuts to years later, to the pained Hamilton household. Phillip tries to defend his father’s honor in a duel, following the events in “Blow Us All Away“. Hamilton’s life now completely shattered, we cut back to politics (please!) where the Jefferson-v-Burr fight for the white house is coming to a head.

The events that follow are history – Hamilton endorses his adversary and Jefferson wins the presidency. Burr is humiliated. They begin exchanging letters, and it is here where we can expand on “Your Obedient Servant” and take one last look back at the long contested history between the two, and highlight the disparate approaches the two have taken to climb this far only to fall together.

The duel happens as it is in “The World Was Wide Enough“, but with Hamilton’s death scene turning into a cinematic sequence as his parting soliloquy flashes through the events of Hamilton’s life that we’ve seen up until this point.

And that’s it. He’s dead. Roll credits.

The final musical half of “The World Was Wide Enough”, fades to our epilogue in “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”. We cut to each of the founding fathers and Hamilton’s remaining peers and family saying their final piece, as Eliza gets back to work.

Curtains.