Grant

Watch in the US

Data provided by

8 / 10

1 Review

Rate this show:

8 Based on 1 Votes

10

0
9

0
8

1
7

0
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0

Overview

This documentary-series examines Grant's life story using his perspective and experiences to explore a turbulent time in history: the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Media

View all media

Grant: Official Trailer | 3-Night Miniseries Event Premieres Memorial Day, May 25 at 9/8c | History

Cast

Fist Air Date:

2020-05-25

Episode Runtime:

80m

Production Companies:

RadicalMedia, Appian Way, A+E Global Media, Lionsgate Television, Film Afrika

Genres:

Documentary War & Politics

Keywords:

american civil war civil war usa president

More Show Details

Vote Average: 7.1/10

Vote Count: 23 Votes

Show Popularity: 2.1645

Show Status: Ended

Show Type: Miniseries

Spoken Languages: English

Review

View all reviews

Insomniacs Reviews
- 23 April 2026 at 1:53 pm

8 Based on 1 Votes
10

0
9

0
8

1
7

0
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0
⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY If *Washington* was the origin and *Lincoln* was the sequel, this is the gritty, cigar-chomping finale to the trilogy. *Grant* (2020) is a three-part, six-hour History Channel miniseries produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and based on Ron Chernow’s definitive biography. It follows Ulysses S. Grant (Justin Salinger) from his "unlikely hero" beginnings as a failed tanner to the general who broke the Confederacy and the president who took on the KKK. By April 23, 2026, it is officially the "Gold Standard" of Civil War docudramas in the 900+ archive—even if it makes Grant look like he’s in a constant staring contest with the horizon. THE PROS Justin Salinger is a total win; he plays Grant with a sincere, "Clint Eastwood" grit that perfectly captures the man's stoic determination. The show’s biggest win is its focus on the Reconstruction era—while most shows end at Appomattox, *Grant* spends the final act showing his sincere, bruising fight for civil rights as the 18th President. The battle scenes, particularly Shiloh and Vicksburg, are the business; they avoid the "clean" look of older documentaries for a visceral, mud-and-blood realism that makes the 2026 "Retro-War" spikes look like total garbage by comparison. The expert commentary from Ron Chernow and various historians provides a sincere, necessary reassessment of Grant’s reputation as a "butcher" and a "drunk." THE CONS It is an 8/10 because, as a docudrama, it can occasionally feel like a Languid Burn during the transition from "talking head" to "battle scene." It misses the 9/10 mark because some of the supporting actors—specifically the Robert E. Lee and William T. Sherman counterparts—look a bit like a head-scratcher, sporting beards that look like they were glued on five minutes before the cameras rolled. It is total garbage that the show repeats certain "talking points" so often you could turn it into a drinking game (though maybe not a good idea for a show about Grant). For some, the 2026 "Non-Linear" trend makes the chronological 2020 format feel a bit "History 101," but it remains the most comprehensive look at the man we have. THE VERDICT An 8/10. It is a genuine, high-production-value epic that successfully rescues Grant from the "Lost Cause" myths that have plagued his legacy for over a century. I was slightly gutted that the 2026 "DiCaprio/Chernow" follow-up series on Theodore Roosevelt was delayed earlier this week, but *Grant* remains the business for anyone who wants to see the Union saved by a man who was once a failure in everything but war. It is total garbage if you want a fast-paced action movie, but as a deep-dive into the "Unlikely Hero" who redefined modern battle, it’s a vault essential. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA * The DiCaprio Touch: Leonardo DiCaprio was so obsessed with Ron Chernow's biography that he executive produced the show to ensure it didn't lean into the "drunkard" myths, a sincere mission that defines the show's tone.* Location Magic: Like its sister show *Washington*, much of the series was filmed in South Africa and Romania, using the European countryside to recreate the dense woods of Tennessee and Virginia.* The "Clint" Vibe: Critics in both 2020 and 2026 have noted that Justin Salinger’s Grant feels like a mid-career Clint Eastwood—all bristling beard, knotted brow, and silent passion.* 2026 Connection: This April, *Grant* has seen a 2026 "Civil Rights Spike" after a new monument to Grant was unveiled in a major US city yesterday, causing the series to jump back into the History Channel's Top 10 for the first time in three years. THE VIBE Like a glass of whiskey and a very long cigar. It is rugged, somber, and deeply determined. It makes you want to study tactical maps, stand up for what's right regardless of the cost, and realize that the most powerful man in the room is often the one who says the least.

Season 1

3 Episodes

Air Date: 2020-05-25

Videos

Grant: Official Trailer | 3-Night Miniseries Event Premieres Memorial Day, May 25 at 9/8c | History

Cast

Related Shows To

Grant

Reviews for

Grant

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 23 April 2026 at 2:53 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10
THE SUMMARY
If *Washington* was the origin and *Lincoln* was the sequel, this is the gritty, cigar-chomping finale to the trilogy. *Grant* (2020) is a three-part, six-hour History Channel miniseries produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and based on Ron Chernow’s definitive biography. It follows Ulysses S. Grant (Justin Salinger) from his “unlikely hero” beginnings as a failed tanner to the general who broke the Confederacy and the president who took on the KKK. By April 23, 2026, it is officially the “Gold Standard” of Civil War docudramas in the 900+ archive—even if it makes Grant look like he’s in a constant staring contest with the horizon.
THE PROS
Justin Salinger is a total win; he plays Grant with a sincere, “Clint Eastwood” grit that perfectly captures the man’s stoic determination. The show’s biggest win is its focus on the Reconstruction era—while most shows end at Appomattox, *Grant* spends the final act showing his sincere, bruising fight for civil rights as the 18th President. The battle scenes, particularly Shiloh and Vicksburg, are the business; they avoid the “clean” look of older documentaries for a visceral, mud-and-blood realism that makes the 2026 “Retro-War” spikes look like total garbage by comparison. The expert commentary from Ron Chernow and various historians provides a sincere, necessary reassessment of Grant’s reputation as a “butcher” and a “drunk.”
THE CONS
It is an 8/10 because, as a docudrama, it can occasionally feel like a Languid Burn during the transition from “talking head” to “battle scene.” It misses the 9/10 mark because some of the supporting actors—specifically the Robert E. Lee and William T. Sherman counterparts—look a bit like a head-scratcher, sporting beards that look like they were glued on five minutes before the cameras rolled. It is total garbage that the show repeats certain “talking points” so often you could turn it into a drinking game (though maybe not a good idea for a show about Grant). For some, the 2026 “Non-Linear” trend makes the chronological 2020 format feel a bit “History 101,” but it remains the most comprehensive look at the man we have.
THE VERDICT
An 8/10. It is a genuine, high-production-value epic that successfully rescues Grant from the “Lost Cause” myths that have plagued his legacy for over a century. I was slightly gutted that the 2026 “DiCaprio/Chernow” follow-up series on Theodore Roosevelt was delayed earlier this week, but *Grant* remains the business for anyone who wants to see the Union saved by a man who was once a failure in everything but war. It is total garbage if you want a fast-paced action movie, but as a deep-dive into the “Unlikely Hero” who redefined modern battle, it’s a vault essential.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
* The DiCaprio Touch: Leonardo DiCaprio was so obsessed with Ron Chernow’s biography that he executive produced the show to ensure it didn’t lean into the “drunkard” myths, a sincere mission that defines the show’s tone.
* Location Magic: Like its sister show *Washington*, much of the series was filmed in South Africa and Romania, using the European countryside to recreate the dense woods of Tennessee and Virginia.
* The “Clint” Vibe: Critics in both 2020 and 2026 have noted that Justin Salinger’s Grant feels like a mid-career Clint Eastwood—all bristling beard, knotted brow, and silent passion.
* 2026 Connection: This April, *Grant* has seen a 2026 “Civil Rights Spike” after a new monument to Grant was unveiled in a major US city yesterday, causing the series to jump back into the History Channel’s Top 10 for the first time in three years.
THE VIBE
Like a glass of whiskey and a very long cigar. It is rugged, somber, and deeply determined. It makes you want to study tactical maps, stand up for what’s right regardless of the cost, and realize that the most powerful man in the room is often the one who says the least.

login

Or via Socials

Grant

Watch in the US

Overview

Media

Cast

Fist Air Date:

Episode Runtime:

Production Companies:

Genres:

Keywords:

More Show Details

Review

Season 1

Videos

Cast

Related Shows To

Grant

Should I Marry A Murderer?

Secret Service

The Law According to Lidia Poët

Chernobyl: Inside The Meltdown

Secrets of the Bees

Reviews for

Grant

Comment (1)

Leave a Review Cancel reply