American Dynasties: The Bush Years

There are two well-known George Bushes, and both sat in the most powerful seat in the world. George HW Bush – President of the United States (POTUS) 41 – held the position from 1989 to 1993. The elder Bush famously presided over the first Gulf War, ending the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.

George W Bush – POTUS 43, AKA Dubya – served from 2001 to 2009. He was the second son to become the US president after his father (after John Adams and John Quincy Adams, POTUS 2 and 6 respectively). The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent “War on Terror” (and second Gulf War) were the signature events of his controversial presidency. Hurricane Katrina also occurred during his tenure.

Both Bushes were Republican presidents, and both have complicated legacies. Interestingly, the elder grew up in the north of the US, in Connecticut, while the younger was a Texan through and through. The Bushes are inevitably compared and contrasted, but they were each other’s biggest cheerleader.

POTUS 41 famously told his son: “Be your own person, even if it means distancing yourself from your old man.”

There’s no denying the influence that this dynasty has had not only on US politics and history but also on the world at large. But what kind of family is able to produce two of the world’s most powerful figures?

Narrated by Ed Harris, American Dynasties: The Bush Years offers a revealing look at the Bushes’ internal dynamic. Through never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with historians, journalists, political figures and family members, the series paints a mesmerising picture of a dynasty driven by service, power and family loyalty.