PHOTOS Breaking Bad’s Dean Norris as Benjamin Franklin in History’s Sons of Liberty

On January 25 History kicks off its three-part miniseries Sons of Liberty, a six-hour event that follows “a defiant and radical group of young men – Sam Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren – as they band together in secrecy to change the course of history and make America a nation.” Also featured in the miniseries is Founding Father and colonial entrepreneur Benjamin Franklin, played by Breaking Bad‘s Dean Norris. And in case you haven’t figured it out, this post is essentially just an excuse to share photos of Dean Norris in character — or in other words, share photos of DEA agent Hank Schrader as Benjamin Franklin.

Anybody else wishing Bryan Cranston was playing George Washington? Alas, that role belongs to Jason O’Mara. Here are the two of them sitting together:

But, just for fun, we altered history and the future thanks to the magic of Photoshop and created this image of what Sons of Liberty (and the founding of our nation) might have looked like if it were a Breaking Bad reunion:

Yes, I considered bringing Pinkman is as Paul Revere, but decided enough was enough. 🙂

Here’s another wonderful photo of Dean Norris as Benjamin Franklin followed by the full press release announcing Sons of Liberty as well as a preview clip featuring Deanjamin Franklin. Sons of Liberty premieres Sunday, January 25 at 9/8c on History:

Adams, Hancock, Revere…Their Rebellious Story of America’s Fight for Freedom Told in…

SONS OF LIBERTY

New Three-Night Scripted Miniseries Premieres
Sunday, January 25, at 9 p.m. on HISTORY®

New York, NY – November 4, 2014 – HISTORY premieres its newest scripted miniseries, SONS OF LIBERTY, on January 25, 26 and 27 at 9 p.m. The three-night, six-hour event follows a defiant and radical group of young men – Sam Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren – as they band together in secrecy to change the course of history and make America a nation.

The Sons of Liberty sparked a revolution. The cast depicting them includes Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia) as Sam Adams, a natural-born leader with charisma and a penchant for mischief; Ryan Eggold (The Blacklist) as Dr. Joseph Warren, a doctor and man of conscience and integrity; Michael Raymond-James (Jack Reacher, Terriers, True Blood) as Paul Revere, a veteran who wholeheartedly joins forces with Sam Adams; Rafe Spall (Prometheus, Life of Pi) as John Hancock, the wealthiest man in Boston at the time; and Henry Thomas (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Gangs of New York, Legends of the Fall) as John Adams, a lawyer and the conservative, smart cousin of Sam Adams. Also featured are Marton Csokas (The Equalizer, The Lord of the Rings, Rogue) as the ferocious General Thomas Gage, who is sent to handle the colonial unrest in Boston; Emily Berrington (24: Live Another Day) as Margaret Gage; Jason O’Mara (The Good Wife, Terra Nova, Life on Mars) as General George Washington; and Dean Norris (Breaking Bad, Under the Dome, Men, Women & Children) as the brilliant yet mischievous diplomat Benjamin Franklin.

Calling themselves the Sons of Liberty, they light the spark that ignited our revolution. While many of their names have become legendary, this group of young rebels didn’t start off as noble patriots. They were a new generation of young American men from varied backgrounds, struggling to find purpose in their lives. They were looking for equality, but they found something greater: independence.

Photos: Ollie Upton/HISTORY