Harley and the Davidsons

Based on a true story, "Harley and the Davidsons" charts the birth of this iconic bike during a time of great social and technological change beginning at the turn of the 20th century.

Harley and the Davidsons (2016) is a American limited series created for Discovery, a true-story historical drama that charts the birth of the iconic motorcycle across three feature-length episodes of roughly 80 minutes each. Michiel Huisman plays Walter Davidson and Bug Hall plays his brother Arthur, two young men whose backyard tinkering in early twentieth century Milwaukee grows into an ambition to build a machine that can stand up to the mechanical and commercial pressures of their time. Robert Aramayo plays their partner Bill Harley, a gifted engineer whose technical skill is central to the project, while Essa O'Shea plays Clara Davidson, whose presence anchors the family drama. The engine of the series is the struggle to turn a shed experiment into a working product, with every episode built around setbacks in design, money and trust. Its shape is a compact, self-contained historical miniseries rather than a long running saga. The tone is earnest and grounded, with a warm, hopeful pull toward craft and perseverance. Viewers drawn to period drama, family business stories and real-life origin tales will find resonance with Boardwalk Empire, The Men Who Built America and Mercy Street.

Audience reception is positive, with viewers rating this three-episode historical miniseries highly for its portrayal of the Harley-Davidson origin story.

• Boardwalk Empireshared period drama tone, historical origin story of an American icon, family business struggle
• The Men Who Built Americashared true-story historical drama, invention and industrial change at the turn of the century
• Mercy Streetshared limited historical drama format and grounded period detail of early American enterprise

Release Date

2016-09-05

Episode runtime

80 min

Rating

8.0 / 10 (51)

What is Harley and the Davidsons about?

A three-episode true-story drama following the Davidson family and their partner Bill Harley as they build the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle at the dawn of the twentieth century.

What is Harley and the Davidsons like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Harley and the Davidsons as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Harley and the Davidsons violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Harley and the Davidsons as mild.

What did critics think of Harley and the Davidsons?

Audience reception is positive, with viewers rating this three-episode historical miniseries highly for its portrayal of the Harley-Davidson origin story.

Which shows are like Harley and the Davidsons?

Shows with a similar feel include Boardwalk Empire, The Men Who Built America, and Mercy Street.

How long is Harley and the Davidsons?

Harley and the Davidsons: 1 season, 3 episodes.

Is Harley and the Davidsons still running?

No, Harley and the Davidsons has ended.