I actually thought it was very good. Mostly acurate, unapologetic. and intellectually honest. I listened to an interview with the documentary's producer on WNYC (NYC's PBS radio station) the morning after the 1st episode; it gave me an even greater appreciation for what a superb job she did in trying to present a clear, coherent picture of our beloved church to the "outside" world. If we are honest with ourselves we understand this is no easy task. Our church and it's history defy explanation in conventional terms, especially in a country where other people's religious traditions tend to be so homogenous. We simply do not fit that homogenous mold. Overall I thought she found a vernacular, a voice, that for an outsider who does not share our beliefs was remarkable in it's fairness and honesty. I was happy to see a variety of speakers at different levels of authority respond to some really difficult questions about who we are and what our church is, especially on an historical level. Too often we as a church have ducked the criticisms or glossed over the misteps and abberant behaviour of those who paticipated in bringing this glorious work to pass. That many, even our beloved Joseph, had feet of clay should be a comfort to all of us. If those truths make us wince, and in many cases they should, then all the better. It can only make us better Mormons when we come to terms with them truthfully. To be able to say "yes, that happened and it was a terrible thing", or "yes it happened, I don't know why or I don't understand it" can only bring us closer to understanding what we believe and why we believe it. And I would rather those outside our faith develop an opinion about us based on an entire truthful picture, warts and all, than on a carefully edited version of it.
I do agree with some of the previous posts regrding inacuracies or omissions - especially those having to do with obedience and the Temple, but I think most of those instances arise from trying to explain the peculiarities of our faith from a point of view outside the author's personal experience or understanding. I felt they were honest mistakes, not intentional distortions.
For anyone who has not done so already, I strongly suggest you read Richard Bushman's book "Rough Stone Rolling". It fleshes out in astonishing detail Joseph's life (both the man and the Prophet) and the early days of the church. You will come away even more aprreciative of our beloved church and the truly "marvelous" nature of this "work" and what a "wonder" it really is.
