Benjamin Franklin is the aging, wily statesman at the center of Franklin — the celebrated American polymath who, at seventy, sails to France in 1776 on a secret, audacious mission to win the alliance that could decide the Revolutionary War. Charming, cunning, and a master of self-presentation, Franklin wages a campaign of diplomacy and seduction in the salons of Paris.
His arc, drawn from Stacy Schiff's account, dramatizes the eight-year diplomatic gambit that secured French support for American independence, all while Franklin navigates court intrigue, spies, personal loss, and his fraught relationship with his grandson. The series reveals the showman and strategist behind the icon, a man improvising a nation's fate abroad. He is statecraft as performance art.
Michael Douglas brings twinkling charisma and gravitas to the founding father.
Key Episodes
S1 E1
Episode 1
Franklin arrives in France to seek an alliance for the American cause.
S1 E8
Episode 8
Franklin's long diplomatic campaign reaches its culmination.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the central figures in Franklin, a historical/drama series that aired on Apple TV+ from 2024. Within the narrative of Franklin, Benjamin Franklin serves as a pivotal character whose decisions and relationships drive key story arcs throughout Limited series. The character's journey has been central to many of the show's most memorable and discussed moments.
Portrayed by Michael Douglas, Benjamin Franklin has become one of the most recognizable characters in modern television. Michael Douglas's performance brings nuance and depth to the role, creating a character that resonates with audiences on both intellectual and emotional levels. Michael Douglas's work has been recognized with 2 major awards, reflecting the critical acclaim their portrayal has received.
Explore More on TVCeleb
TVCeleb.com is the internet's most comprehensive resource for television character fandom, covering 210 acclaimed TV series with 707 detailed character profiles and 589 actor biographies. Our coverage spans 37 genres across 37 networks and streaming platforms, with content organized to help fans discover, explore, and engage with television from every angle.
Browse our collection by genre to find shows in your preferred category, by network to see what's available on your streaming platform, by decade to explore different eras of television history, or by curated lists that group characters by archetype and achievement. Each show page features expanded synopses, production details, and video content, while character pages include detailed arc analysis, key episodes, quotes, trivia, and fan ecosystem mapping.
Every character on TVCeleb is scored using our proprietary Fan Heat Index, which measures engagement, social activity, meme velocity, fan art density, and fandom longevity on a scale of 0 to 100. This data-driven approach provides objective insight into which characters have inspired the most passionate and active fan communities. Use the search page to find any character, show, or actor instantly, or start browsing from our homepage to discover what's trending in television fandom today.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Michael Douglas plays Benjamin Franklin in the Apple TV+ limited series.
Franklin dramatizes Benjamin Franklin's secret diplomatic mission to France during the American Revolution, based on Stacy Schiff's book.
