NO PARDON NECESSARY - `PRESIDENTS' DOES THE JOB.

Byline: David Kronke TV Critic

`NEVER in history has there been a job like this,'' narrator Edward Herrman somewhat fatuously declares of the American presidency in ``The Presidents,'' an ambitious History Channel documentary miniseries. Well, no, except maybe all those in other countries.

That's an unfortunately inauspicious way to open an otherwise amiable, endlessly engaging and surprisingly brisk series that serves as a particularly apt way to commemorate George W. Bush's second inaugural this week. This series should be a staple at schools across the country for years to come.

Much of it is pretty standard American History 101, but the producers tend to manage a nice balance between figuring out what is generally known but too important to gloss over and keeping things tight and bright. Historians interviewed aren't shy about labeling administrations disasters, though sometimes they seem so snarky it's as if they think they're on one of VH1's ``I Love the (insert decade here)'' series.

The history is also leavened by amusing trivial tidbits about our leaders. For example, Benjamin Harrison had electricity installed in the White House but was too afraid to touch light switches. William Howard Taft was henpecked into running for the office by his wife, who wanted to live in the White House, but she had a stroke soon after he won the election. Thomas Jefferson ended up hating the presidency so much he left it off his gravestone. George Washington thought shaking hands was beneath the president. Zachary Taylor didn't even vote in his own election. And so on.

Information is divulged over much stock footage of the White House and rooms therein from every angle imaginable. To jazz up the proceedings, there are also some budget-minded re-enactments - while we hear of vociferous protesters during John Adams' presidency, we see a mere five extras in period costume shaking their fists in a hall that the camera makes no attempt to conceal is vastly cavernous, a very silly moment indeed. Thumbnail sketches of recent commanders in chief seem a bit dismissive, but overall, ``The Presidents'' is a useful Cliffs Notes for those who have dozed during their civics classes.

David Kronke, [phone]

david.kronke(at)dailynews.com

THE PRESIDENTS

What: Documentary miniseries breezing through the tenures of America's commanders in chief.

Where: History Channel.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

In a nutshell: Unimpeachably engaging.

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(1 -- 2) Thomas Jefferson, left, ended up hating the presidency so much he left it off the epitaph on his gravestone. George Washington believed it beneath him to shake hands.