Watch The Wheelchair President

The Wheelchair President is an engrossing and intriguing two-part documentary that first aired in 2015. The show provides a deep delve into the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who was famously known as 'The Wheelchair President'. This docudrama not only explores the political life of FDR, who served as the 32nd President of the United States, but also the personal struggles he faced after being paralysed from the waist down due to polio.

The documentary has been well-received by audiences and critics alike for its comprehensive and balanced exploration of FDR's life. Largely traversing the turbulent period from 1921 to 1945, it offers insights into his rise to one of the highest and most revered positions in the world, despite his physical disabilities and the immense challenges they presented. The series does an excellent job of placing the viewer in the epicentre of the 1930s and 40s politics, allowing them to understand the monumental challenges FDR confronted and overcome during his presidency.

Episode one of The Wheelchair President takes us back to the beginning of FDR's journey into politics and his subsequent contraction of polio. It illuminates how Roosevelt took on a self-imposed 'exile', coming face-to-face with his physical disability and battling not just the physical ramifications of the disease, but also societal attitudes towards disability. Interviews with medical experts, historians, polio survivors, and readings from FDR's personal letters depict his resilience, determination, and impressive ability to adapt.

Though known as 'The Wheelchair President', the documentary explores how FDR tactfully managed to keep his disability from being publicly visible. Thanks to his determination and exercise routines, FDR was able to give the impression of walking, showing the American public an image of strength and capability. The documentary succinctly highlights the paradox of how a physically challenged man was perceived as a champion of the common man's cause during the Great Depression and the years leading up to World War II.

Episode two delves deeper into FDR

The Wheelchair President is a series that ran for 1 seasons (2 episodes) between September 6, 2015 and on