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This review was made possible by screeners for Manhunt. Manhunt premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 15th 2024.
If you have ever taken an American History class whether it is in grade school or in college then you know that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in cold blood by the pompous actor looking for glory John Wilkes Booth. However, what you may not have known were the heavy, often heart-pumping details that went into the hunt for Booth and the fallout that came about from the beloved yet, divisive President dying on that fateful April 14th night.
The series is created by Monica Beletsky and is based on the book “Manhunt” by author James L. Swanson. While the series follows Booth who is played by Masters of the Air star Anthony Boyle, it focuses on the then Secretary of War and Lincoln’s right-hand man Edwin Stanton played by Tobias Menzies. Right off the bat you get a feel for just how close Stanton and Lincoln were as they do a wondrous job going back and forth between time before the assassination and the present time.
A COUNTRY TORN APART
While the main story is about hunting down John Wilkes Booth, the series adds in a mix of the ramifications of Lincoln’s assassination. We see the immediate fallout such as the failed promise of “40 Acres and a Mule”, the powder keg that is Virginia and just how deep the Confederate spy network had run. All of these elements blend together to create one of the finer seven hours of television I have watched in a while.
My MVPs of the series were Boyle, who captured the arrogance of Booth and took off with his role and the thought of heroism he believed he now deserved. Menzies is another who, for me, absolutely should be up for award consideration after this series. You felt the emotion and burden of losing his friend and the weight the Civil War had taken on him.
A HISTORICAL MASTERPIECE
If you are a big fan of American history, then this show is for you. There is emotional weight seeing what could have been with the Reconstruction after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln botched by the succeeding President. There is action, suspense, and even a nice blend of humor in there. Apple TV has found itself a gem that belongs in the conversation for best mini-series of the year early on.
Watch the trailer for Manhunt below. The series premieres on Apple TV+ on March 15.
