I am not a big fan of period pieces. They tend to be slow-paced, stuffy, and, for several other reasons, not my cup of tea (pinkie out). However, MANHUNT takes the historical fiction of Lincoln’s assassination and turns it into a thought-provoking thriller that serves as a warning to our currently divided nation.
There’s a lot to unpack in MANHUNT. But what’s important is you should watch this uneven series that opens and ends strongly for two reasons:
- The lead performances:
- Tobias Menzies – Despite the show being about the assassination of Lincoln, it’s his series about the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. And his understated performance “belongs to the ages.”
- Glenn Morshower kills it as the despicable Andrew Johnson. Every time he’s on the screen, my skin crawled as I waited for him to get impeached (it’s not a spoiler if it’s U.S. history, right?).
- Hamish Linklater was brilliant as a preacher in MIDNIGHT MASS, and he comfortably slips into the performance of Abe Lincoln. He utilizes the same soulful approach to his sermons, subbing the church for the white house.
- The story – The idea that Stanton barricaded himself in his office so that he could not be removed from his position echoes Trump, 2020. Yet, it’s reversed. Stanton was legally in the right, whereas Trump has been proven to be guilty. The series toys with this. Should you engage in criminal activity if your actions suit the country? It’s fascinating when it aligns with your values (Stanton, for me) versus goes against them (Trump, for others).
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Although MANHUNT has some flaws, like Anthony Boyle’s portrayal of John Wilkes Booth, which slows the story and the pacing down during the middle episodes, it still creates a must-watch wake-up call for our nation.
It premieres on Apple TV on Friday, March 15th.
