Manhunt

A conspiracy thriller about one of the best known but least understood crimes in history. This is the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination—as the fate of the country hangs in the balance.

Manhunt (2024) is a United States limited series created by Monica Beletsky for Apple TV, a historical crime thriller adapted from a nonfiction book. Anthony Boyle plays the fugitive John Wilkes Booth, while Tobias Menzies stars as Edwin Stanton, the War Secretary charged with running the pursuit. Hamish Linklater appears as Abraham Lincoln, and Lovie Simone plays Mary Simms, whose presence anchors the story's human stakes. The engine is a race against a shifting conspiracy: Stanton's men must track a desperate killer through a country still raw from war, while Booth and his small circle of accomplices move through safe houses, stolen time, and loyalties that fray with every day of flight. Each of the seven episodes tightens the net, alternating between the hunters' war room and the fugitive's flight, so that the procedural detail of investigation builds steadily toward a larger question about who really holds power. Set in 1865 America, the show evokes a fractured nation trying to define itself after the Civil War, with rain-soaked roads, candlelit rooms, and a mounting sense of dread. Its tone is tense and sober, with moments of unease and violence rendered without spectacle. Fans of Taken and The Plot Against America will find resonance in its blend of political stakes and historical suspense, and viewers drawn to grounded true-events drama will find much to admire in its restrained, meticulous approach.

Audiences rate the miniseries positively for its gripping recreation of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth.

• Takenserialized historical manhunt, political conspiracy, american civil war backdrop
• The Plot Against Americatense historical crime thriller built on a real assassination and its aftermath
• Manhunt (2017)true-events political thriller with a grounded, procedural manhunt tone

Created by

Monica Beletsky

Release Date

2024-03-14

Episode runtime

56 min

Rating

7.2 / 10 (102)

What is Manhunt about?

A grounded historical thriller following the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth in the chaotic aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

What is Manhunt like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Manhunt as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Manhunt violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Manhunt as moderate.

What did critics think of Manhunt?

Audiences rate the miniseries positively for its gripping recreation of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth.

Which shows are like Manhunt?

Shows with a similar feel include Taken, The Plot Against America, and Manhunt (2017).

How long is Manhunt?

Manhunt: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is Manhunt still running?

No, Manhunt has ended.

Where can I watch Manhunt?

In United States, Manhunt streams on Apple TV, Apple TV Amazon Channel.