Correction: Netflix is producing the series on Garfield and Guiteau. Also, as has been mentioned in comments, there was at least one reference in contemporary news accounts to Booth having shaved his mustache and begun growing a beard, so that should be kept in mind. The portrayal here is certainly plausible.

In seeking "revenge" for the South, Booth killed the one man with the power to impose a policy of moderation and forgiveness toward it.

On April 29, 1865, the New York Tribune wrote, "The shaving off of the mustache, the outcropping of the beard, the untidy and disordered appearance . . ." had significantly altered the appearance of Booth's body, making a positive ID more difficult for those only casually acquainted with Booth's visage.

The book depicts Booth yelling "Freedom" while raising his right fist in the aire before jumping down and out of the box. He then yells "Sic Semper Tyrannus" from the stage before leaving. As for the presentation of the box itself, I think it would just shock people as to how long Booth was in the President's box for. He had enought time to wedge the door shut, peer through his hole, realize that Major Rathbone was not even in sight and that he had a direct line to Lincoln. It would blow people's minds as to how accessible the President was. 1 locked door would have stopped him that night.

12:45 anyone else hearing his tummy rumble? 😆🤣

Totally agree on the beards. Imagine how silly a movie like Gettysburg would have looked if everyone was shaven!

It's a little troubling when "National Treasure 2" did a better job a recreating the assassination than this project does. That being said, this time period in US history does not get nearly the attention it deserves, so I'm happy that they're making this show.

The book was phenomenal. Definitely worth a read.

9:00 Patton Oswalt played Charles Sumner in an episode of Drunk History and his late wife was a true crime author... maybe he's a history buff!

The book this movie is based on is a great read. Highly recommended. Absolute page turner. It is better than the Garfield assassination book (which was really good too).

I read the book April 1865, which touches on all of the events in the US during that month, and the hunt for Booth is a big part of that book. The Sondheim musical Assassins is a really fascinating look at presidential assassins and wanna-be assassins. At one point, Booth calls Lee Harvey Oswald a “vapid, vacuous nonentity,” which is one of my favorite insults.

The Day Lincoln was Shot written decades ago is a good read. The writer began the book in the 1920s.

Really enjoyed Manhunt. The acting was top notch. I always love Tobias Menzies and Boyle will be everywhere after this and Masters of the Air. This is a part of that piece of history that deserves more limelight, and Stanton's story definitely deserved to be told.

I just learned about this today and it looks interesting. To quote one of my professors, "If you want to learn the history of something, take a history class." In other words, don't watch historical films expecting to learn history. I had several professors say that they didn't watch historical films because, being historians, they cannot decide whether to watch it for the history or the entertainment.

Apple TV is really stepping up their game on historical pieces, first with Greyhound, now Masters of the Air, and soon to be Manhunt!

Chris, a quick bit of trivia about Edwin Stanton, whom you mentioned in your comments. I'm a graduate of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Incoming freshman have a ceremony where they present us with a book to sign. This book is more like a tome that you would see in the Lord of the Rings. Think big and ancient looking. One thing that they do is show you some of the signatures of people who graduated and went on to become famous. One of the signatures they showed us was Edwin Stanton. There's also Paul Newman, Jonathon Winters, and some other Senators, actors, etc. It was pretty cool getting to see that history and realize these well known people had walked the same paths, buildings, etc.

Wow! I'm really excited to see this. I've been using Chasing Lincoln's Killer by Swanson in my ELA classes for years. Hopefully, there will be some classroom friendly scenes I can use from this. Really looking forward to it!

Love that Apple TV has so many historical shows

I am literally in VA and going to go to Garrett’s farm and Mary Surratt’s tavern tomorrow. I hope to drive past Dr. Mudd’s home too. I’ve been wanting to do this trip for years.😊 And then Sunday 10 K at the Manassas Battlefield. Super excited. I also loved this book and own all of the authors books on the Lincoln assassination. I still need to read the one on the Capture of Jefferson Davis and the funeral of Lincoln though.

I read the original book, Manhunt, years ago. It's a short but compelling read. One "what if" moment I particularly remember was that Booth tried to take a small boat across the Potomac River in the dead of night, but he got disoriented in the dark and ended up landing back on the Maryland side of the river. It ended up costing him a crucial day or two as net was closing on him.

Weird seeing Edmure Tully portrayed as competent 🤣

I grew up in the same town as Booth and I will see you guys at the theater. 😁

I like that you mentioned Booth didn't shave his mustache. People might wonder why, and it's because Booth thought that the South/Virginians would consider him a hero. Thus there would be no need for him to change his appearance. He was wrong.

Even though there are a few inaccuracies, I'm glad the story of hunting down John Wilkes Booth is being adapted as a series. A really fascinating aspect of American history. Too bad it's on Apple TV. Didn't know about the Garfield series, that should be good.

Love your content

It’s really good that Apple TV have stepped up their game with shows and movies as of late. They’ve definitely cornered the history market, which I’m all in favour for. They didn’t have much to go on when they started a few years ago.

Chris, did you have a nice February 3rd? 100th anniversary of the day this world ridded itself of Woodrow Wilson.

I can’t wait for the mini series. Hopefully we get to see Dr Leale and see Lincoln being carried in a full suit as Dr Leale stated they didn’t remove Lincoln’s shirt as he just cut off the collar and open his shirt. Yep, Lincoln was NOT shirtless when being carried; but when they placed him on the bed, his shirt then gets removed. Also, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton should have also wore a beard. @Mr Beat should see this

Two things, neither of which has to do with JWB, but was curious about Are you going to react to the trailers for the new Shogun miniseries coming out on Fx. I figured you would be interested since, like me, you probably saw the Richard Chamberlain series back in the 80's. Also, I'm surprised in all your mentions about a creeping barrage, you haven't mentioned one of the best film scenes that showed it from both sides. I refer "A Bridge Too Far" Just before the British tank columns begin moving out.

Unfortunately, what you mentioned with Edwin Stanton and not being portrayed as historically accurate is along the lines we have seen in movies like Troy or Gladiator. The Greek helmets are modified to make sure we get to see Brad Pit at all times. So I would assume Tobias M wanted to make sure we saw him and not a middle aged, bearded Stanton. Overall, still glad they decided to make a Civil War era miniseries. Thanks for the video! Ivan.

Have you seen the movie, The Conspirator, focusing on Mary Surratt's trial. I'm curious how this series compares to that.

Wow, I hope this is better than a typical History Channel production! They do the same thing having actors that have a totally different look than the historical figure…they had a guy playing Andrew Jackson with a handle bar mustache! Edwin Stanton would be an easy one to get the makeup right and they failed. Wasn’t there a pretty good film a few years ago that focused on this conspiracy that killed Lincoln? This may be bad.

Most interesting trivia (if only to me) about Ford's Theater: after the war it was used for War Department records and various Federal offices and fell into disrepair. Refusal to pay for repairs and renovations resulted in most of the interior collapsing on June 9, 1893, killing 22 people and injuring many more. At that moment 250 miles to the northeast Edwin Booth's coffin was being conveyed from his funeral at Little Church on the Corner to the hearse that would take it to the railroad station. The book MANHUNT is very good. I read the recent novel BOOTH last year by Karen Joy Fowler and would recommend it to historical fiction lovers. It is NOT about the Lincoln assassination and John Wilkes is only a minor character: it's more about his father Junius Brutus (brilliant actor, mad eccentric, emigre bigamist, chronic alcoholic, Jainist farmer, slaveowning abolitionist, and many other things in some order) and his older children and is set mostly on their farm in Bel Air, MD and their home in Baltimore. It's a very good read. I have an odd theory about what became of Boston Corbett that if true (and there is evidence) is the most bizarre twist in his story. I hope to make a video about it soon.

If you haven’t yet, give the audio drama podcast “1865” a listen. It’s written by two playwrights down in Texas and is absolutely phenomenal. An actor named Jeremy Schwartz voices Stanton in it and does an absolutely tremendous job. The whole series is great and plays on the tension between Stanton and Johnson up through the tribunals of the accused conspirators. I cannot recommend the series enough. It’s too good.

I have read the book this series in based on. The book read fast. Almost like a detective novel. Hoping the series doesn't stray from the source material much.

I'd like to watch some shows on Apple, but with so many different streaming apps, it just gets too costly to get them all. I already get Netflix and Amazon Prime (mainly for The Rings of Power), and I just can't afford to get another one.

I like that they made a movie for Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, the Free State of Jones, Lincoln, and now John Wilkes Booth. But we haven't seen a movie or show featuring General Grant as the main character

I suggest the TV series the terror about the HMS Errebus and HMS Terror

With your historical knowledge I'm surprised you haven't read James Swanson's book "Manhunt: The 12 Day Search for Lincoln's Killer." One of the few spectacular reads I've enjoyed.

The Booth Theatre on Broadway opened in 1913 and was named after Edwin Booth.

Apple is also doing a series on Benjamin Franklin with Michael Douglas as Franklin coming out in April… thoughts about the trailer and casting?

It’s an older one on Apple TV+ but I’m curious if you watched Greyhound and if so what your thoughts were.

Btw we have a dirt road that runs through the property. And is a historic road as Sherman marched down it and burned all the houses and slaughtered the animals on his way to Savannah!! They also camped on the land. When we all get together at Thanksgiving and the children were younger they would go under neath the big house looking for artifacts. They could only go under during winter since they had a lower probability of snakes. The farm has allot of history throughout the land.

The Garfield show is going to be based on the book Destiny of the Republic which is one of the best history books I have ever read. Highly recommend

Seeing this trailer made me remember that time Gods and Generals tried to glorify John Wilkes Booth

Most of the scenes were filmed at our family farm!!

About the dialog not being accurate to history: It says the series is based on a book, maybe the book got it wrong first and the show is just copying what's in the book.

How you Watch the Series? If you have what do you think of it? Are you gonna make a review?

I wish I had Apple TV I am going to mis out on 2 great history series!

Love your channel and I love History Buffs, but as someone who works in the film industry, I have to say it is a little frustrating that some historians think it is the job of filmmakers making historical films to get every detail of history correct. That is not our job. We are not historians. Our job is to use historical background to make the most dramatically satisfying film that we can. This is not to say there aren't limits, of course. We can't flagrantly disregard history if we're making a film about history (unless you're Quentin Tarantino). But if we think a curtain provides for a more dramatic telling of the scene than a door, then regardless of the historical facts *it's our job* to use the curtain instead of the door. So to hear historians say filmmakers "got something wrong" when they don't recreate a scene with 100% historical accuracy is just factually incorrect. If the scene works better *as drama* the fictionalized way than the historical way, then we got it right by prioritizing the drama. Guess what? There wasn't an orchestra playing a swelling score during the manhunt for Booth, either. This is a movie. We don't make movies to give people history lessons. We make movies to move people emotionally. In terms of Tobias's lack of beard - I'm guessing the folks of Apple TV rightly surmised it might be hard to get people to watch a show starring a guy who looks just like Edwin Stanton. There are economic realities as well as artistic realities behind these decisions. If some of these executives did exactly what historians wanted them to do, they'd lose their jobs. And nobody's giving up a $750,000 year job to make historians happy. I love your channel and love your perspective on things, I just feel like historians could use a gentle reminder every once in a while that filmmakers and historians do not have the same job. If we did what you do (emphasize facts over drama), we'd get fired, and if you did what we do (emphasize the drama over the facts) you'd get fired. So let's let everybody keep their jobs, huh?

Would love a reaction to the series.

Just saw the first episode I think its really well making Edwin Stanton the main character essentially was an interesting idea the only thing thst confused me is why did they go after the Secretary of State instead of the speaker of the house who is second in line for the presidency?

My one question is is where is Grant? From what I’ve seen he is not even in this, but I could have sworn that Grant had some involvement in the hunt for Booth but I could be wrong

Hey know that this isn't really the video to comment tjis but have you heard of a game called(all quiet in the trenches) it is a gmae were you act as a german commander of a company

I think it's okay if they don't get all the small details right, as long as they don't get the events wrong

I’m on the third episode and there’s quite a bit of historic detail they get wrong, though I doubt anyone apart from us (pedantic history nerds) would pick up on it lol.

Not only do I find it odd that Stanton’s character is beardless but Lincoln’s character is too short in height. Is there a reason that they overlooked such detail??

Manhunt should include capture of Jefferson Davis, when Wilson's cavalry caught Davis, Davis turned and said that the Virginian in command of your army will live forever as a traitor to his people. He referring to George Thomas.

If people don’t know about Boston Corbett, The Dollop podcast has a great episode about him (and Patton Oswalt is a guest on that episode!). They also have a short episode about Lincoln’s body being repeatedly stolen.

3:10 But did he have a beard when the events of the series take place?

Makes me wonder if the book has new information or theory in regards to what Booth said. I learned what you said he said back in 9th grade, so it has got to be common knowledge. At the train station when Edwin Booth rescued Lincoln's son, Booth was with an acquaintance, John Ford, owner of Ford's Theater.

Hi vlog .. I have a suggestion for you the song sabaton - 1916 has history episodes now If you could do a reaction to it Sabaton history - 1916 (part 2) / with love

So, Tobias Menzies, who once played Brutus, now plays someone who goes after an actor who thought he would be the new Brutus. Hmm....

The fact that was killed by a eunuch lives rent free in my mind

I’m half expecting fans of a certain channel to start bashing this piece of media for portraying Booth in a negative light 😂

Would you ever consider doing a tier list ranking of the US Founding Fathers? I think it'd be very educational for a lot of people

Interesting

The fact they got little things wrong in just the trailer isn't a good sign

Wonder if the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Qarfare will get a breakdown.

I think the show is well made thus far. But JWB broke his left leg. Not his right. The show portrays the right leg 😬

Apple have been making greaat TV Shows but their original movies are atrocious 😂

Narrative over historically accurate is one of the biggest problems in cinema recreation of history. Oversight and misrepresentation is tough to watch for us historians. Hopeful but expecting to be disappointed

I am more excited by their new show "The New Look" which looks at the Paris fashion scene both during and after WWII.

Andrew Johnson was in on it. Seriously, that many mistakes in the trailer alone, makes me concerned this is more lost cause bs like Gods and Generals

Finished episode 2 and it's pretty bad. I'll go ahead and continue but this is largely crap. Fingers of modern politics all over it. Knew there were gonna be problems only a few minutes in. Stanton using modern buzz words like "saving our democracy" was all the clue-in you need. Booth taking time out of his busy schedule, running for his life, to be cartoonishly racist to Mudd's slave girl for no apparent reason at all other than to beat the audience over the head with, "hey btw, Booth is the bad guy..." It's just not very good.

netflix has been butchering lot of historical topics lately with woke agenda,i lost my hope we will ever get good historical movie from them

This series is horrible, nothing much is accurate. In fact most of this series is fiction.