You’ve likely heard plenty of JFK assassination theories over the years.
(And there have been numerous movies and TV shows on that specific, much-obsessed-over topic.)
But did you know that certain aspects of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln remain shrouded in mystery?
Sadly, there was no Reddit in 1865, so the amateur sleuths of the time were unable to share their theories or join in the pursuit of John Wilkes Boothe as he managed to evade authorities for 12 days.
Thankfully, the new AppleTV+ series Manhunt promises to plunge viewers right into the center of the days of crisis that followed Lincoln’s shocking death.
The show stars Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass) as Lincoln and Tobias Menzies (Outlander) 16’s close friend and Secretary of War who helped to track down his killer.
We’re sure the show will provide all the details you’ll need in order to grasp this watershed moment in American history.
But just in case you want to play the annoying know-it-all while watching with your loved ones, here’s a list of pertinent facts surrounding the assassination of Honest Abe.
VIP Booth
Lincoln was killed while watching a performance of the play Our American Cousin at the Ford Theater in Washington DC.
The situation gave rise to 160 years of jokes like “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”
Okay, that one’s not very nice, but we don’t think you’re allowed to make “too soon” complaints after, like, a century and a half or so.
A Star Is Born (to Kill)
Booth was no stranger to the theater.
In fact, he was one of the most famous actors of his day.
That would be like if Mel Gibson turned out to have a bunch of batsh-t political beliefs, or Alec Baldwin pulled a gun on someone.
Okay, maybe we should’ve given some more thought to those examples.
Not Acting Alone
Booth was part of a vast conspiracy to take out several high-ranking officials whom he and others held responsible for the devastation of the Civil War.
In addition to Abraham Lincoln, Booth’s conspiracy aimed to assassinate other key members of the U.S. government.
Disgruntled Confederate soldier Lewis Powell was assigned to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward, and a German national named George Atzerodt was tasked with assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson.
But Powell only managed to injure Seward, and Atzerodt failed to carry out his part of the plan.
Reb on the Run
Booth managed to evade the authorities for 12 days, during which he covered more than 90 miles.
He was eventually cornered and gunned down while hiding out in a barn in Virginia.
Since he was an actor, we assume he really hammed up and delivered some corny final words that no one bothered to jot down.
A Flair For the Dramatic
In an ironic little twist, Booth was killed about 50 miles away from George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon.
The founding father probably wouldn’t have approved of JWB’s president-killing hobby.
The Start of a Trend
Lincoln was the first US president to be assassinated, but sadly, he would not be the last.
Over the next century, three more presidents — James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy — would all lose their lives to assassins’ bullets.
In the decades that followed, those four fallen leaders would be immortalized in the names of thousands of schools, libraries, hospitals, and lasagna-loving cartoon cats.
Mourning In America
Lincoln’s funeral procession, which ran from Washington, DC, to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, is still one of the largest in US history.
Springfield would become the focus of a nation in grief again 130 years later when nuclear power magnate C. Montgomery Burns was gunned down following a town hall meeting.
Congratulations, You Played Yourself
Ironically, Lincoln’s assassination only made things worse for the residents of the former Confederate states.
Abe’s main concern was always preserving the Union, and he planned to take a conciliatory approach to the difficult task of Reconstruction.
Edward Stanton was his key partner on the task, holding the mission in as high regard as Lincoln himself, and he felt it was his duty to protect Lincoln’s legacy.
Conversely, his VP Andrew Johnson adopted a more punitive strategy, which is a fancy way of saying he was a total jerk about the whole thing.
The Lincoln Legacy
To this day, Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most revered figures in all of American history.
Countless films and television shows have depicted parts of the Great Emancipator’s life, with highlights including the 1939 classic Young Mr. Lincoln, the 1990 miniseries Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, and the acclaimed 2012 Steven Spielberg film titled, simply, Lincoln.
Truth be told, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was also pretty badass, but we think the filmmakers might have taken some dramatic license with that one.
Will Manhunt join the ranks of the great Abraham Lincoln portrayals?
Early reviews are encouraging, and the angle of focusing on the weeks following Lincoln’s death rather than the events of his eventful life is promisingly fresh.
What do you think, TV fans? Will you be tuning in for this prestige-y historical epic? Or do you think the story of Honest Abe has been told ad nauseam?
Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts.
Manhunt premieres on Apple TV+ with three episodes on Friday, March 15, and new episodes will be released weekly thereafter.
Tyler Johnson is an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic and the other Mediavine O&O sites. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and, of course, watching TV. You can Follow him on X and email him here at TV Fanatic.
