Dare I ask how Manhunt is going?
As I mentioned before, I'm the target audience for a series or film like Manhunt, so they'd really have to mess things up for me to not enjoy watching it.
Am I still a bit salty about Edwin Stanton not having a beard? Yes, I am because...
...I mean, come on! That's a legendary 19th Century Statesman Beard™ and the facial hair should have been cast on its own before they even auditioned any actors. I really don't understand that choice.
Am I somewhat bemused by seeing Edwin Stanton -- who was an asthmatic, often sickly lawyer and 50-year-old Secretary of War -- being portrayed at times as a combination between an action hero and CSI detective? Yes, I'd have to say I am.
Am I having a tough time with the flashbacks featuring Abraham Lincoln since the actor who is playing him decided that Lincoln was supposed to sound like Kermit the Frog doing an Owen Wilson impression? Yes, I am. It might be the worst portrayal of Lincoln I've ever seen. He can't even do that awful voice consistently as he's speaking, so it's like the actor forgets that he's doing the world's worst impersonation of Daniel Day-Lewis's Lincoln and has to jump right back in but significantly worse than before. I'm not 100% sure who the actor is that is playing Lincoln, but Lincoln needs that guy playing him like he needs another hole in his head....ummm...what I meant to say is that it's not good.
Am I anxiously waiting for each week's episode to drop? YES I AM. I love shows like this! I'd probably still watch it if it was just clerks in the War Department doing paperwork. I do wish they'd spend more time with John Wilkes Booth because I think he's obviously the most interesting character, but I understand what they are doing. I will say that the actor who plays Booth is fantastic. I still think that Jesse Johnson was amazing as Booth in National Geographic's (shockingly entertaining) film adaptation of Killing Lincoln, so it's hard to top that performance in my opinion. Jesse Johnson (who is Don Johnson's son!) played Booth as a showy, over-the-top, borderline campy psychopath and it was exactly how I've always pictured Booth. But the kid who plays Booth in Manhunt is really good, too, and probably the best part of the series so far.
It's not perfect, but I'm enjoying it, and I'll happily keep watching!
