Manhunt – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap and Review

Post Mortem

Manhunt Episode 2 begins with Powell making the excuse that Mrs. Surratt had called for him to clean the gutter, but she denies knowing him. It becomes clear they are lying, and Powell and Mrs. Surratt are arrested.

stanton discovers Booth had called Johnson on the night he was supposed to be killed. Johnson was surprised because he had no connection to Booth. Johnson was the only target who wasn’t attacked, which triggers speculation. Stanton’s team discover the German immigrant got too drunk and chose not to act on his plan. Johnson beliefs didn’t match with Lincoln’s, with his focus being on growing the economy and not abolishing slavery. Johnson was sworn in as president but not everyone was happy. 

A Union Army spy called Lafayette Baker suspects the Wall Street investors whose names came up in the oil rig investment and the Confederacy, along with Johnson could be behind Lincoln’s murder. Johnson benefited the most from Lincoln’s death, making him a potential suspect. In order to prove his innocence, Johnson had no choice but to make sure the investigation was conducted properly, to avoid him being accused of being involved. 

Booth and Herold stay for a few days at Dr. Samuel Mudd’s place before heading to the capital of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia. The news of the assassination is spreading fast, and Mudd decides he can’t risk going to stores to gather supplies. Herold advises Booth to get rid of his moustache as his sketch is up everywhere.

Booth refuses to shave as he thinks his moustache makes him distinguishable, and he likes that. He asks Herold to bring him whiskey and horse feed, but Herold figures out the government has banned horse feed in Maryland. He thinks they need to leave immediately for Virginia as the government would be determined to arrest them.

Booth is nasty to Mudd’s housekeeper Mary when she comes in to shave him. He is concerned Mary is holding the blade too close to his neck.

Stanton is told by Weichmann that John Jr. Surratt, who is the son of Mary Surratt, applied for a clerk position in his department. He worked as a postmaster and was known for delivering telegrams from Richmond, and the investigators think he was a Confederate agent. Stanton’s team finds proof that Booth had approached big names from Wall Street to invest in an ‘oil rig’ in Pittsburg, which was code for the assassination. The bankbook proves Booth’s involvement with the Confederate Secret Service, and they reckon he got protection from them. 

Stanton decides to search the tavern Mrs. Surratt owned in Surrattsville. He knocks on the walls of a room in the back and realises there is a hollow space behind it. Stanton discovers a hidden study room where bundles of notes are stored. He finds a coded telegram sent from Jefferson Davis, who was the President of the Confederate States, to John Jr. Surratt. This provided proof that connected the Confederacy with the assassination of Lincoln. Officer Eckert works on solving the coded message, but it was way too complicated. Stanton confirms Booth’s involvement with the Confederacy when a picture of him at the second inauguration of Lincoln is found. 

Stanton doubts Weichmann for living under the same roof as Confederate sympathizers and he admits he used to be friends with Booth before the war. They had no clue Booth was planning on assassinating Lincoln. Stanton doesn’t believe Weichmann had never been introduced to Booth since the actor frequented the boarding house. Weichmann claims to be surprised by everything that happened. Stanton meets with Mrs. Surratt in prison and offers her the option of facing trial for her involvement or going free by helping him find her son. She refuses to cooperate and continues to deny any involvement in the murder. 

Stanton sends his men to search for Booth at Dr. Mudd’s residence in Maryland. Stanton was told by Peanuts that Booth’s leg was broken when he left the theatre, which suggests he went to the doctor’s house. Mudd admits to helping a man with a broken leg, but he lies about not recognising him. The officer questions Mary and her brother about Booth, but Mary was afraid of getting into trouble, so she answered the way Mudd wanted her to.

Shoe prints are found on the back porch of Stanton’s house, and he thinks that they must’ve been from John Jr. Surratt. He thinks Surratt’s shoe size mentioned in his postal application file would be the confirmation he needed. 

Turns out, Surratt sought refuge at Mudd’s place and the plan was to help kidnap Lincoln. He had hoped to learn from Surratt about the change in plan, but he refused to give away any extra information. Mudd was scared of being linked to the assassination, but he had gone too far to deny his involvement. Surratt was planning an escape from the United States as a result of the manhunt, and the Confederacy was assisting him.

The fact that the Confederacy was hunting for Stanton proves he was on the right track. Elsewhere, Booth and Herold head to Rich Hill, and a Native American offers to guide them there in exchange for money. The man asked for their gun, and even though Booth and Herold were hesitant, they agree to the deal.

The episode ends with Lincoln’s funeral train leaving the station headed to Springfield, Illinois.

The Episode Review

This was another solid episode in this excellent new crime drama series. It’s refreshing to see a crime drama set in the past and following a protagonist who has to use his hunches and old-school skills to track a murderer down.

It’s bleak and has a moody atmosphere to it, and the story moves along at a refreshingly steady pace.