Manhunt Season 1 Episode 5 Review: A Man of Destiny

Stanton seems like he is about to get his man Manhunt Season 1 Episode 5, “A Man of Destiny.” But at what cost?

Edwin Stanton has relentlessly pursued Abraham Lincoln’s killer for five episodes. Now, following a bold move to arrest Sanders on Manhunt Season 1 Episode 4, “The Secret Line,” and some leads from unexpected witnesses on “A Man of Destiny,” he is finally closing in on John Wilkes Booth.

Unfortunately for Stanton, the calvary about to descend on Booth’s safehouse is not the biggest cliffhanger viewers get on the episode. The biggest cliffhanger is Stanton’s collapse at the end as he is about to join the soldiers to hopefully apprehend Booth.

After pushing himself and ignoring his doctor’s recommendation, Stanton suffers his worst asthma attack so far, leaving his very survival in question.

Perhaps calling the events at the end of “A Man of Destiny” cliffhangers is a bit of a stretch. Most people know at least the basics of Booth’s ultimate fate.

Similarly, whether viewers know Stanton’s actual history (he died a few years later in 1869) or not, it’s safe to assume that Stanton won’t actually die or end up incapacitated.

The series is unlikely to kill off its protagonist with two more episodes to go. It may play pretty fast and loose with the facts, but not that drastically.

We can probably guess where these developments are leading. There isn’t much suspense about what will happen next, especially if viewers know the history. However, it is still a well-executed and compelling ending to a good episode.

“A Man of Destiny” is successful largely for the same reasons that “The Secret Line” is. Both work much better as part of a political thriller than the earlier episodes. 

Also, as on “The Secret Line,” the fictionalized events — of which there are many — continue to offer significant insight into the history of the moment. 

The best example of that on “The Secret Line” is the flashback to Mary Todd Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln’s conversation about their son joining the Union Army. 

It’s doubtful that exact conversation happened, but it gives viewers a better understanding of what the Lincolns were dealing with.

On “A Man of Destiny,” the best examples of fictional events that still have something interesting to say about real history are the depictions of Andrew Johnson reneging on land reparations and Mary Simms losing her farm.

Some cursory research on Mary Simms makes clear that the series takes many liberties with her and her brother’s story. Doctor Mudd did enslave Mary Simms, but she and her brother left before the end of the war.

They were not there when Booth went to Mudd for help. Since she had never met him, she couldn’t have helped Stanton find him. 

I didn’t do enough research to confirm whether Simms initially received a land grant, but that seems extremely unlikely, too.

Knowing all that, it’s clear that the story of Mary Simms on Manhunt has little to do with the actual life of Mary Simms. 

Still, the changes to Mary’s story on “A Man of Destiny” illustrate the consequences and human cost of Johnson’s decision. They humanize it. The devastation and emotion of the betrayal feel more palpable because it tells the story through a character we care about.

That’s an effective use of creative license when depicting history, as long as viewers know the events are fictional.

One of the consistent high points of the series through all five episodes has been some of the performances of its main cast. 

I talked a little about the strong performances of Tobias Menzies and Lovie Simone in my review of the series premiere. Those two unquestionably remain the standouts. 

Both of them have a vibrant onscreen presence. They pull you into their scenes and give them extra gravitas. You don’t look away during their scenes or let your mind wander.

Everything that works about the show rests on Menzies’s performance, and Simone provides emotional resonance that would simply not be there without her.

While Menzies and Simone are the standouts, there are other great performances among the main cast, too. Performances that elevate even weaker episodes. 

Before getting into strong performances, I should mention a few misfires. Patton Oswald and Matt Walsh feel a little miscast. It has nothing to do with either actor’s performance; they both do a fine job.

There is something modern about their presence on screen that takes me out of the narrative during their scenes. It’s not terrible, just a bit jarring.

The one real outlier in terms of performance is Hamish Linklater. I’m unsure if it’s miscasting or his take on Lincoln, but Linklater is a weak link in an otherwise strong main cast. 

That aside, the rest of the main cast is excellent. Anthony Boyle does a tremendous job blending Booth’s narcissism and political fanaticism to create a compelling and despicable villain. 

Brandon Flynn as Eddie Stanton Jr., Lili Taylor as Mary Todd Lincoln, Anthony Marble as George Sanders, and Glenn Morshower as Andrew Johnson all give excellent performances as well.

Together, the cast is almost, if not entirely, enough to overcome the less-than-stellar earlier episodes. On good episodes like “A Man of Destiny,” they make the episode truly excellent television.

With a second strong episode in a row, it seems Manhunt has course-corrected after a somewhat rocky start. Now, let’s hope it finishes strong, too. 

What did you think of this episode of Manhunt? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Manhunt streams Fridays on Apple TV+.

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