1865 or the Present
To say the creators of 1865 have spoilers for the impeachment of the President is both accurate and scary because of how events play out on the political stage. That’s not even talking about 2019. The parallels between Jonhson and the current impeachment trials are not only eerily similar on a surface level analysis, but the former actually makes for a compelling drama.
Historical Accuracy and Drama
The story starts with three assassination attempts, one of which is the murder of Abraham Lincoln. The balance between historical accuracy and creative licence is both mind-blowing and sometimes unbelievable. The “behind the scenes” episodes with the writers are a treasure trove for a historical fiction writer. Normally the story needs to speak for itself, but the way the podcast feed is organized, the bonus episodes come right after the full episode.
Any history aficionado will appreciate the attention to detail in the dialogue alone. One example is the primary source utilization of Gideon Wells’ daily journal entries as an influencer of his dialogue. It’s unclear how much of it is accurate to how people spoke vs wrote at the time, but damn if it isn’t full of weight and gravitas.
Edwin M. Stanton AKA Lincoln’s “Mars”
The larger than life tone of the first ten episodes mixed with a compelling mystery about the aftermath of John Wilkes Booth’s attack on Lincoln is the bulk of the first half of this ten-episode sample. Some of the revelations are straight out of a soap opera. The second half focuses on the political battle between radical republicans and southern democrats. This takes place in the form of Stanton’s Tribunal. Something most people will have no idea happened. This blend of soap opera with political thriller somehow works. The transition is almost too gradual that you wonder what exactly has happened after three or four episodes. Good thing relistening isn’t so much a chore as enlightening, especially after the bonus episodes.
5/5 Stars
Next Time
Links
Radio Public (iOS and Android)
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