The series is adapted from James L. Swanson's book 'Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer' and follows Edwin Stanton's search for John Wilkes Booth after Lincoln's assassination.

The show was created and written by showrunner Monica Beletsky as the first project under her overall deal with Apple.

The series adaptation was first announced in January 2022, with Carl Franklin set to direct.

Anthony Boyle and Lovie Simone joined the cast in February 2022, with Boyle cast as John Wilkes Booth, followed by Matt Walsh being cast as Samuel Mudd in March.

Pre-production began in Savannah, Georgia in February 2022, with filming starting in May and scheduled to wrap by October.

The assassination scene set at Ford's Theatre was actually filmed on location at the Miller Theater, a historic venue in Philadelphia, in June 2022.

The show was presented as being partly fictionalized, with some characters and events created for dramatic purposes rather than strict historical accuracy.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an 87% approval rating based on 46 critic reviews, with critics praising it for transcending 'wax museum recreation' to deliver addictive entertainment.