Exceptional documentary from the History Channel before they became nothing but reality shows. It covers the night of the Lincoln assassination and the two weeks after it leading up to John Wilkes Booth's death. Highly informative and interesting with some great insight into what happened with Booth after the assassination. I've never really heard about his diary or the things in it but it gives a fascinating look at his thought process. He really believed he would be seen as a hero. The reenactments are great, especially since they're largely silent with the narrator and various historians providing commentary. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michael Kauffman, Betty Owensby, Terry Alford, and gravelly-voiced Roger McGrath are among the commentators. I've seen McGrath on many other historical programs, particularly those focused on the Old West. It doesn't just cover the hunt for Booth, though. It also covers the aftermath of the assassination, the hunt for Booth's co-conspirators and the effects Lincoln's murder had on his friends, family, and the country.
I've watched it many times since it first aired. It's one of the best TV docs I've ever seen. It's still being shown from time to time but only on History Channel's sister H2 (formerly History International). This is because, as I said before, all History Channel shows now are programs about pawn shops, truck drivers, and lumberjacks. If you catch this on one day, make sure you check it out. It's excellent.
