Hard Drinkin' Lincoln

Did You Know?

• Creator Mike Reiss said the comedy comes from the fact that Lincoln 'did nothing to deserve' the attack.
• Scott Bass of Streaming Media said the comedy was 'so edgy' he could not imagine it on TV.

Synopsis

The series depicts Abraham Lincoln as a boorish alcoholic who pesters his wife Mary Todd Lincoln and causes trouble during shows at Ford's Theatre. Many episodes conclude with John Wilkes Booth shooting Lincoln, often to the delight of bystanders. Other historical figures appearing include Jenny Lind, Mohandas Gandhi, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglass.

Reception

Richard von Busack of MetroActive praised the series' moments of humor and said he never heard its theme song without a surge of patriotism, calling it a reminder of the sacredness of the First Amendment. Joshua Shenk of The American Prospect described the show as a typical Lincoln image blending Homer Simpson and Kenny from South Park. Academic Barry Schwartz linked the series to museum controversies involving transgressive art. Wired called the series improbable, and the Baltimore Sun reported that critics and visitors raved over it. Scott Bass of Streaming Media found the comedy so edgy he could not imagine it on television.