Set against the backdrop of the greatest clandestine race against time in the history of science with the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Flawed scientists and their families attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

Click to expand...

• Frank Winters is a bold and off-center American genius who leads a group of scientists within the Manhattan project. Brilliant, kinetic, and self-destructive, Frank is a scientific purist who believes that the work is all that matters.
• Liza Winter is the beautiful, headstrong wife of Frank Winter. Always the smartest individual in class, she received her PhD in Botany. Liza aspired to lead a life of scientific research at a world-class university—the last thing she wanted was a husband to tie her down. But she fell in love with a man who was as singular as she was.
• Glen Babbit is Frank Winter’s former mentor, and helps keep him out of trouble. Back at Princeton, it was Babbit who showed up on Frank’s doorstep, asking him to join a secret military project in the New Mexico desert. In one form or another, Babbit has been bailing Frank out of jail since the day they met. In Los Alamos, it’s no different.
• Charlie Isaacs is the newest member of the team at Los Alamos. Growing up, two qualities set young Charlie apart: his obsession with numbers, and his conscience. In college, he distinguished himself as one of the rarest talents the Harvard physics department had ever seen.
• Abby Isaacs grew up in a secular Jewish household in the suburban bubble of Brookline, Massachusetts. When Charlie declined his father-in-law’s offer of a sales job with the family business, he caused a rift with Abby’s family that remains unrepaired. Abby remains loyal to Charlie and takes pride in the idea that he is special. She and Charlie share almost no interests other than their son, but they have fun together.

Click to expand...

• Sid Liao is a member of Frank’s team. He was Frank’s first call when he put together his team.
• Louis “Fritz” Fedowitz is a member of Frank’s team – he is funny, nervous and sentimental.
• Paul Crosley is a member of Frank’s team – he is polished, privileged and ambitious.
• Jim Meeks is the youngest member of Frank’s team – he is also involved in the local theater troupe.
• Helen Prins, a tomboyish beauty, is the only female member of Frank’s team.

Click to expand...

A gripping, strongly acted series well worth seeking out.

Tim Goodman

Click to expand...

The show is directed by Thomas Schlamme, of "West Wing" fame. He and Sam Shaw (Masters of Sex) take care to allow the story to develop naturally, careful not to hit us over the head with obviousness as we learn more about the characters.

"Manhattan" is the second original offering from WGN America. "Salem" has done well with viewers, despite some second-rate performances and weak scripts. "Manhattan" brings legitimate class to WGN's nascent original content project.

SFGate

Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about "Manhattan" at this point. But I like the cast and love the setting and what Shaw and Schlamme do with it. And the production as a whole is such a huge leap forward from "Salem" that I simply wanted to give WGN an attaboy for setting its sights so much higher the second time around.

Alan Sepinwall

Click to expand...

There's rarely a moment in Manhattan where we might forget that there's a war going on, and that the work being done on the Hill could play a vital role in the outcome. That level of tension colors the character drama at every turn, which is what makes Manhattan stand out from other period dramas, and that's reason enough to give this series a shot. Factor in the cast and the potential for interesting character developments, and Manhattan is well worth a look.

CinemaBlend

Click to expand...

Mr.Awesome said:

Wgn does original programming?

Click to expand...

Mr.Awesome said:

Wgn does original programming?

Click to expand...

The Fronde said:

Anyone interested in Los Alamos, should check out Richard Feynman's funny stories and hijinks that he got into there - "Los Alamos From Below" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ogSC6JKkrY

Click to expand...

Clevinger said:

Btw, a month ago I watched The Atomic Cafe, a documentary that's made up entirely of 40s/50s/60s news clips, propaganda film/radio, and advertisements relating to the development of nukes. Recommended.

Click to expand...

The Fronde said:

Anyone interested in Los Alamos, should check out Richard Feynman's funny stories and hijinks that he got into there - "Los Alamos From Below" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ogSC6JKkrY

Click to expand...

History tells us how the Manhattan Project turns out, but "Manhattan" looks to be a great journey show us how it got there.

Click to expand...

Written by Sam Shaw and directed by Thomas Schlamme (yes, a “West Wing” alum), “Manhattan” earns points for being serious and ambitious, while creating a strong sense of atmosphere and place in the isolation — and paranoia — in which the families must exist.

Click to expand...

Ultimately it’s that frisson of complication that makes Manhattan worth watching—the performances are good, the writing is good, and the premise is good, but the complication of our own history is involving and fantastic. B+

Click to expand...

The atom bomb didn’t just end the war, it forever changed the peace. Richard Rhodes, the author of “The Making of the Atom Bomb,” quotes Herbert S. Marks, general counsel of the Atomic Energy Commission, who said the Manhattan Project was a state unto itself that had “a peculiar sovereignty, one that could bring about the end, peacefully or violently, of all other sovereignties.”

“Manh(a)ttan” provides a cleverly imagined portrait of the men and women who were at the epicenter of that peculiar sovereignty.

Click to expand...

Just two episodes of this 13-part series have been made available—enough to indicate the enormous care devoted to the look of the '40s, to the primitive living quarters.

Click to expand...

Manhattan instantly qualifies WGN America as a significant new player in the increasingly crowded arena of top-tier content producers, adding to this summer's already overwhelming volume of new series worth watching. I empathize with those who may be nostalgic for the days when the TV playing field was simpler and less cluttered, but this is a pretty good problem to have.

Click to expand...

As a thriller, Manhattan mostly works. We know what will happen—they’ll build the bomb—but the how, the twists and turns, the breakthroughs and bolts of luck, supply the necessary momentum. But as a psychodrama, Manhattan has a built-in structural problem: The women are clueless.

Click to expand...

"Manhattan," as in the Manhattan Project — which produced the first atomic bomb — improves on its predecessor (Salem). Notwithstanding the odd improbability, the show, which premieres Sunday, is a solid, involving big-canvas drama that plausibly re-creates a time and place and fills it with some original characters.

Click to expand...

Rafa=FedKilla said:

Was Salem decent? Or more AHS style smut?

Click to expand...

perkyz said:

I hope it won't be too 'american-centric' and they won't neglect the contribution from the foreigners who helpt to build the bomb. Too bad they didn't include real life characters, who all had very interesting lifes such as feynmann, von neumann....

Click to expand...

You Always Hurt the One You Love

Spoiler

In Los Alamos, New Mexico, during World War II, secrets dominate every facet of family and professional life as scientists Frank Winter and Charlie Isaacs compete to create the world's first atomic bomb.

Click to expand...

Cyan said:

Worth reading.

I'm a little sad they went with fictional characters rather than the real people, who are goddamn fascinating. I suppose it gives them more scope for drama if they want to invent shit... but the actual story is already pretty dramatic!

Click to expand...

The Fronde said:

Anyone interested in Los Alamos, should check out Richard Feynman's funny stories and hijinks that he got into there - "Los Alamos From Below" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ogSC6JKkrY

Click to expand...

maxcriden said:

Will full eps be free on the WGN site after they air?

Click to expand...

RatskyWatsky said:

I'm not sure if WGN makes full episodes available on their website, but I'm fairly certain that Hulu will have it.

Click to expand...

biosnake20 said:

Cool, Viserys is in this.

Click to expand...

DeFiBkIlLeR said:

I suppose this will be a typical bullshit re-writing of WWII history for Americans.

..ignoring the fact that America would never have got the bomb without help from hundreds of foreign scientists who did most of the ground work in the 1930's and were present in New Mexico for the duration?

..in the same way Private Ryan was great entertainment but for the most part is historical bullshit.

..shame is, most Americans actually believe that the Hollywood version of WWII is historical fact.

Click to expand...

Steelyuhas said:

Way later edit: Turns out I don't get WGN...hopefully they are putting episodes on Hulu or something.

Click to expand...

Hulu’s subscription service Hulu Plus has bought exclusive VOD rights to stream online episodes of WGN America‘s new historical drama Manhattan, the companies announced the morning after the show’s debut. Under the deal, new episodes of the show will unspool each Monday after their initial Sunday airing on WGN until all 13 have played. The five most recent episodes will be available for free on Hulu’s basic service, after a three-day delay.

Hulu touted the deal in a release as the first time it has secured SVOD rights on a show before a single episode has aired. Manhattan is set in WWII in the Manhattan Project in New Mexico’s desert, where the federal government set up a secret project to research the first atomic weapons, and the surrounding and equally secret community set up to support the work. The show is being produced by Tribune Studios, Lionsgate and Skydance Television. Manhattan was created and written by Sam Shaw (Masters of Sex) and directed by Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing). Executive producers are Shaw, Schlamme, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Marcy Ross and Dustin Thomason.

Click to expand...

TheOddOne said:

WORDS.

- Deadline: Hulu Plus Picks Up Streaming Rights To WGN Drama ‘Manhattan’

Click to expand...

Joe Adalian said:

WGN America's MANHATTAN averaged 904K viewers (233K A18-49) in its initial telecast on WGN Sunday. SALEM bowed to 1.5M/647K in April. [1/2]

However, if you add up all 3 WGN telecasts, MANHATTAN up to 1.4M. Throw in 14 big Tribune stations, it's up to 1.8M. [2/2]

If MANHATTAN gets a standard DVR boost, not hard to see total audience for the debut headed toward 3M. Decent-sized audience for small net.

Click to expand...

ivysaur12 said:

Good premiere -- I'm not really a fan of 90 minute episodes

Click to expand...

Cornballer said:

It's still situated in the Sunday night logjam, so it'll likely be something that I DVR and catch up on later in the week.

Click to expand...