Death by Lightning Review: This unique political miniseries follows the 20th President of the United States, James A. Garfield, and how he was ultimately shot and killed by his admirer Charles J. Guiteau.
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Death by Lightning Netflix Cast
Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham
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Death by Lightning Series Creator
Mike Makowsky
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Death by Lightning 2025 Director
Matt Ross
The docudrama has 4 episodes, each with a runtime of around 50 minutes. The series is based on Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard.
Death by Lightning Review
In this limited miniseries, we follow different aspects of the short-lived tenure of James A. Garfield’s presidency. The series is part biopic and part political thriller and aims to explore the different aspects of the president, his killer and the political landscape of the time.
First and foremost, we delve into James A. Garfield’s life, his becoming president and his ultimate murder at the hands of his admirer Charles J. Guiteau. The series showcases different aspects that made Garfield the president that he was and discusses the irony of his death due to medical neglect. In an interesting twist, Garfield didn’t die of the gunshot wound, but rather, due to unsanitary practices during treatment of said wound. The series is an investing exploration of these different facets of Garfield’s presidency that might interest many.
On the other side of things is Charles J. Guiteau’s life and how we went from an ardent admirer of Garfield to a disillusioned killer who ultimately brought his demise. Guiteau was eventually hanged to death for his crimes, but the path from admirer to murderer is a very interesting and potent part of the story that runs in tandem with Garfield’s own story. Both of these people are equally important in a tragic way and will leave most viewers invested to know what happens next.
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It helps that this is not a well-known part of history, and the series will bring fresh information to viewers, adding to the intrigue. Political dramas tend to get a bit boring because we almost always know how the situation started and ended, but since Garfield was only president for six months, he is one of the lesser-known political figures in American history. I think that adds to the interest of the series as it brings to light something new when it comes to historical stories.
This is mostly a character-driven series, and Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen are fantastic in the show. Macfadyen, especially, brings a kind of madness to the character that blends manic with a tragic emptiness that will leave anyone intrigued by the person. Shannon, too, is fantastic, but it’s important to note that the series feels like it oftentimes leans more towards Guiteau than the other way around. I also found the female characters to be unfairly on the sidelines and used only as props for the male protagonists to work off of.
Lastly, one of the biggest issues with shows like these is that they are hardly ever for a broader appeal. It’s a nice, scholarly watch for anyone who likes history, but it doesn’t bring anything particularly memorable or interesting that will catch the general audience’s fancy. That’s not always a bad thing, but for Death by Lightning, it feels particularly disappointing in a way. There’s also a ton of exposition that drags the runtime quite a bit. Despite its short 4 episodes, it can get on your nerves.
Final Thoughts
Death by Lightning is an interesting and engaging watch for history buffs who want to learn something new. It has several moving parts that will feel particularly interesting for viewers, but generally speaking, it’s not for the masses, as its appeal is quite niche.
What are your thoughts on the Netflix historical miniseries? Let us know in the comments below!
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