"Assassinations can be no more guarded against than death by lightning; it is best not to worry too much about either" President James Garfield infamously said. Tragically, he could not have been more wrong. 2025's Netflix drama Death By Lightning chronicles Garfield's unlikely meteoric rise from obscure congressman to president and his tragic fall to an assassin's bullet. At once a compelling portrait of a largely forgotten chapter of US history and an eerily prescient warning for the present, Death By Lightning truly captures lightning in a bottle.
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| "I have never had the presidential fever; not even for one day" |
The story begins in the 1960's with National Archives employees discovering the brain of Charles Guiteau. The series then flashes back to 1880 with Guiteau drifting between jail, local communes, and his sister's sofa as he searches for his call to greatness. Meanwhile, congressman James Garfield resists his call to greatness when he is recruited to speak at the Republican National Convention. After a barn-burner speech the party turns its attention to the morally upright Garfield in hopes that he will rid the party of the corrupt spoils system. Guiteau witnesses Garfield's unlikely assent and does everything in his power to attach himself to the grassroots movement behind it. When Garfield ultimately wins the presidency Guiteau seeks what he believes is his rightful place in the new administration. Much to his dismay, he soon learns that there is no place for him in Washington. Meanwhile, Garfield struggles to fend off the rampant corruption in the capital and usher in the reforms that he promised voters. When the two cross paths the stage is set for an American tragedy.
In an era dominated by glamorized and sanitized portrayals of history Death By Lightning brings its tale to gritty, startlingly relevant, life. Rather than transporting viewers to a bygone era of polite manners and elegant costumes the series takes viewers on a journey into the darkest depths of American history. The series' portrait of the era's machine politics is at once fascinating and revolting. The blunt depiction of 'how the sausage gets made' in Washington proves to be both timeless and especially timely in today's political climate. Similarly, the depiction of Guiteau's grandeur-fueled descent into madness takes on an eerie resonance in the midst of influencer culture, as more people than ever desperately pursue their moment of fame. His turn from supporter to assassin proves especially visceral in a news cycle dominated by political violence. Even as it portrays some of the darkest aspects of American culture, however, the series still offers hope in its depiction of one man's efforts to make his country a better place. Experience American politics in all of its grit and glory in Death By Lightning.
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| "Mark my words, my name will be known one day all across this country" |
The series transports viewers to the gritty streets of the 1880's America thanks to the work of its star-studded cast. Bradley Whitford blends charm with shrewdness as political kingmaker James Blaine. Betty Gilpin is a portrait of quiet strength as Garfield's wife, Lucretia. Nick Offerman expertly portrays Chester Arthur's evolution from corrupt, incompetent, congressman to reluctant leader. Shea Whigam makes for a villain viewers will love to hate as political boss Roscoe Conkling. Even in the midst of compelling supporting performances, however, the series belongs to Matthew Macfayden and Michael Shannon as Guiteau and Garfield. Shannon proves himself to be leading man material as he infuses Garfield with integrity, warmth, and unassuming charm. Macfayden steals each scene in which he appears in his manic depiction of Guiteau's delusional quest for greatness. What easily could have been a cartoonish caricature of a madman is in Macfayden's hands a nuanced and tragic portrayal of a man undone not only by mental illness but also by his all too relatable desire to be somebody.
Through its depiction of one of America's forgotten tragedies Death By Lightning delivers four of the most compelling hours of television in recent years. The script portrays the stranger than fiction history of the Garfield assassination with startling accuracy while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The performances bring the cast of historical characters to vivid, breathing, life. For truly electrifying viewing tune in to Death By Lightning.
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| "Here and only here, a man can be anyone" |
