When Netflix announced Death by Lightning, a four part historical limited series starring Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen, most people probably thought: James Garfield? Really? He’s one of those presidents you barely remember from high school history books. But the show flips that perception entirely delivering something gripping, modern, and deeply weird in the best possible way.
⚡ A President Struck Down, A Nation in Chaos
Death by Lightning dives into the chaotic few months of Garfield’s presidency his rise from humble beginnings to the White House, and his shocking assassination by Charles J. Guiteau, a delusional political hanger-on who thought God and destiny had chosen him for greatness. The title comes from a line once used to describe Garfield’s fate a life literally “struck down by lightning.” But what the show does best is explore how ego, obsession, and political dysfunction collided to create a uniquely American tragedy. The Hollywood Reporter calls it “an audacious, haunting portrait of a man undone not only by violence but by the machinery around him.” It’s not your typical period drama. It’s sharp, stylish, and surprisingly funny a mix of Veep’s biting satire and The Crown’s emotional gravity.
🎭 The Performances That Make It Spark
Michael Shannon plays President James Garfield with quiet conviction the reluctant reformer suddenly thrust into a world of backroom deals and ambition. Shannon doesn’t need to raise his voice to command a room; his presence alone gives Garfield depth and moral clarity. But the real showstopper here is Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Guiteau and he’s nothing short of mesmerizing. The Wall Street Journal calls his performance “equal parts hilarious and horrifying”. Macfadyen turns Guiteau into a manic, delusional dreamer: one moment pathetic, the next terrifying. It’s like watching Tom Wambsgans from Succession go completely unhinged with God on his speed dial. Together, Shannon and Macfadyen deliver the kind of dynamic that TV critics live for the idealist and the narcissist, two men on opposite ends of sanity but both consumed by ambition.
💀 History Meets Dark Comedy
What makes Death by Lightning stand out from your typical prestige historical drama is its tone. It’s dark, ironic, and occasionally absurd just like the times we’re living in. The show doesn’t try to glamorize history; instead, it exposes how chaotic, petty, and human it really was. The New York Times described it as “a political tragedy told with an almost wicked sense of humor.” And that feels exactly right. Director Mike Makowsky (of Bad Education fame) uses rich, cinematic visuals candlelit rooms, grimy streets, ornate Washington offices to paint a world teetering between progress and madness. It’s beautiful, but unsettling. You laugh, but you also wince.
🩸 The Power, the Pain, and the Politics
Garfield’s presidency was supposed to be about reform a new era of honesty in politics. But what Death by Lightning captures perfectly is how power quickly corrupts good intentions. Every character wants something: a position, influence, fame. Guiteau’s obsession with recognition feels painfully familiar in the age of social media. As one review cleverly noted, “He’s a man desperate to go viral in a world that didn’t yet have cameras.” That desperation to be seen, to matter gives the show a modern, unsettling pulse. Even the assassination itself isn’t played for pure shock. It’s tragic, of course, but also bizarrely bureaucratic a failure of medicine, leadership, and logic. Garfield didn’t die immediately from the bullet; he died because his doctors wouldn’t stop probing his wounds with unwashed hands. It’s a haunting metaphor for systems that destroy what they’re meant to protect.
👑 The Look and Feel
Costume designer Lisa Padovani (of Boardwalk Empire) deserves her flowers. The series doesn’t just recreate 1880s fashion it reinterprets it. Every frock coat, cravat, and bustle tells a story of power and vanity. Garfield’s wardrobe leans toward dark, austere tones a man weighed down by duty. Guiteau, on the other hand, is all disheveled glamour and mismatched color, reflecting his unhinged self belief. The contrast between them becomes visual poetry: sanity vs. delusion, humility vs. ego.
⚖️ What Critics Are Saying
The reviews are rolling in and they’re largely glowing:
- The Hollywood Reporter praises its “taut storytelling and powerhouse performances.”
- The Wall Street Journal notes that “Macfadyen’s Guiteau is one of the year’s most unforgettable TV villains.”
- The New York Times calls it “a meticulous, unnervingly timely dissection of ambition and decay.”
Sure, some critics argue the four-episode format feels too short. There’s so much political drama and personal tragedy packed into such a small space that the pacing can feel rushed. But maybe that’s part of the point Garfield’s presidency was brief, and the show mirrors that fleeting chaos.
⚡ Why You Should Watch
Death by Lightning isn’t just history it’s a mirror. It’s about what happens when narcissism, politics, and delusion collide in the spotlight. It’s about the cost of ambition, the fragility of ideals, and how the hunger to be seen can destroy everything in its path. If you’re into sharp writing, layered performances, and beautifully dark period pieces, this series deserves a spot on your Netflix queueIt’s haunting. It’s tragic. It’s strangely funny. And it might just be one of Netflix’s boldest moves yet.
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