Death by Lightning Review
Director: Matt Ross
Date Created: 2025-11-06 18:42
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Death by Lightning Review: This Netflix historical miniseries, directed by Matt Ross and written by Mike Makowsky, is adapted from the book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. The series cast includes Michael Shannon as President James A. Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as his fan-turned-assassin Charles J. Guiteau, along with Nick Offerman, Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Shea Whigham and others, weaving politics and personal tragedy together. The show resurrects one of America’s most forgotten leaders, whose presidency was ended in the most shocking and ironic way.
Death by Lightning Review
With Netflix’s Death by Lightning, you are drawn into a world of desire, devotion and madness. It’s not strictly historical fiction but rather a meditation on how tenuous power can be and the way that obsession can make a good man turn an appreciation ugly in the worst possible way. The Netflix show doesn’t so much march through facts or dates as hang out with the feelings behind them. That’s what I found most compelling, the way it seizes hold of the inner storms in both Garfield and Guiteau without somehow making them into cardboard historical figures.
The thing that I came away with the most was Michael Shannon’s performance. And yes, he plays Garfield, not as a saint, but as a man caught between ideals and reality. Shannon infuses him with warmth and wisdom to depict the man who wanted to lead on principle, not politics. His cool is a stark contrast to what Macfadyen brings, his heat — and together they find an intriguing balance that serves as the engine of the show. Macfadyen, especially, is unforgettable. His Guiteau is chilling and heartrending. He’s delusional, yes, but very much alone in the world as well, and that complexity gives his collapse a sense of poignant surplus.
The Death by Lightning series successfully shows how two very different men wound up wed for life. Where Garfield represents integrity and aspiration, Guiteau turns desire inside out: the drive to be seen, discussed and remembered at any price. The beauty, I believe, of the show is that it never actually portrays either of them in black and white. Every person here is flawed, and even secondary characters have moments that nearly ring true, especially Garfield’s wife (played by Betty Gilpin). Her quiet grief and strength give the story a heartbeat that lingers.
What I really liked about Netflix’s Death by Lightning was also because of its pacing and tone. There are some longueurs, in the best way a story has to be. In some scenes, the silence says more than any dialogue. All this, the political arguing and public speaking and private seething, ratchets up tension. By the time you get to his assassination, it’s not just shocking; it’s painful. We know where the story is heading, and still, it’s something of an achievement that we can all wish the show wouldn’t.
That said, I did find a few moments where there were opportunities for the narrative to delve deeper into the story. The medical malpractice that contributed to Garfield’s death seems like one of the grossest things in history, and it was presented in a little glossed-over over. The show has hinted at it, but I wish it had more fully explored the recklessness and hubris of the doctors.
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It’s an essential part of the tragedy, and more space would have made it all more affecting. And just the same as building a more true setting could have been pursued in greater depth, so could an exploration of social constructs- specifically racial and class tensions of post-Civil War America. These are relatively minor complaints, but they prevent Death by Lightning from ever coming close to what it could be.
One of the things I loved is that this show makes some very quiet connections between the past and present. The motifs of corruption, blind loyalty and a desperate need for recognition feel very much in the air. As I watch it, I couldn’t help but think about how politics still runs in cycles, egos continue to smash together, and good intentions are often buried under ambition. Death by Lightning may take place in the 1800s, but it screams to our world today — and that’s why it’s more than a mere period piece.
What sets this Netflix series Death by Lightning, apart is its emotional honesty as well. It’s not about aggrandising anyone; it illustrates greatness but also weakness. By the end, I felt both a strange amount of admiration and sadness; admiration for what Garfield wanted to do with it and sadness that he was snuffed out so quickly. Rarely does anything stick the landing so emotionally hard.
Netflix Death by Lightning Series Review: Summing Up
Death by Lightning is both a well-made and emotionally jarring series. It’s not going to be for everyone, especially viewers who prefer wit and whimsy in their storytelling, but it’s definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of historic, character-driven drama. Despite a few uneven moments, there are solid performances, strong writing and a sobering reminder that pride and miscommunication can muck up dreams in a hurry.
