TV-MA | 4 episodes | Drama, Biography, History | 2025
The title card at the start of “Death by Lightning” (“Lightning”) reads: “This is a true story about two men the world forgot. One was the 20th president of the United States. The other shot him.”
Of the four U.S. presidents who died in office at the hand of an assassin, James A. Garfield (Michael Shannon) is easily the least recognizable, and that includes the 25th president, William McKinley. Because McKinley was in office for far longer (not quite four years) and died more recently (1901), he is better known by default.
Not only did Garfield have the second shortest presidential term (just over six months), at the age of 49, he was the second youngest to die in office.
“Lightning” is the first production of any kind to feature Garfield as a lead character, and is the only live-action work (to my knowledge) of any assassinated chief executive to give equal screen time to his killer.
In the 188-minute “JFK” (1991), the amount of time showing the John F. Kennedy character (via news reels, stock footage, and a body double) is less than four minutes. In the two-hour-plus 2010 Robert Redford-directed Lincoln assassination themed drama “The Conspirator,” the actor playing Lincoln (Gerald Bestrom) was on screen for 35 seconds.
Four Episodes Not Enough
Based on the 2011 book “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” by Candice Millard, “Lightning” is the rarest of miniseries events in that its four episodes aren’t quite enough. I say this with the utmost regard and praise.
This is OK as director Matt Ross and series creator Mike Makowsky (“Bad Education”) subscribe to the wisest of all show business idioms: Don’t overstay your welcome, and leave the audience wanting more.
Sporting the same crisp, no-frills cinematography displayed in Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” “Lightning” instantly establishes a steadily increasing thriller-type narrative wherein the paths of the two co-leads intersect not once or twice, but three times. Garfield was the only assassinated president ever to meet his murderer prior to the deed itself.
As Charles Guiteau (pronounced ghih-TOH), English actor Matthew Macfadyen delivers a performance for the ages. He plays one of the most loathsome, calculating, desperate, and self-deluded nonfictional screen criminals in history. Another showbiz idiom applies here: “A movie (or in this case, miniseries) is only as good as its villain.”
Disingenuous Back-Slapper
Guiteau was the kind of guy people avoid at parties or cross the street so as to not have to make eye contact as they pass him. He was glib, dangerously overconfident, glad-handing, and back-slapping. He appeared to be lying even when telling the truth.
Guiteau was, above all things, a failed attention hog. If he were alive today, he would be a floundering social media influencer with followers numbering in the single digits.
Coming in a close second and third place in the “black hat” department to Guiteau are Shea Whigham as Roscoe Conkling and Nick Offerman as (the eventual 21st U.S. president) Chester A. Arthur.
Conkling was a brutish power broker who effectively ran the New York Custom House that, according to the film, unofficially brought in over 50 percent of the government’s working budget. The screenplay also suggests that Arthur was a man prone to too much drink. Arthur was the customs collector during the Grant administration, and it is intimated that he was also Conkling’s useful idiot until he wasn’t, which ultimately drove an irremovable wedge between them.
Underused Gilpin
My sole complaint with the series (and it is considerable) is the near criminal underuse of Betty Gilpin as Garfield’s wife, Lucretia, nicknamed “Crete.” As is the case with Shannon, Gilpin has the ability to express volumes of intent with mere glances and carefully timed silences. Crete never wanted to be the first lady, just as her husband never wanted to be president. This is the major point of the series.
At the 1880 Republican convention, Garfield was chosen by John Sherman to deliver the speech nominating the latter as the party’s nominee. Without perhaps trying to do so, Garfield’s words channeled the spirit and intent of Lincoln’s 20 years earlier at the exact same spot (Chicago). Garfield’s selfless proclamations inspired delegates to such a strong a degree, the assembly nominated him.
Garfield’s acceptance of the nomination was purely out of his self-aware duty to his country. In several ways, Garfield might be the greatest president this country has ever known, if only based on the intent of our Constitution and his interpretation of it.
With the possible exception of George Washington, Garfield was the only man not driven by ego to seek out the highest office in the land. He complied only to serve his country and nothing more, and was ultimately murdered in cold blood for doing so.
The legacy of James Abram Garfield needs to be reconsidered by anyone and everyone interested in understanding and comprehending the complex history of our country.
The series is now streaming on Netflix.
‘Death by Lightning’
Director: Matt Ross
Stars: Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman, Shea Whigham
Episodes: 4
TV Parental Guidance: TV-MA
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2025
Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
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