In the annals of American history, presidential assassinations immediately bring to mind the names of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. However, the story of James A. Garfield, the nation’s 20th president, has long remained a footnote, an overshadowed chapter in the collective consciousness. The new Netflix limited series, Death by Lightning, presents itself as an act of historical exhumation, determined to bring to light one of the most unusual and tragic narratives of American power—a story described by its own creators as “epic and stranger than fiction.”
Far from a conventional period drama, the series delves into the complex and obsessive relationship between two men whose destinies fatally collided: James A. Garfield, a brilliant but reluctant leader, and Charles Guiteau, the man who went from being his “biggest admirer” to his assassin. The production’s focus is not merely biographical; it is constructed as a psychological thriller that examines the forces of ambition, madness, and chance that altered the course of history. The narrative is deliberately structured to transcend the traditional historical genre. By focusing on what creator Mike Makowsky describes as the “deeply ingrained situational absurdity” of the events, the series adopts a tone that blends tragedy with dark, unsettling humor. This stylistic choice appears to be a calculated strategy to make a 19th-century event resonate with a modern audience, more familiar with complex character studies and true-crime narratives than with solemn history lessons.
The Plot: The Reluctant President and His Lethal Admirer
The series chronicles the rise of James A. Garfield, played by Michael Shannon, a man of extraordinary intellect and potential who is thrust into the presidency almost against his will. His term is set during a time of deep political corruption in the United States, and the plot explores his head-on battle against systemic fraud and his staunch advocacy for civil service reform—a fight that earned him powerful enemies. Garfield is portrayed not as a political titan, but as a leader trapped between ambition, reform, and his personal convictions.
On a parallel and converging path, the narrative follows the inexorable descent into madness of Charles Guiteau, embodied by Matthew Macfadyen. Guiteau is a disillusioned office-seeker, driven by a delusional conviction that his support was instrumental in Garfield’s election victory and that he, therefore, deserved a diplomatic post as a reward. The miniseries delves into the events that transformed his fervent initial admiration into a murderous resolve, exploring the fragile psyche of a man who believed he was destined for greatness but found only rejection.
This personal drama unfolds against a tense political backdrop. The series explores the conflict between Garfield and the era’s power factions, represented by key figures such as his Secretary of State, James Blaine (Bradley Whitford), and the formidable New York Senator, Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham), a staunch political rival. In the midst of this struggle is Vice President Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman), a product of the same spoils system Garfield sought to dismantle, who will be thrust into an unexpected leadership position following the attack.
The Cast Recreating History
The core of Death by Lightning lies in its formidable cast, a carefully selected group of actors whose prestige underscores the project’s ambition. Michael Shannon, known for his ability to project an intense inner life, takes on the role of James A. Garfield, a principled man burdened by the weight of power. Opposite him, Matthew Macfadyen, a recent two-time Emmy winner for his role in Succession, plays the complex and erratic Charles Guiteau, a character who oscillates between superficial charm and pathetic instability.
The supporting cast solidifies the production as a prestige event, a “powerhouse lineup” according to Netflix itself. Nick Offerman portrays Vice President Chester A. Arthur, Betty Gilpin plays First Lady Lucretia “Crete” Garfield, Bradley Whitford is Secretary of State James Blaine, and Shea Whigham plays the influential Senator Roscoe Conkling. The series also broadens its historical canvas to include other notable figures of the era. The cast is rounded out by Vondie Curtis-Hall as abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass, Kyle Soller as Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Lincoln, Željko Ivanek as Dr. Willard Bliss, the lead physician in charge of Garfield, Paula Malcomson as Guiteau’s sister, Franny Scoville, and Shaun Parkes as Dr. Charles Purvis, one of the surgeons who attended to the president.
The accumulation of such high-caliber talent seems to be more than a mere marketing strategy to attract viewers. Rather, it functions as a statement of intent. By bringing together a cast of acclaimed and award-winning actors, along with a production team that includes the creators of Game of Thrones and its composer, the series positions itself from its conception as a serious contender in the awards season. Every element, from the choice of actors to the musical score, is calibrated to communicate quality, seriousness, and an artistic ambition that seeks to place Death by Lightning in the pantheon of great prestige miniseries.
From Page to Screen: Adapting an Award-Winning Work
The narrative foundation of the series is Candice Millard’s acclaimed 2011 non-fiction book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President. Millard’s work was met with widespread praise for its ability to transform a historical episode into a gripping narrative that, according to critics, reads like a political thriller. The book was not only a bestseller but also won prestigious awards, such as the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, cementing its status as the definitive account of this pivotal moment in American history.
A central element in both Millard’s book and, presumably, the Netflix adaptation, is the detailed and horrifying account of the medical incompetence that ultimately sealed Garfield’s fate. After being shot by Guiteau, the president did not die immediately; he survived for months. However, the wound became a death sentence due to the malpractice of his doctors. Led by Dr. D. Willard Bliss (played in the series by Željko Ivanek), multiple doctors probed the wound with unsterilized instruments and even their bare fingers, introducing bacteria that led to a massive infection and an agonizing death.
This focus suggests that the series will present a silent and perhaps more terrifying antagonist than Guiteau himself: the arrogance of the era’s medical science. The narrative thus transforms from a simple political assassination into a tragedy of errors on multiple fronts. Garfield was not killed once, but twice: first, by the bullet of a deranged man; and second, by the ignorance and hubris of a medical establishment that refused to accept new theories about germs. This aspect adds a layer of deeply ironic and avoidable tragedy, underscoring how a man was destroyed by both individual madness and institutional blindness.
The Creative Team: Architects of a Prestige Drama
Behind the camera, Death by Lightning boasts a top-tier creative team. The series was created, written entirely, and produced by Mike Makowsky, known for his work on Bad Education. His involvement in the project has been a long-term labor of love, dedicating six years to developing a story that, in his own words, he still finds incredible in its “wild, tragic glory.”
The direction of all episodes was handled by Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic, Gaslit), a decision that ensures a cohesive visual and narrative vision throughout the miniseries. Ross’s experience in dramas centered on complex characters and family dynamics suggests an intimate and psychological approach, focused on drawing nuanced performances from his talented cast.
The project also bears the stamp of executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones, who are participating through their production deal with Netflix under their company Bighead Littlehead Productions. Their involvement, along with that of executive producer Bernie Caulfield, also a Game of Thrones veteran, not only brings their experience in large-scale productions but also acts as a powerful media magnet, generating an immediate level of expectation and prestige. To complete the production’s atmosphere, filmed in Budapest, the musical score was composed by Ramin Djawadi, the award-winning composer behind the iconic soundtracks of Game of Thrones and Westworld, promising a dramatic and memorable sonic accompaniment that underscores the epic scale of the story.
A Mirror to the Present: Relevance and Timeless Themes
Although set nearly 150 years ago, the series aims to be a resonant commentary on the present. Creator Mike Makowsky himself has emphasized the story’s contemporary relevance. “The theme of corruption in politics and our bureaucracy feels particularly evergreen,” he has stated, adding that Garfield’s struggle to “clean up the grift in our government” is “incredibly relevant today.” According to Makowsky, the story feels “somehow even more relevant to our world today than ever before.”
The series uses the America of 1881 as a mirror for today’s society. At that time, the nation was at a crossroads, debating its identity and future in the decades following the Civil War and Reconstruction. By illuminating this often-forgotten chapter, the production seeks to demonstrate that the battles for the soul of the nation, institutional integrity, and the nature of leadership are not new phenomena but recurring conflicts in American history.
In this way, Death by Lightning is shaping up to be not just a historical reconstruction but an intervention in contemporary discourse. By focusing on a reformist president confronting a corrupt system and the threat of irrational, polarizing violence, the series positions itself as an allegory about current dangers. The narrative of a rational leader besieged by forces of unreason and a dysfunctional political apparatus offers a potent metaphor for current debates on governance, extremism, and the fragility of democratic institutions. The series uses the past not to escape the present, but to diagnose it.
Release Date
Ultimately, Death by Lightning is poised to be a far more ambitious work than a simple biographical drama. It is a psychological thriller that explores the depths of obsession, a dual character study of two men on opposing trajectories, a tragedy of medical errors that exposes the arrogance of an era, and a subtle political allegory about the resilience of democracy in the face of corruption and extremism. All of this is wrapped in a production of undeniable prestige, driven by top-tier talent both in front of and behind the camera. The series seeks not only to rescue the story of James A. Garfield from obscurity but also to restore its tension, tragedy, and ambiguity for a new generation of viewers.
The four-episode miniseries, Death by Lightning, will premiere globally on Netflix on November 6, 2025.
