Death by Lightning
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Status:
Ended -
Season 1:
Ended on November 06, 2025 -
Watched: 0%
0 of 4 Episodes
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Why Watch
"A gripping descent into the Gilded Age's most tragic political assassination."
AI Critic Analysis
Series Deep Dive:
Netflix's Death by Lightning serves as a meticulous examination of one of the United States' most overlooked political tragedies. By chronicling the rise of President James A. Garfield and the fractured psyche of his assassin, Charles Guiteau, the production captures a nation at a crossroads. The series distinguishes itself through the powerhouse performances of Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen, who anchor the narrative in historical authenticity rather than sensationalism. Its legacy lies in humanizing the Gilded Age, transforming a brief presidency into a profound study of ambition and mental instability. The show effectively revived interest in 19th-century political intrigue, proving that the complexities of the past remain relevant to modern audiences seeking depth and historical precision in their serialized dramas.
Season: 1
| # | Air Date | Episode Name | Watched? |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | Nov 06, 2025 | The Man from Ohio | |
| E2 | Nov 06, 2025 | Party Faithful | |
| E3 | Nov 06, 2025 | Casus Belli | |
| E4 | Nov 06, 2025 | Destiny of the Republic |
Production Note - Limited Series
Production Type: Limited Series
Death by Lightning is a standalone Limited Series that is scheduled to conclude its TBA-episode run in TBA 2025. This high-profile production from Netflix is an adaptation of the non-fiction book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, focusing on the historical assassination of President James A. Garfield. The project is overseen by showrunner Mike Makowsky and executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, signaling a major prestige drama for the streaming platform. Because the series chronicles a specific and finite historical event, it was designed from its inception as a limited engagement to ensure the narrative remains tightly focused on the tragic intersection of Garfield and his assassin, Charles Guiteau.
The scale of the production is underscored by its casting of Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen, alongside a detailed recreation of late nineteenth-century Washington D.C. By utilizing a limited series format, the production team was able to commit to a definitive ending that aligns with the historical record of the president's death and the subsequent legal proceedings. This approach avoids the narrative stretching often found in multi-season dramas, allowing the creators to maintain a consistent tone and pace throughout the story. The definitive conclusion serves to emphasize the sudden nature of the historical events, providing a complete and authoritative cinematic account of this specific chapter in American political history.
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Trailer
Technical Details
- Network: Netflix
- Seasons: 1
- Years: 2025 - 2025
- Genre: Drama, History, Mini-Series
