'FIVE STAR' PERIOD DRAMA BASED ON TRUE STORY LEAVES NETFLIX FANS WATCHING ON REPEAT
Period drama lovers have been raving about a beloved Netflix series, which has viewers watching it on repeat. The drama miniseries Death by Lightning, created by Mike Makowsky, is based on the 2011 book, Destiny of the Republic, by Candice Millard. The series premiered on November 6, 2025, on the global streamer and has received widespread praise from critics and fans online.
The series is based on the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James Garfield (played by Michael Shannon), the reluctant 20th president of the United States. It also follows the complex relationship between Garfield and Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen) - the man who was not only the president's greatest admirer, but also his assassin.
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It also acknowledges that, as presidential assassins go, Guiteau's name is hardly as well-known as John Wilkes Booth or Lee Harvey Oswald, the killers who assassinated Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy, respectively.
The show explores the life and legacy of the reluctant president, and despite being set nearly 150 years ago, it still feels incredibly relevant. Filming for the series began in Budapest on July 1, 2024, and wrapped up in October of the same year.
The epic historical series, which fans can stream now, stars an ensemble cast led by Shannon and Macfadyen. They shared the screen with Betty Gilpin, who played Shannon's on-screen wife, Lucretia Garfield, and Nick Offerman, who portrayed Chester A. Arthur.
Michael Shannon was keen to play Garfield because he didn't know anything about the president. Meanwhile, Macfadyen compared his interpretation of Giuteau to the Pixar villain, Syndrome. Although the four-part series only launched last week, the show has already received an impressive 88% score on the popular critics review site, Rotten Tomatoes.
The website's consensus reads: "Handsomely mounted and electrified by Matthew Macfadyen's masterclass in slimy desperation, Death by Lightning concisely dramatises a fork in history while wistfully hinting at what could've been." It didn't take long before fans swarmed to social media to shower the show with praise online.
One user penned: "I absolutely loved this show. It was a grand spectacle of a story depicting the path of James Garfield and his assassin. I will give this show 5/5 stars, and I hope this sparks a light into the lesser-known presidents in our history. Beautiful show, and I would certainly love to see it again."
Another agreed: "Great acting, fascinating characters. And an unknown, brilliant story. Funny, touching, and at times, sad. Death by Lightning kept me engaged from start to finish. Political junkies like myself will be captivated. The best four hours I've spent watching TV in ages."
A third chimed in with: "Wow. I'm embarrassed to say I did not even know about President James Garfield until this series. It is an amazing story and very well done. The acting is phenomenal. I was truly moved in more ways than one. A must see."
2025-11-11T04:49:39Z