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Netflix finally drops its new historical series, Death by Lightning, and the first reviews are astonishing. Created by Mike Makowsky and executive produced by Game of Thrones‘ David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the Netflix miniseries follows the events leading up to the assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield (Michael Shannon).
Per Rotten Tomatoes, Death by Lightning debuts with a solid 89% score. However, it’s based on just nine reviews, so the score is expected to fluctuate as more reviews get tabulated. The series doesn’t have an audience score yet since it was freshly released on Netflix.
Nevertheless, the majority of the reviews agree that the Netflix series delivers on the historical depiction of Garfield’s reign and the events that led to Charles J. Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen) to assassinate him. Many critics describe Macfadyen and Shannon’s performance as electrifying, with the former being deemed even the standout. Some reviews also point out that the show’s themes are eerily prevalent in today’s politically divided climate.
Alongside Shannon and Macfadyen, Death by Lightning consists of a star-studded cast of Nick Offerman, Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, and Shea Wingham. The Netflix series consists of just four episodes, all directed by Matt Ross and written by Makowsky.
Matthew Macfadyen’s Charles J. Guiteau looking worried in a crowd in Death by Lightning
The true events in Death by Lightning are based on the 2011 book Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. The book was well-received at the time of publication and ultimately became a national bestseller. It also won an Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime in 2012.
All four episodes of Death by Lightning are now streaming on Netflix.
Release Date
November 6, 2025
Network
Netflix
Directors
Matt Ross
Writers
Mike Makowsky
