Death by Lightning Review: Michael Shannon Leads a Rollicking Elegy for the American Experiment
The Netflix series Death by Lightning revisits the assassination of President James Garfield, weaving a sharp, darkly humorous tale with a magnetic cast and sly political commentary.
The story opens with a vivid scene: the newly nominated Republican candidate for Vice President, played by Nick Offerman, stumbles out of a noisy tavern in the early hours, two hats precariously stacked on his head. Half-blind from drink, he nearly walks into a wall before being rescued by a dubious supporter he keeps calling “Cousteau.”
Guiteau’s Ambition
This so-called supporter is Charles Guiteau, portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen with a mix of desperation and charm. Throughout the night, Guiteau talks the bemused politician’s ear off, twisting a random act of kindness into what he sees as a life-changing connection. Some time before, Arthur had saved Guiteau from arrest — a moment Guiteau now reimagines as destiny.
“I want to make an impact,” he insists, hoping to join the campaign trail and reinvent himself in the shadow of greatness.
Inspired by the presidential nominee James Garfield, played with stern brilliance by Michael Shannon, Guiteau dreams of transforming his worn-out reputation. If adopting a new name can erase the trail of debts, thefts, and deceit that follow him from Illinois to New York, then that is a compromise he’s more than willing to make.
A Darkly Comic Portrait of Politics
The show blends biting humor with historical tragedy, transforming a grim chapter of American history into an oddly lively reflection on ambition, identity, and misplaced devotion.
Author’s Summary: An exuberant yet tragic retelling of Garfield’s assassination, Death by Lightning captures the manic energy of ambition and the dark comedy of American politics through vivid performances and sharp dialogue.