Netflix’s Death by Lightning, which premiered Thursday, revisits the “epic and stranger-than-fiction true story” of President James A. Garfield, who served only four months in office before being assassinated by a supporter seeking to advance his own political career.
The four-part series is based on Candice Millard’s 2011 novel Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President. Creator Mike Makowsky takes viewers inside the short-lived presidency of Garfield, portrayed by Michael Shannon, and his admirer, Charles J. Guiteau, played by Matthew Macfadyen, who would ultimately change the course of his presidency and American history, according to Netflix’s Tudum and Entertainment Weekly.
“It’s been the thrill of a lifetime seeing this crack team come together to bring James Garfield and his cohort back from the annals of long-forgotten history,” Makowsky told Tudum. “Six years into working on this project, it’s a story I still can’t believe is true — in all its wild, tragic glory — and it somehow feels even more relevant to our world today than ever before. I can’t wait for us to be able to finally share it.”
Here’s everything viewers and history buffs need to know about the new Netflix series, including Garfield’s life, his relationship with Guiteau, his assassination and how the series reflects real historical events.
What is ‘Death by Lightning’ about?
The series takes place in the 1880s at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, where Garfield, a former Ohio congressman and farmer, was tapped by Sen. John Sherman to speak in support of his presidential candidacy. Delegates could not decide between Sherman and two other candidates, and instead opted to nominate Garfield after hearing his speech at the event, according to Time magazine.
After delegates submitted 36 ballots, Garfield became the Republican presidential candidate. He was later sworn into office on March 4, 1881, along with his vice president, Chester Arthur (Nick Offerman), becoming the 20th president of the United States.
Guiteau initially supported Garfield, eager to prove himself and join the administration. After being passed over for the U.S. ambassadorship to France, he believed he could gain political power under Arthur by assassinating the person he admired, per Time.
“At every conceivable turn, he was rebuffed by the Garfield administration, and ultimately, something in him snapped,” Makowsky said. “He essentially resolved that in order to ensure his greatness and his mark upon our history, he would have to kill his former hero.”
Garfield was shot by Guiteau four months into his term, on July 2, 1881, at a Washington, D.C., train station. He later succumbed to his injuries on Sept. 19, 1881, just a few months before his 50th birthday, according to a New York Times obituary.
What plans did Garfield have as president?
The series is based on real historical events, and Makowsky highlights the plans Garfield pursued during his short-lived presidency.
One of the pieces of legislation Garfield worked on was the Pendleton Act, a civil-service reform act that focuses on federal employment and those seeking these positions, emphasizing skill rather than political party affiliation, according to Britannica. It was officially signed into law by Arthur in 1883.
“The idea of civil service reform and waging a battle to clean up the grift in our government — this is something that Garfield very much stood on the front lines of in his time,” Makowsky explained.
Garfield promised reforms to strengthen the government and serve the American people. He was also a civil rights activist who advocated for the freedom of Black Americans, per Entertainment Weekly.
“He never got a chance to do a whole lot in his term as president…You have to go backwards in his life and really study his writings and his work to understand what an honestly brilliant man he was,” Tim Garfield, the president’s great-great-grandson, told Time.