‘Death by Lightning’ Review: Presidential Assassination Thriller on Netflix
The four-part James Garfield drama, executive produced by Weiss and featuring Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Betty Gilpin, and Nick Offerman, offers a gripping yet slightly rushed look at political violence in America.
The series, based on Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic, explores assassination attempts and their troubled perpetrators as a dark counterpart to the American Dream, exposing a unique form of celebrity and political violence.
"Death by Lightning is an exploration of political violence that attempts to situate assassination attempts, and their unwell perpetrators, as rot adjacent to the nobler aspirations of the American Dream."
Creator Mike Makowsky navigates this provocative subject with relative confidence, though the pacing feels uneven after nearly three episodes centered on Matthew Macfadyen’s portrayal of Charles J.
For fans of Stephen Sondheim, prolonged viewing might provoke uncontrollable singing of Assassins, with possible side effects reminding some of Sweeney Todd or Company.
"Warning: For Stephen Sondheim fans, prolonged exposure to Death by Lightning may result in uncontrollable singing of the entirety of Assassins."
Given recent trends where shows with similar themes have been relegated or suppressed on major platforms like Apple TV+, it is notable that Netflix has brought this bold series to a wide audience rather than limiting its exposure.
Summary
'Death by Lightning' offers a mostly compelling yet occasionally rushed portrayal of political assassination, courageously tackling a sensitive subject with strong performances and thoughtful source material.
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