If you look at any list of least remembered presidents, you’ll likely find James Garfield near the top. He held the office for only 200 days, not long enough to accomplish anything but not so short as to be a record. Destined to be forgotten the moment an assassin shot him in the back. As a history buff, I’m familiar with Garfield, but not so knowledgeable that the Netflix miniseries Death by Lightning couldn’t teach me a thing or two.
The series begins in the lead-up to the 1880 presidential election, with the Republican party in disarray. James Garfield (Michael Shannon) sees his stock rise as a compromise candidate between the various factions of the party. Meanwhile, conman and political wannabe Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen) leaves prison and searches for a new opportunity. Death by Lightning traces the arcs of these two men leading up to their fateful and ultimately fatal encounter.
The show examines a particularly fraught time in US politics, full of corruption and unchecked greed. It isn’t hard for the writers to draw parallels between that era and ours. The program is at its best when exploring the game of politics, specifically the Republic National Convention that leads to Garfield’s unexpected nomination. So interesting is the inter-party feud between Garfield and New York Stalwart Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham) that we never even see his opponent in the Democratic party. There are some people who still end up forgotten.
With just 4 episodes, Death by Lightning tries to cover a lot of ground. This leads to the series feeling overstuffed with people and events. Frederick Douglass appears in a single scene. Alexander Graham Bell arrives to announce his invention of the metal detector. These historical cameos are fun, but feel like the Marvel version of US history. A distraction from our story’s focus and from the terrific performances on display.
Death by Lightning boasts a cast of talented actors that brings these overlooked figures to life. Besides those already mentioned, we also have Bradley Whitford, Nick Offerman, and Betty Gilpin. In particular, Gilpin as Garfield’s wife Lucretia gets her big moment at the end, as she damns Guiteau to the dustbin of history. It’s our two leads who shoulder much of the heavy lifting, though. Shannon imbues Garfield with a meekness unbecoming of most politicians while also letting his virtues shine through. There’s a sense that, given time, he would have acquitted himself well in the role of president. Macfadyen is all sweat and smarm as Guiteau. What makes the role so mesmerizing is how his desperation slowly morphs into resentment with each rejection. He is a man deluded into believing his life must have a higher purpose even as it continues to elude him.
There are a lot of ideas floating around Death by Lightning. The most important ones speak to our current political climate. A reminder that history rhymes, even in the untold stories. It’s doubtful that the series will elevate Garfield to anything more than a historical footnote. What it captures instead is the feeling of promise and its all too quick demise. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there, if that feeling ever returns.
Death by Lightning is currently streaming on Netflix