Understanding a Moment That Shaped America
On November 6, 2025, Netflix released a four-episode limited series that examines one of the most consequential yet largely forgotten events in American history. Death by Lightning tells the true story of James Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, and Charles Guiteau, the man who would assassinate him. Garfield’s presidency lasted less than four months before he was shot on July 2, 1881. Medical historians believe incompetent medical interventions, rather than the gunshot wounds themselves, led to his death on September 19, 1881. The series explores the political turmoil, personal ambitions, and psychological forces that converged in 1881, revealing patterns that remain relevant to contemporary America. Based on Candice Millard’s 2011 book “Destiny of the Republic,” this interactive piece synthesizes the key facts, central figures, and historical context of the Garfield tragedy.
Behind the Scenes
Official imagery from the Netflix series
Netflix Limited Series • November 6, 2025
Death by Lightning
A four-part historical drama that follows two men whose lives collided at a critical juncture in American history. Stream all episodes on Netflix.
A Timeline of Convergence
Key moments from June 1880 to September 1881
June 1880
At the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Ohio Congressman James Garfield delivers a speech nominating fellow Ohioan Treasury Secretary John Sherman. Delegates choose Garfield as a compromise presidential nominee on the 36th ballot, despite his assertions that he did not seek the office.
November 1880
Garfield wins the presidency. Nearly 20,000 visitors come to his farm in Ohio during his front-porch campaign. His message of civil rights reform, civil service modernization, and honest governance appeals to voters weary of machine politics and corruption.
March 4, 1881
Garfield is inaugurated. His inaugural address prioritizes civil rights for formerly enslaved people and commits to reforming the patronage system that had corrupted American politics. He enters office with clear ideals and reform ambitions.
July 2, 1881
Charles Guiteau shoots President Garfield at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. Guiteau, who believed he had secured Garfield’s election and expected a diplomatic appointment, acted after months of being denied access and positions in the administration.
September 19, 1881
Garfield dies after 79 days of illness. He served 199 days as president. Medical historians attribute his death largely to infection caused by Dr. D. Willard Bliss’s unsanitary probing and medical procedures rather than the gunshot wounds themselves. Vice President Chester A. Arthur assumes the presidency.
Key Moments
Visual storytelling from the Netflix adaptation
The Central Figures
Key players in a historical tragedy
James A. Garfield
20th U.S. President
A former schoolteacher, lawyer, and Civil War general who served nine terms in the House of Representatives. Garfield was reluctant to seek the presidency but entered office committed to civil rights for Black citizens and reform of the corrupt patronage system.
Portrayed by Michael Shannon
Charles Guiteau
Assassin
A drifter and failed lawyer with a history of financial irresponsibility and erratic behavior. Guiteau believed his support had secured Garfield’s election and expected a diplomatic position. After repeated rejections, his belief that he deserved recognition transformed into obsession and violence.
Portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen
Chester A. Arthur
Vice President
Initially a political operative aligned with New York’s corrupt machine, Arthur becomes vice president to balance the ticket. His trajectory shifts when tragedy forces him to reckon with his complicity in machine politics, eventually leading him toward civil service reform.
Portrayed by Nick Offerman
By The Numbers
Key statistics about Garfield’s presidency
199
Days in Office
4
Episodes
1880
Election Year
36
Convention Ballots
Visuals from the Series
Additional scenes from Death by Lightning
Where History Unfolded
Geographic locations central to the story
Historical Locations
Chicago, Illinois: 1880 Republican Convention where Garfield was nominated on the 36th ballot
Mentor, Ohio: Garfield’s home and front-porch campaign headquarters
Washington, D.C.: Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station (assassination site)
Understanding the Historical Context
Explore the themes and forces that shaped events
Set less than two decades after the Civil War, Death by Lightning depicts an America still fractured by regional tensions and corruption. The patronage system allowed senators and political machines to control government positions as rewards for loyalty. New York Senator Roscoe Conkling epitomized this corrupt system, using political offices and federal revenue (particularly customs duties) to consolidate power. Garfield’s rise represented a challenge to this machine politics. His insistence on merit-based appointments and honest governance threatened the vested interests of powerful senators.
Garfield made civil rights a central priority. His inaugural address emphasized the ongoing oppression of Black citizens and the federal government’s obligation to protect their freedoms. The series depicts Garfield meeting with Black citizens and war veterans, committing himself to genuine racial justice at a time when such positions were politically risky. The presence of Dr. Charles Purvis, the first Black physician to attend to a sitting president, underscores Garfield’s commitment to breaking racial barriers within institutions.
Guiteau exemplifies a pattern of dangerous radicalization. He was a man with a history of financial irresponsibility, legal troubles, and erratic behavior. He obsessively believed he had single-handedly secured Garfield’s election and deserved a significant government appointment. When rejected repeatedly, his fixation intensified. This transformation from misplaced admiration to violent obsession parallels contemporary concerns about radicalization. Guiteau’s delusions, combined with his resentment of exclusion, created a fatal pathway. The series draws explicit parallels between 19th-century political violence and modern threats stemming from perceived slights and exclusion.
One of the most compelling aspects of the Garfield tragedy involves medical history. Though shot on July 2, 1881, Garfield died on September 19 after 79 days of illness. Medical researchers, including those cited in Candice Millard’s research, have concluded that Garfield likely would have survived the gunshot wounds if not for Dr. D. Willard Bliss’s medical interventions. Bliss repeatedly probed Garfield’s wounds with unsterilized instruments, introducing infection. The series emphasizes that Garfield’s death resulted from preventable medical error rather than the assassination itself. This historical detail raises profound questions about how different decisions by different people could have altered the trajectory of American history.
A Story That Demands Attention
Death by Lightning examines the convergence of political corruption, personal ambition, mental illness, and medical incompetence that culminated in one of America’s most tragic episodes. James Garfield entered office with genuine ideals about civil rights and honest governance. Charles Guiteau, by contrast, represented a cautionary figure: a man whose delusions and resentment festered into violence. The series, adapted from Candice Millard’s acclaimed historical work, explores how individual choices and systemic failures intersect with historical consequence. While Garfield’s presidency lasted only 199 days, the political forces he embodied—reform, civil rights, resistance to corruption—continued to reshape America. The subsequent Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 directly resulted from the outcry following Garfield’s assassination, transforming federal hiring practices away from patronage toward merit-based selection. In this way, Garfield’s brief presidency and tragic death left an enduring mark on American governance.
Experience the Full Story
All four episodes are now available on Netflix. Directed by Mike Makowsky, the series stars Michael Shannon as Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as Guiteau, with supporting performances by Nick Offerman, Betty Gilpin, and Bradley Whitford.
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