Death by Lightning

I knew very little about President Garfield's rise and his short term in the nation's highest office. While this tragic turn of events happened more than 140 years ago, the story holds great relevance today, as our country grapples with a growing mental health crisis, gun violence and disinformation. The performances, costumes and set design swept me away to another time, but the story is strangely modern and relatable, given our current climate. I binged it in one night.

Death By Lightning is one of the more surprising shows I've seen on an ex president in my life. I was so caught up in it that I couldn't stop watching. The writing and performances were fantastic. Everyone knows what great actors Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen are and both are at the top of their game here. I wouldn't be surprised to see both nominated for Emmy's. The supporting cast led by Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford and Nick Offerman are all terrific here and could lead to some more award nominations. All you have to do is read the reviews by both critics and the audience to see how much people liked this limited series. It currently has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.

I have to admit going into Death by Lightning I knew very little about James Garfield and his assassination other than the basics. I just binged through all four episodes in one sitting and was blown away by how captivating it was. It's about how President James Garfield (Michael Shannon) rose from obscurity to become America's 20th President and then man who killed him, Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfayden). If you're a fan of historical or political dramas then give this a try but make sure you give yourself enough time because once you start it you wont want to stop.

As I'm watching this limited series, I am amazed at how Hollywood can find extraordinary stories and find the best actors to pull it off. If Mathew Macfayden does not receive some sort of award or at least a nomination for his acting, then awards mean nothing. This is a great watch--highly recommend it.

I'm from Mentir Ohio, the home of Garfield. His house a museum and many roads are named after him. A city park is named for him as well as schools. I heard my whole life about him yet never has there been any real story written about him.

It's about time.

The cast is frigging outstanding! The acting superb! They instill a bit of humor in things nicely. The writing and directing superb as well.

At minimum it's worth watching for its historical value.. at best it's a great saga and recollection of a story told too late for everyone. This was long overdue! An assassinated president barely gets a blurb of notice.

I'm glad I came from a place who did honor him as president and mourned his death. Many have never given him a thought!