Death by Lightning

If you like American history, or want to know more about it, this one is for you. The corruption of Chester Arthur, the Collector of Customs for the Port of New York, and the virtue of James Garfield, a man who never wanted the presidency, make for great stories.

Counterbalancing the history lesson is the story of the assassin, Charles Guiteau. An amiable ne'er-do-well with delusions of grandeur, in today's world he'd be deemed insane.

What can be done with computer graphics will also amaze you. The City of Chicago, the convention center, the street scenes-I'd love to see a documentary about how they did it.

Wonderful series by Netflix.

It really impressed me, especially the acting by Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen. Shannon's take on James Garfield is refreshing-he's not your usual politician but a genuine guy who just wants to do good work without playing the usual political games. He feels like a simple family man with big ideas. Macfadyen nails the role of Charles Guiteau, one of the creepiest villains we've seen recently.

Even though the story happened almost 150 years ago, it hits close to home. It shows how anyone trying to change the political system for the better faces serious pushback from those who want to keep things the way they are. They twist public opinion to make the changemakers look like the bad guys. Garfield's story deserves way more attention, and hopefully, this show helps with that. It's a shame his time as president was so short. History tends to remember the "smart boys" instead of the good-hearted ones, which is a real loss. The show also reminds us how important modern medicine is-Garfield might have lived longer with proper healthcare, but back then, that wasn't the case.

One of the best parts is seeing the real love between Garfield and his wife, Crete. They really had each other's backs through everything, and their support adds a lot of heart to the story. It's a beautiful reminder that behind every great leader is someone just as strong. In the end, the series tells us you don't need to be a hero to make a difference-just a decent person willing to stand up and sacrifice a bit to do what's right.

And hey, the soundtrack? Spot on. It's mostly in the background but really sets the mood without getting in the way.

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.

What a novel idea to do a series on the Assassination of a President almost no one knows anything about. This is a really well done telling of the assassination of James Garfield, which balances the rise of a quiet, humble Congressman to the Presidency with the story of the assassin himself and his ill gotten attempts to work himself into the Administration. I do not know how much of this is true but it makes great theater. Thea acting is great. Michael Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman,and the amazing Betty Gilpin. The back door, back stabbing is riveting and funny and enlightening in light of today's governmental mess. Watch this.

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.