“The 4-Hour Netflix Series That’s Teaching America More Than Actual Classrooms”

There are some shows that don’t need dozens of episodes to make an impact, and the number one series on Netflix right now is a perfect example. In fact, at just four episodes long, Death By Lightning is a riveting drama that deserves to be your weekend binge-watch, and it looks like a lot of people have been doing just that.

Death by Lightning tells the mostly unknown and oft forgotten story of James Garfield, the reluctant 20th President of the United States, and his relationship to the man who eventually killed him, Charles Guiteau. Starring Michael Shannon as Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as the slimy, desperate Guiteau, the limited series has received a lot of praise for the “powerhouse” performances from its leads, as well as delivering “a gripping historical drama with real-life stakes.”

The series was created by Mike Makowsky, and is based on Candice Millard’s 2011 book, Destiny of the Republic. The full synopsis of the series reads:

“The show depicts the election and presidency of James A. Garfield, the 20th United States President, such as his anti-corruption and pro-civil rights stances, as well as how his path crossed with Charles J. Guiteau, a deluded admirer, who ended up shooting him, and his ultimate death.”

The series has not only debuted at the top of the Netflix streaming chart, but also scored incredibly well with both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has an 88% score from critics, while that is pushed up a notch to 89% on the audience Popcornmeter – although that is questionable considering all nine reviews so far are 5-star. Among them, some call the performances “Oscar-worthy,” while many have praised the show for bringing the “virtually unknown” part of U.S. history to a wider audience. Some have even taken the opportunity to cite Garfield as “exactly what America should look for in a leader. He was brilliant, humble and truly wanted to do good for his country. Sad that we’ve come so far and yet have learned so little.”

Michael Shannon Knew Nothing About James Garfield

Netflix

Just as many viewers are discovering the story behind James Garfield, Michael Shannon learned a lot about the president when preparing to play the role that he has delivered to perfection. Speaking with People just before the November 6 premiere, Shannon explained how we went from knowing nothing about the 20th president to greatly admiring what he tried to do for the country – something he wishes was happening now. Shannon said:

“I just knew his name, basically. There’s so much about Garfield that excites me. He really embodies everything I wish and hope a president would be. He started out dirt poor and he worked so hard. He was very self-motivated. He had a lot of compassion for other people. I wish the guy was president right now.”

Why Mike Makowsky Needed to Tell James Garfield’s Story in ‘Death By Lightning’

The story of James Garfield is one that has clearly eluded many people over the decades since he became the most reluctant president in the country’s history. That is something that really drew creator, Mike Makowsky, into the project. As he explained to What’s on Netflix, it was questions about who Garfield was that he felt made a compelling story to tell.

“It was the promise of a potentially generational leader that, as a nation, we were tragically robbed of. It all starts at the convention for me, which is one of the first parts of Candice Millard‘s book, “Destiny of the Republic.” When I first read her book I was like, “What is it about this man who has no overt designs on being president? What is it about him that when he goes up to give this speech on behalf of an entirely different candidate? What about that speech and his presence and his words compels people to stand up in the rafters and shout, ‘We want Garfield!’?”

Death by Lightning is streaming now on Netflix.