Copyright theage
Death by Lightning ★★★★ It’s no accident this 19th century historical drama, which maps the intersecting paths of America’s 20th president, James Garfield (Michael Shannon), and his assassin, Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), is full of contemporary references. There is an 1880 misinformation campaign, rank corruption and a vice-presidential candidate who drunkenly demands, “Music! Fighting! Sausages!” on a night out. The current shortcomings of power in the United States are nothing new, this limited series suggests, but nor are they unstoppable. What makes the timeliness resonate is the sly humour and sharp depictions. At just four episodes, as if Netflix were scared audiences would drift off, Death by Lightning smashes together the great-man-in-history portrait with a dreadfully-dodgy-man-in-history depiction. Garfield, a Civil War hero, is a retired congressman who goes to the Republican convention to nominate a colleague and gives such a stirring speech that he becomes the party’s presidential candidate. Guiteau is a felon, lickspittle lackey and perennial incompetent. The casting is chef’s kiss, with creator Mike Makowsky (Bad Education) and director Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic) leaning right into Macfadyen’s previous role as Succession striver Tom Wambsgans. Guiteau’s unctuousness is comically cringeworthy. Shannon, by contrast, is august and dedicated, but the actor, so often a memorable villain, carries a horrified weight. His Garfield is haunted by the possibility of frittering away his unexpected opportunity to effectively wield power.
