The Stranger-Than-Fiction True Story Behind Netflix’s New Star-Studded Historical Miniseries

Death by Lightning, Netflix’s new historical miniseries, revisits the astonishing true story of the assassination of U.S. President James Garfield. The show unpacks an episode so strange it feels fictional, yet every detail is rooted in reality.

A Story of Obsession and Power

Long before the term "parasocial relationship" entered modern psychology, there was Charles Guiteau — a failed lawyer, would-be preacher, and self-proclaimed political influencer. He convinced himself that he had personally secured Garfield’s election victory and deserved a diplomatic post in Paris as a reward.

When his requests to the White House went unanswered, Guiteau’s disillusionment turned violent. In the summer of 1881, inside a Washington, D.C. train station, he ambushed and shot President Garfield in the back, believing he had saved both the Republican Party and the country itself.

Madness Meets History

The series transforms this bizarre historical tragedy into a mix of dark humor and political critique, blending themes of obsession, ego, and delusion. It presents a chilling study of how personal ambition and a craving for recognition can spiral into catastrophe.

“Netflix’s Death by Lightning resurrects this real-life fever dream of delusion and democracy gone off the rails.”

The Team Behind the Series

The production unites David Benioff and D.B. Weiss — known for Game of Thrones — with Mike Makowsky, writer of Bad Education. Together they craft a darkly fascinating character exploration grounded in one of America’s strangest political moments.

Author’s Summary

A gripping look at power, delusion, and the human hunger for attention, Death by Lightning retells one of history’s most peculiar presidential assassinations with wit and unease.

Collider — 2025-11-07