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‘Death by Lightning’ Tops U.S. Netflix for a Week as New Coverage Dissects Fact, Fiction and Filmmaking

Interviews with the creative team explain how the series parallels Garfield and Guiteau while mixing documented history with selective invention to shape its tone.

Overview

  • The four-part Netflix miniseries, adapted from Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic and created by Mike Makowsky with direction by Matt Ross, premiered on November 6.
  • Collider, citing FlixPatrol, reports the show has held the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Netflix chart for a full week and notes a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
  • People’s fact-vs-fiction explainer affirms the historical view that Garfield’s death stemmed from infection caused by unsanitary medical care, not the bullet wound itself.
  • The same explainer identifies invented moments used for dramatic effect, including a raucous night out involving Chester A. Arthur and a prison visit by Lucretia Garfield.
  • IndieWire’s craft coverage details editorial choices designed to maintain empathy and narrative parity between Garfield and Guiteau, using pacing and shot selection to balance humor and gravity.