The Prestige TV Podcast

'Death by Lightning': Netflix's Hit Garfield Assassination Show, With Mike Makowsky | Prestige TV

November 18, 2025

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  • The series *Death by Lightning* was condensed from an initial six-episode concept to four episodes for creative reasons and to secure a green light. 
  • The creative team intentionally used contemporary language and situational absurdity to make the historical story of James Garfield and Charles Gateau more immediately engaging to a modern audience beyond history enthusiasts. 
  • The central psychological parallel between Garfield and Gateau is their shared, though differently expressed, ambition and desire to matter and be remembered by history. 

Segments

Series Length and Trial Inclusion
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(00:01:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The four-episode structure of Death by Lightning resulted from condensing an initial six-episode limited series concept.
  • Summary: The initial version of the project was written as a six-episode limited series. It was condensed to four episodes for creative reasons and to successfully secure a green light from Netflix. The trial of Charles Gateau, which featured an early insanity defense, was written as a full episode but ultimately cut because it occurred after Garfield’s death, creating an imbalance without the President as a counterweight.
Garfield’s Psychology and Ambition
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(00:05:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Both James Garfield and Charles Gateau were fundamentally driven by the ambition to matter and be recognized, forming a core similarity.
  • Summary: The creator read Candace Millard’s book, Destiny of the Republic, in one sitting, being constantly surprised by the historical facts. Garfield’s powerful 1880 convention speech, though presented as reluctant, suggested a desire for recognition, mirroring Gateau’s blatant ambition. The show positions Garfield as not being purely ’lawful good,’ revealing a latent ambition under the surface, similar to Ned Stark.
Cinematic Moments and Adaptation Challenges
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(00:07:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The 1880 Republican National Convention was the most electric cinematic moment, while gaining audience buy-in for the obscure historical figures was the toughest adaptation hurdle.
  • Summary: The 1880 Chicago Republican National Convention, where Garfield was nominated against his will after a 36-round deadlock, was seen as an inherently electric set piece. The biggest challenge was convincing people outside the small percentage of history nerds to care about Garfield and Arthur. This required injecting a contemporary engine and humor, often through anachronistic language, to avoid feeling like a dusty docu-drama.
Historical Accuracy and Language Updates
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(00:18:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Garfield’s convention speech language was updated about 30% for modern accessibility while preserving the intentionality of his original oratory.
  • Summary: The adaptation aimed for a 70/30 split regarding actual language versus updated verbiage in historical speeches to maintain modern accessibility. Garfield was an incredible orator, and the show tried to compromise minimally on his language. The contemporary language was a deliberate choice to grab viewers who might otherwise dismiss a period piece.
Actor Performances and Character Depth
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(00:21:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Betty Gilpin’s portrayal of Lucretia Garfield, informed by reading her letters, brought unexpected depth to her character as Garfield’s intellectual equal who understood the limitations placed on women.
  • Summary: Betty Gilpin read a full compendium of letters between James and Lucretia Garfield, highlighting her role as the second First Lady to attend college and Garfield’s intellectual equal. Lucretia was disappointed by Garfield’s deathbed concern over his historical legacy, as women of that era knew their names would not be etched in history. Lucretia’s power lay in denying that legacy recognition to Gateau in their final interaction.
The Garfield-Gateau Office Hours Scene
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(00:25:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The emotional climax of the Garfield-Gateau meeting was driven by Matthew McFadden’s spontaneous, visceral reaction upon finally meeting ’the wizard’ as his character.
  • Summary: The scene where Gateau meets Garfield during open office hours was their primary dialogue scene, and the actors did not know each other well beforehand. McFadden burst into tears upon seeing Michael Shannon, which was unscripted and reflected Gateau’s four months of begging for this meeting. This genuine emotion made the scene the unexpected centerpiece of the show.
Presidential Security and ‘Death by Lightning’
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(00:29:38)
  • Key Takeaway: President Garfield famously refused private security, stating assassination was no more preventable than death by lightning, which inspired the show’s title.
  • Summary: There was no Secret Service protection for the President during this era; it was only established 20 years later after McKinley’s assassination. Garfield believed assassination was unavoidable, famously stating it could not be guarded against any more than death by lightning. This quote from Candace Millard’s book was the direct inspiration for the Netflix series title.
Gateau’s Final Moments and Legacy Contrast
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(00:31:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Gateau’s singing of ‘I Am Going to the Lordy’ at his execution reflected his massive disconnect between his expectations and reality, realizing his performance failed to move the horrified audience.
  • Summary: The creator viewed Gateau’s final performance as stemming from his ethos that putting on a show would affect his audience, even in death. The actor playing Gateau explored different vocalizations for the song, but the final moment showed Gateau realizing Lucretia Garfield was right—his performance was not being received as intended. This contrasts sharply with Garfield, who is interred on a pedestal in Cleveland, while Gateau’s remains are stored in a filing cabinet next to the remains of the space chimp, Enos.
Opening Structure and Thesis Statement
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(00:34:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The show opens in 1969 with Sly and the Family Stone to disarm viewers expecting a dusty period piece and establish the thesis: who were Garfield and Gateau?
  • Summary: The show intentionally starts in 1969 with a brain in a jar and a Sly and the Family Stone song to immediately grab the lapels of potential viewers. This structure was designed to counter assumptions that a period piece would be anachronistic or dusty. The core thesis is that both men were driven by the hope of being remembered by future generations, which is why Gateau’s brain remains in a jar.