Death by Lightning is a Netflix historical drama miniseries that dramatizes the life and presidency of James A. Garfield, focusing on the events leading up to his assassination by Charles J. Guiteau and his subsequent death. The show blends political intrigue, personal ambition, and the turbulent politics of the Gilded Age, exploring Garfield’s efforts at civil service reform and civil rights, as well as the factional conflicts within the Republican Party that shaped his brief presidency. Key aspects you’ll typically see in the series:

• The setup at the 1880 Republican National Convention, where Garfield emerges as a surprising nominee amid intense jockeying among party leaders.
• Garfield’s inauguration and attempt to push reform, including civil service reform, against entrenched political machines.
• The volatile relationship with the New York political faction led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, which sows gridlock and corruption within the government.
• The assassination attempt by Charles Guiteau and Garfield’s long, painful medical ordeal that leads to his death in 1881.
• The broader historical context of late 19th-century American politics, including civil rights issues and the ongoing struggle to modernize government institutions.

If you’re looking for a quick takeaway: it’s a dramatized retelling of a pivotal but tumultuous period in U.S. history, centered on how personal ambition, political power, and reform efforts intersected in the early years of Garfield’s presidency and the events surrounding his death.