Death by Lightning
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:16:08 PM Wikipedia source
Death by Lightning is an American historical drama miniseries created by Mike Makowsky and based on the 2011 book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. It stars Michael Shannon as United States President James A. Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as his assassin Charles J. Guiteau. The four-episode series premiered on November 6, 2025, on Netflix. It received widespread acclaim from critics, with particular praise for the performances, and was named one of the best television programs of the year by the American Film Institute.
Infobox
Created by
Mike Makowsky
Based on
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
Directed by
Matt Ross
Starring
Michael Shannon Matthew Macfadyen Betty Gilpin Shea Whigham Bradley Whitford Nick Offerman
Composer
Ramin Djawadi
Country of origin
United States
Original language
English
No. of seasons
1
No. of episodes
4
Executive producers
Matt Ross Mike Makowsky Bernadette Caulfield David Benioff D. B. Weiss
Running time
47–66 minutes
Production companies
BLB Slater Hall Pictures Pixie Skye
Network
Netflix
Release
November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06)
Tables
· Episodes
1
1
No.
1
Title
"The Man from Ohio"
Directed by
Matt Ross
Written by
Mike Makowsky
Original release date
November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06)
2
2
No.
2
Title
"Party Faithful"
Directed by
Matt Ross
Written by
Mike Makowsky
Original release date
November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06)
3
3
No.
3
Title
"Casus Belli"
Directed by
Matt Ross
Written by
Mike Makowsky
Original release date
November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06)
4
4
No.
4
Title
"Destiny of the Republic"
Directed by
Matt Ross
Written by
Mike Makowsky
Original release date
November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06)
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "The Man from Ohio" | Matt Ross | Mike Makowsky | November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06) |
| 2 | "Party Faithful" | Matt Ross | Mike Makowsky | November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06) |
| 3 | "Casus Belli" | Matt Ross | Mike Makowsky | November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06) |
| 4 | "Destiny of the Republic" | Matt Ross | Mike Makowsky | November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06) |
· Reception › Accolades
2026
2026
Year
2026
Award
American Cinema Editors Awards
Category
Best Edited Limited Series
Nominee(s)
Joseph Krings, Anna Hauger, Michael Ruscio, and Joe Leonard (for "The Man from Ohio")
Result
Nominated
Art Directors Guild Awards
Art Directors Guild Awards
Year
Art Directors Guild Awards
Award
Excellence in Television Movie or Limited Series
Category
Gemma Jackson
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Critics' Choice Awards
Critics' Choice Awards
Year
Critics' Choice Awards
Award
Best Limited Series
Category
Death by Lightning
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Year
Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Award
Michael Shannon
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Year
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Award
Nick Offerman
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Year
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television
Award
Betty Gilpin
Category
Nominated
Gotham TV Awards
Gotham TV Awards
Year
Gotham TV Awards
Award
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Category
Mike Makowsky, David Benioff, Bernadette Caulfield, D. B. Weiss, and Matt Ross
Nominee(s)
Pending
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Year
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Award
Matthew Macfadyen
Category
Pending
Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon
Year
Michael Shannon
Award
Pending
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Year
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series
Award
Nick Offerman
Category
Pending
Peabody Awards
Peabody Awards
Year
Peabody Awards
Award
Entertainment
Category
Death by Lightning
Nominee(s)
Nominated
USC Scripter Awards
USC Scripter Awards
Year
USC Scripter Awards
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay – Television
Category
Mike Makowsky (for "Destiny of the Republic")
Nominee(s)
Won
Visual Effects Society Awards
Visual Effects Society Awards
Year
Visual Effects Society Awards
Award
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Category
Rainer Gombos, Steve Kullback, Marko Ljubez, and David Ramos (for "The Man from Ohio")
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Year
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Best Limited Series
Category
Mike Makowsky
Nominee(s)
Nominated
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 2026 | American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Limited Series | Joseph Krings, Anna Hauger, Michael Ruscio, and Joe Leonard (for "The Man from Ohio") | Nominated | |
| Art Directors Guild Awards | Excellence in Television Movie or Limited Series | Gemma Jackson | Nominated | ||
| Critics' Choice Awards | Best Limited Series | Death by Lightning | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television | Michael Shannon | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television | Nick Offerman | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television | Betty Gilpin | Nominated | |||
| Gotham TV Awards | Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series | Mike Makowsky, David Benioff, Bernadette Caulfield, D. B. Weiss, and Matt Ross | Pending | ||
| Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series | Matthew Macfadyen | Pending | |||
| Michael Shannon | Pending | ||||
| Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series | Nick Offerman | Pending | |||
| Peabody Awards | Entertainment | Death by Lightning | Nominated | ||
| USC Scripter Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay – Television | Mike Makowsky (for "Destiny of the Republic") | Won | ||
| Visual Effects Society Awards | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Rainer Gombos, Steve Kullback, Marko Ljubez, and David Ramos (for "The Man from Ohio") | Nominated | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Limited Series | Mike Makowsky | Nominated |
References
- Attributed to multiple references:
- Death by Lightninghttps://deadline.com/2024/02/michael-shannon-matthew-macfadyen-death-by-lightning-netflix-1235810651/
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/arts/television/death-by-lightning-matthew-macfadyen-michael-shannon.html
- Death by Lightninghttps://uk.news.yahoo.com/michael-shannon-admits-didnt-know-190000777.html
- Screen Ranthttps://screenrant.com/death-by-lightning-netflix-pixar-connection-syndrome-mathew-macfadyen/
- Death by Lightninghttps://variety.com/2024/tv/news/nick-offerman-betty-gilpin-netflix-president-garfield-assassination-series-death-by-lightning-1235925784/
- Death by Lightninghttps://decider.com/2025/11/07/death-by-lightning-nick-offerman-chester-a-arthur-muttonchops/
- Death by Lightninghttps://deadline.com/2024/05/bradley-whitford-shea-whigham-death-by-lightning-netflix-cast-1235938034/
- Death by Lightninghttps://deadline.com/2024/07/death-by-lightning-netflix-laura-marcus-1236014092/
- Death by Lightninghttps://deadline.com/2024/10/death-by-lightning-cast-netflix-vondie-curtis-hall-zeljko-ivanek-barry-shabaka-henley-1236113706/
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.budapestreporter.com/death-by-lightning-budapest-sets-stage-for-netflixs-presidential-drama/
- Death by Lightninghttps://productionlist.com/production/death-by-lightning/
- Death by Lightninghttps://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/10/13/ramin-djawadi-scoring-netflixs-death-by-lightning/
- Death by Lightninghttps://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/10/30/death-by-lightning-soundtrack-album-details/
- Death By Lightninghttps://deadline.com/2025/08/death-by-lightning-michael-shannon-netflix-release-date-1236493700/
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/death_by_lightning/s01
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.metacritic.com/tv/death-by-lightning/season-1
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/death-by-lightning-netflix-review/
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/death-by-lightning-review-netflix-michael-shannon-1236419401/
- Death by Lightninghttps://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/death-by-lightning-review-matthew-macfadyen-shannon-b2858494.html