Podcast Summary: "Death by Lightning: What Netflix Got Right (and Wrong) About a Presidential Assassination"

Podcast: American History Hotline (iHeartPodcasts)
Host: Bob Crawford
Guest: Alexis Koh, Presidential Historian
Release Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of American History Hotline explores the Netflix limited series "Death by Lightning," which dramatizes the assassination of President James A. Garfield. Host Bob Crawford is joined by acclaimed presidential historian Alexis Koh to fact-check the series, highlight what the show got right and wrong, delve into the real history behind the story, and reflect on the series' impact on public interest in lesser-known presidents. The conversation also touches on broader themes of American politics, masculinity, and how current events echo the past.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur

• Garfield & Arthur’s Place in History:
  • Garfield and his successor, Chester Arthur, are not well-known but occupy a pivotal moment in post-Reconstruction U.S. politics, where political machines dominated (06:41).
• Garfield’s Surprising Nomination:
  • He attended the 1880 Republican convention only to stump for John Sherman—not to pursue the presidency himself (06:56, 09:40).
  • His speech captured the public’s desire for a leader who serves the people, not party bosses (07:30).
• Conventions & Political Machines:
  • Party conventions were highly controlled, and overt self-promotion by candidates was frowned upon (06:55).

2. Depiction vs. Reality: Series Analysis

Opening Moments and Atmosphere

• Opening Brain Scene:
  • The jar-with-the-brain scene is based in truth–the discovery of Garfield’s brain—but is dramatized for effect (12:17).
• Historical Conventions:
  • The visual depiction of the Chicago “wigwam” convention hall was accurate in terms of scale and excitement, though certain figures were overemphasized or misplaced for dramatic effect (15:29, 16:15).
• Character Focus:
  • Political figures like Roscoe Conkling are made into classic TV antagonists, a choice that Koh finds justified given his real-life reputation (19:19).

Casting, Dialogue, and Modernization

• Nick Offerman as Chester Arthur:
  • Offerman’s portrayal is praised for depth and charisma (18:10).
• Modern Language & Music:
  • Some modern stylings (music, inflection) are used to connect with contemporary audiences. Koh admits this isn’t her favorite approach, but doesn't see it as a major issue due to the overall impact (22:04, 23:10).
• Costume Accuracy:
  • The costuming, especially the era’s facial hair and fashion, is striking and historically accurate (24:04).

Factual Accuracy and Creative License

• Composite Characters:
  • The series merges several real-life figures into Garfield’s wife Lucretia for narrative convenience, notably excluding Julia Sand, who played an influential real-life role encouraging Arthur’s transformation (26:19).
• Dramatized Interactions:
  • Many encounters shown between Garfield, Arthur, and Guiteau are fabricated. In reality, Garfield and Arthur rarely interacted; Guiteau was never a significant presence around either until the assassination (36:01, 37:59).

Quotes:

• Alexis Koh:
  "There are a lot of interactions... that never happened. In general, we know... the vice presidency is just not around" (36:01).
• On Guiteau:
  "He was just always around and trying to get an audience... but in no way was he a welcomed entity" (38:11).

3. Themes and Social Commentary

• Male Loneliness & Delusion:
  • Guiteau is interpreted as a proto-modern example of the 'male loneliness epidemic,' driven by delusion and desperate for relevance (07:55, 45:21).
• Political Corruption & Resilience:
  • The series is timely, echoing enduring questions about corruption, pliability of leaders, and the hope for reformers (41:19, 42:02).
  • Comparison to current political figures and the enduring “pay to play” culture (20:33, 40:49).

Quote:

• Bob Crawford:
  "You do see these characters that are reincarnated again and again and again... and I think personally, that's what I found so powerful about this" (41:20).

4. Tragedy of Garfield’s Death: Medical History

• The Lethal Aftermath:
  • Garfield was shot but did not need to die; his death was caused by poor medical practices, specifically infection from unsterilized probing of his wound (52:52, 55:20).
  • The world was aware of Joseph Lister’s advice on sterilization, but U.S. doctors resisted, highlighting a tragic irony (52:05).
• Comparative Presidential Mishaps:
  • Other presidents lived with bullets; Garfield might have, had he received modern care (54:23).

Quotes:

• Alexis Koh:
  "The thing was, that was so terrible to watch... doctors have been aware of infections... but there's still a lot of people who are resisting" (52:52).
  "He was just a guy who was excited about a candidate... It'd be like, you wore an Obama shirt and then Obama, where's my job?" (50:04).

5. Chester Arthur’s Transformation

• Expectation vs. Reality:
  • Arthur was seen as a party hack, but upon becoming president, surprised everyone by pursuing reform, influenced in part by Julia Sand’s anonymous encouragement (39:13, 28:41).
• Series’ Handling of Arthur:
  • The arc of Arthur’s transformation is handled well in the show, though the real-life catalyst (Sand) is not portrayed (27:20, 56:35).

Quote:

• Alexis Koh:
  "It also... threads Arthur's slow transformation. And that's something that I think is so astonishing at any point in American history, but in particular now it's like a fever dream" (57:48).

6. Broader Impact and Reflection

• TV’s Role in Historical Engagement:
  • Koh expresses excitement that lesser-known historical figures are reaching new audiences thanks to creative adaptations (56:35).
• Desire for More Diverse Storytelling:
  • She hopes this trend leads to more biopics and series about underappreciated figures, and less recycling of the same few famous presidents (58:33).

Quote:

• Alexis Koh:
  "Why are we doing the same six people? I think what this gets right... is it doesn't romanticize the era... it shows the grotesque and noble in equal measure" (56:35).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Point | |------------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 09:40 | Bob Crawford | "This is 1880...the nation is trying to bind itself back together after this unprecedented rupture." | | 12:17 | Alexis Koh | “There’s a scene before the convention...there’s a brain in there. So even if you don’t know anything... you’re just like, what is happening with this brain situation?” | | 20:33 | Alexis Koh | "You need to pay to play." | | 37:32 | Alexis Koh | “There are a lot of interactions...that never happened...the vice presidency is just not around.” | | 41:19 | Bob Crawford | “Everybody has a price. And that is very...the context for this series of the time. This is why it’s been so powerful…” | | 52:52 | Alexis Koh | “Garfield, who maybe could have made it if he'd been left alone or someone had just washed his hands..." | | 56:35 | Alexis Koh | “I hope so...I think what this gets right...is it doesn't romanticize the era....it shows the grotesque and noble in equal measure in the way that life does.” | | 58:33 | Alexis Koh | "Why are we doing the same six people? ...I think this is really progress." |

Important Segment Timestamps

• 04:49: Show proper begins, with audience question introduction
• 06:41: Alexis Koh overviews the real history behind Garfield’s nomination
• 12:17: Discussion of the opening brain scene and show’s narrative techniques
• 15:29: Analysis of the convention "wigwam" depiction
• 19:19: Portrayal of Roscoe Conkling as the villain
• 27:20: Issue of composite characters and erasing Julia Sand
• 36:01: Critique of dramatized meetings among Garfield, Arthur, and Guiteau
• 39:13: Arthur’s real-life transformation and its representation
• 41:19: Timelessness of corruption and pliable politics
• 52:05: The Lister/sterility subplot; Garfield’s avoidable death
• 56:35: Reflections on the series’ possible legacy for historical media
• 58:33: Closing hopes for historical storytelling diversity

Final Thoughts

Both Bob Crawford and Alexis Koh agree that “Death by Lightning” balances historical accuracy and engrossing drama, sparking public interest in overlooked corners of American history. While the series takes dramatic license—sometimes merging characters or inventing scenes—its core depiction of the personalities and stakes of Garfield’s presidency and assassination are solid. The show succeeds in connecting the political machines and personalities of the 1880s to modern American realities, showing that while the trappings of politics evolve, human nature and ambition do not.

Alexis Koh: “This is in no way...taking the place of real history. But if it can get you excited and people are watching it, this is good news for everyone.” (59:44)

For more history Q&A and listener questions, email: americanhistoryhotlinemail.com
Follow Bob Crawford: @bobcrawfordbass
Read Alexis Koh: Substack, New York Times, upcoming book: Young: A Biography of John F. Kennedy, 1917-1957