Pop Culture Happy Hour – "Death By Lightning" (November 13, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour dives into the new Netflix miniseries Death By Lightning, a historical dramedy focusing on the brief but dramatic presidency—and subsequent assassination—of James Garfield. Hosts Glenn Weldon, Chloe Veltman, and guest Kristen Meinzer dissect the show's approach to historical narrative, the strengths and weaknesses of its casting and characterization, and its balance of humor and gravitas. The panel explores how well the show brings Garfield’s little-known story into the limelight, while also featuring broader discussions about the translation of history into entertainment.

Main Discussion Segments

1. Show Summary and Set-up (03:09–03:55)

• Glenn Weldon introduces the premise: Michael Shannon stars as President James Garfield, with Matthew Macfadyen portraying assassin Charles Guiteau.
• The supporting cast includes Nick Offerman (Chester Arthur), Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford, and Betty Gilpin as Garfield’s wife, Lucretia.
• The series is described as a slick modern biopic with comedic and dramatic flourishes.

2. First Impressions: Entertaining Biopic or Missed Opportunity? (03:55–05:08)

• Kristen Meinzer (03:55):
  "...It gave the excitement of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the sincerity of John Adams, the sense of humor of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter..."

  • Kristen loves modern presidential retellings and enjoyed the show’s mix of humor and history.
  • She acknowledges potential criticisms of Garfield’s almost saintly depiction, drawing a parallel to "Ted Lasso".

• Kristen notes the show inspired her to learn more about Garfield’s real life, hinting at historical inaccuracies or omissions in the show (e.g., rumors of Garfield’s romantic affairs simply omitted).

3. Critique: Character Complexity and Historical Relationships (05:08–07:14)

• Chloe Veltman (05:12):
  • Appreciates how the series spotlights an overlooked president, making her notice a local Garfield statue for the first time.
  • Praises the staging—particularly large, vibrant set pieces at political conventions and social gatherings.
  • Criticizes the focus on Guiteau, whom she finds fundamentally "not that interesting."
  • Wishes for more exploration of Garfield’s real political rivalries rather than the somewhat fictionalized and overemphasized relationship with Guiteau.

4. Political Machinations and Cast Performance (07:14–09:07)

• Glenn Weldon (07:14):
  "My favorite thing is the political machinations, which I thought were presented pretty nimbly. You got Bradley Whitford on the sidelines making all these political calculations. So there is a definite West Wing with sideburns vibe that it's giving off."

  • Loves the show's depiction of political deal-making, likening it to "The West Wing," but with period facial hair.
  • Notes the ensemble cast’s strength, particularly praising supporting performances and the humor brought by Nick Offerman.

• Both Glenn and Chloe comment on the excessive (and humorous) focus on facial hair and 'hair acting'.

5. Garfied's Characterization: Flawed or Flawless? (09:07–10:30)

• Glenn raises concerns about Garfield's portrayal (09:37):
  "I thought he was painted as so good that he didn't seem interesting."

• Kristen Meinzer (09:51):
  "For a lot of the series, for like the first half, his biggest flaw is that he finished building a table or something like that. That's like the biggest flaw he has. But it does become more nuanced as we go along..."

  • Kristen notes the second half gives Garfield more dimension, including acknowledging the limits of his anti-racism, especially regarding Chinese Americans.
  • All agree: digging further into Garfield's real-life imperfections would have made the character richer.

6. Real vs. Fictionalized Drama & The Assassin's Character (10:30–13:56)

• Chloe Veltman laments that the real tension was between Garfield and his political opponents—particularly Senator Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham)—rather than with Guiteau.

• She reflects on Michael Shannon’s point (12:01): Had Garfield lived, history might be very different.

• Glenn Weldon drills into the show’s depiction of Guiteau:
  "Every time we see him, he's a fool, he's a grifter...the script does give him these moments where he gets to express, you know, strong moral convictions, but we're meant to see those moments as opportunistic and calculating, and he's never really given a chance to be anything but that." (12:55)

• Chloe compares Macfadyen’s Guiteau to his turn in Succession, calling his performance “masterful” for imbuing a fundamentally unlikable character with compelling nuance (13:56).

7. Medical Angle and Narrative Focus (14:48–16:25)

• Glenn notes surprise that the show largely skips the drawn-out and grisly details of Garfield’s medical decline after the shooting—an episode many people know from trivia.
• Chloe found the lengthy medical sections of the source book less compelling, but agrees a medical-focused adaptation could have been interesting.

8. What the Show Gets Right—and What Resonates Today (16:25–17:49)

• Kristen appreciates the show expanding viewers’ knowledge of Garfield beyond his assassination, prompting her to research his life.
• Chloe remarks on the historical physical closeness between politicians and the public, sharply contrasting it with today’s security barriers.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Kristen Meinzer on historical retellings (03:55):
  "It gave the excitement of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the sincerity of John Adams, the sense of humor of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter..."

• Glenn Weldon on the cast and vibe (07:14):
  "There is a definite West Wing with sideburns vibe that it's giving off. And I'm here for that. And this cast, you can't ding this cast. You can bounce a quarter off this cast."

• Chloe Veltman on discovering Garfield (05:12):
  "I noticed there's a massive bronze statue of Garfield. You know, amazing. It's like I'm seeing this person for the first time."

• Glenn Weldon on Garfield’s hagiography (09:37):
  "I thought he was painted as so good that he didn't seem interesting."

• Kristen Meinzer highlighting the show's limitations (09:51): "For a lot of the series, for like the first half, his biggest flaw is that he finished building a table..."

• Chloe Veltman on Guiteau and Macfadyen's performance (13:56):
  "He's so unhinged as Guiteau...this wonderful mixture of madness and also childlike optimism in that performance."

• Glenn Weldon on the show's humor (07:56):
  "The facial hair alone. The hair and makeup budget, my God."

Key Timestamps

• 03:09 – Glenn summarizes the cast and premise
• 03:55 – Kristen gives her enthusiastic initial review
• 05:12 – Chloe discusses strengths and weaknesses
• 07:14 – Glenn and Chloe highlight political drama and casting
• 09:37 – Discussion of Garfield’s “great man” syndrome
• 12:01 – Chloe references alternate history had Garfield survived
• 13:56 – In-depth on Macfadyen's portrayal of Guiteau
• 14:48 – Medical treatment section mostly skipped by the show
• 17:09 – Chloe on historical physical proximity in politics

Tone, Style, and Conclusion

• The conversation is breezy, humorous, and informed, typical of Pop Culture Happy Hour.
• Panelists embrace both the show’s entertainment value and its narrative flaws, offering both affection and thoughtful criticism.
• Listeners are left with a nuanced understanding of why the show both succeeds and falls short.

"Are you on Team Chloe? Are you on Team Kristen? Or are you somewhere in the wishy-washy middle like Team Glenn?" (17:49, Glenn Weldon) — Listeners are encouraged to chime in and continue the conversation.

Quick Takeaways

• Death by Lightning is entertaining and brings attention to a neglected moment in American history, though its focus sometimes undermines richer dramatic opportunities.
• The cast, especially Macfadyen and Shannon, is widely praised even as the writing sometimes lets them down.
• The show's lighter moments and political intrigue provide fun, but its tendency toward simplistic hero/villain dichotomies is a repeated critique.
• The panel agrees the series may inspire many to learn more about the real Garfield.

For more recommendations and energetic discussion, check out future episodes of Pop Culture Happy Hour!