Death by Lightning ★★★★

It’s no accident this 19th century historical drama, which maps the intersecting paths of America’s 20th president, James Garfield (Michael Shannon), and his assassin, Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), is full of contemporary references. There is an 1880 misinformation campaign, rank corruption and a vice-presidential candidate who drunkenly demands, “Music! Fighting! Sausages!” on a night out. The current shortcomings of power in the United States are nothing new, this limited series suggests, but nor are they unstoppable.

What makes the timeliness resonate is the sly humour and sharp depictions. At just four episodes, as if Netflix were scared audiences would drift off, Death by Lightning smashes together the great-man-in-history portrait with a dreadfully

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