Death by Lightning Recap: The Least Qualified Candidate on Earth

by

I’m really captivated by the first few episodes of Death by Lightning, and a central idea is starting to emerge: how accessible the government was at the time. The James Garfield administration really wanted to rebuild public trust by getting rid of the old ‘spoils system’ and genuinely opening up the White House to the people. But it’s also becoming clear how dangerous that openness was. When anyone – even someone unstable – could simply walk up to a politician or even get a meeting with the President, trouble felt inevitable. It’s not that Garfield thought he’d be struck by some dramatic ‘death by lightning,’ but rather that a violent act felt like a much more commonplace, shocking event – like a jolt of static electricity.

As I’ve been watching this series, the way Charles Guiteau was able to get close to President Garfield really struck me. It’s become a powerful symbol of how regular people like us are supposed to connect with our government. And honestly, Guiteau definitely deserves all the frustration he gets from anyone in a position of power – he’s clearly out there. But it also made me think about how often, throughout American history – and even right now! – we all feel like our voices aren’t really being heard by the people we elect. The show does a great job of showing Garfield trying to fix that disconnect, and this episode especially highlights his struggle. It’s just… realistically, meeting with anyone who wants to talk, especially people who aren’t vetted, five days a week isn’t sustainable. Still, when it comes down to it, Garfield clearly believes in being accessible to the public, and that’s where he chooses to make his stand.

The episode, “Casus Belli,” begins with a dynamic scene set in Oneida, New York, ten years prior. We see Charles Guiteau struggling through his fifth year within John Humphrey Noyes’s unusual religious community, which practiced “free love.” Guiteau is poor and awkward, and despite the community’s ideals, he’s repeatedly rejected by the women, who jokingly call him “Charles Gitout.” He also annoys others by overeating and spying on intimate encounters. This rejection fuels a desire for revenge. He boasts to the group, “Farm work and casual relationships might be enough for you all, but I’m destined for something greater. Remember my name – you’ll hear it across the country one day.”

On Inauguration Night, two troubling types of political maneuvering come to a head as Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, struggle through an awkward party. Roscoe Conkling arrives with Kate Sprague, the wife of Rhode Island’s governor who was having an affair (they would divorce the following year), to let James Blaine know that Blaine’s support during Garfield’s campaign came at a price. He bluntly reminds Blaine that he rescued the campaign when Garfield was preoccupied and Blaine was reeling from setbacks. The series portrays Blaine, played compellingly by Bradley Whitford, as a pragmatic politician who understands Conkling’s methods but is surprisingly drawn to Garfield’s hopeful vision. Garfield’s desire to reform the political system is politically risky, and Blaine recognizes that. However, a part of Blaine seems genuinely inspired by the new president’s idealism.

High above the party, Lucretia unexpectedly finds herself grappling with her unwanted position when Guiteau suddenly appears beside her. He initially disarms her with a joke about the uncomfortable formal wear and tries to cheer her up. However, he quickly becomes unsettling, aggressively pitching something and revealing a bloodstain on her dress. It’s revealed that Guiteau is a gatecrasher who forced his way into the East Wing—a striking parallel to the events unfolding. Before security can remove him, Guiteau manages to charm the inebriated Chester Arthur, who welcomes the attention despite being too drunk to recognize Guiteau as a potential problem. This interaction is crucial, as it fuels Guiteau’s later delusion that he’s acting with Arthur’s approval.

In the early days of his presidency, Garfield found it difficult to establish his authority. He made it a priority to meet with everyday citizens, which was a kind intention, but it quickly led to a constant stream of unscreened visitors, including Guiteau, all seeking favors and positions that Garfield had no intention of granting. The chaotic scenes at these meetings were reminiscent of the absurd town halls from the show Parks and Recreation. Meanwhile, Garfield was attempting to build a cabinet to help him reform the system of political appointments, but he clashed with Conkling, who was secretly receiving a list of potential appointees directly from Arthur.

Okay, so Conkling predictably tries to strong-arm Garfield’s nominees, but the really interesting stuff in Death by Lightning centers on Arthur. Once Garfield figures out his own VP is throwing him under the bus, they have this amazing scene in Arthur’s office. You can really see the tension of their forced partnership, and it hints at something real potentially developing. Garfield is understandably furious, calling Arthur the most unqualified guy for the job – which, let’s be honest, mostly involves glad-handing and holiday parties. But then Garfield remembers Arthur used to be a lawyer who fought for the underdog, and he starts to wonder what happened. He thinks, maybe, just maybe, he can reach the good side of Arthur and actually work with him.

As James Garfield tries to confront a troublesome member of his own party, a quote from his diary reveals his stance – he prefers peace, but will defend himself if attacked. However, he doesn’t realize this conflict will soon lead to his assassination. The story shows a striking contrast between Garfield and his eventual killer, Guiteau, during a White House meeting. Guiteau acts as if he’s in the presence of a deity, while Garfield humbly questions Guiteau’s views on achieving importance. Garfield handles the unstable man with politeness, but the meeting ends without Guiteau getting the recognition he seeks, pushing him to pursue a more drastic plan.

This brings me to a significant question: why hasn’t Garfield died yet? With only one episode of Death by Lightning left, there’s still a lot of story to cover, especially considering how long it took for Garfield to succumb and the issues surrounding his treatment. The final episode is longer than usual – 66 minutes compared to the typical 52 – and appears to be rushing towards a conclusion.

Conklings

Here’s an interesting detail about Blanche K. Bruce, the Mississippi senator Frederick Douglass met with President Garfield: Bruce named his one-year-old son, Roscoe Conkling Bruce, after the New York politician who had been his mentor.

Showing a potential assassin admiring Lincoln’s hat feels a bit too obvious and heavy-handed for this series.

Conkling’s comment, ‘Poor bastard. He has no clue he’s already dead,’ suggests a conspiracy beyond Guiteau’s actions, hinting at a more complex plot – almost as if Conkling was an observer while Guiteau carried out the shooting.

Lucretia faces a very close call in this episode. While the show doesn’t have time to show everything, it doesn’t give her storyline enough attention.

Guiteau’s angry letter to the president, written after he wasn’t given a position and Blaine rejected him, is filled with irony. It’s clear he had surprisingly easy access to Garfield, Arthur, and Blaine – he even went to Blaine’s door late at night – yet he complains about being kept out, saying, “You misled us and made things worse.” It seems even those with limited power can be incredibly demanding.

Read More

2025-11-06 21:56