David Bianculli

You can feel Guiteau's emotions, his highs and his lows, instantly and deeply, often in the same scene.

As in this one, when we meet Guiteau for the first time, facing a panel and defending his behavior in 1880 after being incarcerated in the New York jail called the Tombs.

James Garfield, on the other hand, has no such ambitions.

He's a congressman representing Ohio, but spends most of his time back home.

He's asked to do a favor for a fellow Ohio politician to nominate him at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Chicago.

Garfield's nominating speech, though, is so inspirational, the deadlocked convention eventually adds his name to the potential nominees.

On the 36th ballot, Garfield emerges as the Republican frontrunner, a fact that amuses Senator James Blaine, played by Bradley Whitford.

Bradley Whitford, from the original West Wing TV series, is featured at the moment in another Netflix political drama as the first gentleman on the new season of The Diplomat.

He has more to do as this four-part miniseries goes on, and so do many of the other supporting players.

Two in particular are worth spotlighting.

Nick Offerman, as Chester Alan Arthur, is cartoonish and bullying when it's called for, and sensitive when that's called for.

And he's perfect in every scene.

And Betty Gilpin, as Garfield's wife Lucretia, he calls her Crete, is perfect too.

You might wonder why Gilpin, after starring in American Primeval and Glow, is playing such a relatively small role, even one that's so dignified and independent.

But her scenes with Shannon as Garfield are lovely, as in this rare moment alone, sitting on their porch after he's returned with his party's presidential nomination.

But on another point in Death by Lightning, Gilpin's character explodes into a whole new gear, altering the course of history along the way.

It's a moment that makes it clear why Gilpin took the role.

The series is created by Mike Makowski, based on the book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard.

Among its executive producers are David Benioff and D.B.

Weiss, who brought The Game of Thrones and Three-Body Problem to television.