Netflix’s New ‘American Primeval’ Replacement With a ‘Succession’ Star Sets a Striking Rotten Tomatoes Score

Netflix subscribers love a historical series. From the all-conquering romantic sensation that is Shondaland’s Bridgerton to underrated gems like Philip Froissant and Devrim Lingnau‘s The Empress, there is never a shortage of great period drama on the platform. As of yesterday, fans of historical dramas have just been given their latest obsession in the form of Death by Lightning, a series starring Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen, created by Mike Makowsky, and based on Candice Millard‘s novel, Destiny of the Republic.

After the first reviews have now been calculated, the verdict on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes is in, and the overwhelming majority have given a glowing response to Death by Lightning. At the time of writing, the new series boasts a critics’ score of 88%, just 7% lower than the aforementioned Succession and 1% higher than the same show’s audience rating. “At its core, Death by Lightning is a remarkably human miniseries anchored by an incredible ensemble cast,” Collider’s Aidan Kelley wrote in his review of the series. He awarded the show a strong 8/10 in keeping with the Rotten Tomatoes score, declaring “powerful lead performances” and a “riveting finale” as positive factors. For those yet to see the series, a synopsis reads:

“Presenting the story of James Garfield, who rose from obscurity to become America’s 20th President and Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated him.”

What Else is Popular Right Now on Netflix?

At the time of writing, Death by Lightning has yet to strike its way into the top ten streaming charts in the U.S., although that achievement is surely only a matter of time. Currently, Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things is the unlikely television chart topper on the streaming site, managing to outperform the likes of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody‘s romantic comedy series Nobody Wants This, which was recently greenlit for a third season, the controversial Liam Hemsworth-led Season 4 of The Witcher, Season 3 of The Diplomat, and much more. However, none of these shows are yet to displace the current reigning champion across both film and television on Netflix, as the smash hit animated musical, KPop Demon Hunters, recently made it 139 days in a row inside the top ten, with a recent sequel confirmation giving a boost in viewership.

Death by Lightning is streaming now on Netflix. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest stories.

Release Date

November 6, 2025

Network

Netflix

Writers

Mike Makowsky