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TL;DR: If you’re looking for a mega-powerful MacBook Pro, you may want to snatch this one up on sale for just $539.99 (reg. $2,799).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch 2019 (Refurbished) $539.99
$2,799 Save $2,259.01   Get Deal

If you’ve had your eye on a fully loaded MacBook Pro, but that gigantic price tag has prevented you from purchasing, we have some good news. Now, instead of paying more than a month’s rent, you can snag this 16-inch MacBook Pro for just $539.99 — over $2,200 off the regular $2,799 price.

When it comes to powerful and portable devices, it’s pretty tough to beat the MacBook Pro. This particular model also features upgrades that take it to a whole new level — making it the perfect device for those with demanding workloads.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best Windows laptops of 2025: See how our top-tested picks compare

You’ll enjoy plenty of power thanks to the 2.6Hz Intel Core i7 processor and 32GB of RAM, which can even keep up with tasks that require some serious heavy lifting. There’s also a 512GB SSD that delivers lightning-fast boot times and plenty of space for your important files.

The 16-inch Retina display gives you plenty of room to work, stream, and play, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU delivers smooth, vibrant visuals across the entire screen. It also features Apple’s True Tone Technology, which keeps it easy on the eyes. And if you’re streaming or working on a creative project, you’ll love the six-speaker sound system that provides studio-quality audio.

This MacBook Pro includes unique Apple features like the Touch Bar, which offers shortcuts at the top of the keyboard, and Touch ID to keep your device secure. It’s also fully integrated with macOS, so you can seamlessly connect with other Apple devices easily.

Curious why you’re saving over $2,200? This device is grade A refurbished, which means it will arrive in near-mint condition, while you still score a deep discount.

Get an upgraded MacBook Pro for just $539.99 (reg. $2,799), while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for scintillating scandal, a mind-bending new series, stranger-than-fiction historical drama, a heavenly comedy, or an epic monster movie, we've got something just for you.

13. Squid Game: The Challenge, Season 2

Squid Game may have come to an end, but Netflix's attempts to capitalize on its biggest TV show of all time are still going strong. The most misguided of these efforts remains Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality show that asks, "Hey, you know those horrible death games that Squid Game created as a cautionary tale? Well, what if we made them a reality?"

Squid Game: The Challenge remains a painstakingly accurate recreation of Squid Game, capturing the scale and prize money of the original show. But the former is everything the latter critiques, a hollow capitalist venture made to exploit people for entertainment. You may get invested due to its reality TV shows gimmicks, but chances are you'll hate yourself for it. Just go watch the original show instead. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

12. All's Fair

You might think that a Ryan Murphy series starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Sarah Paulson, and Glenn Close would be worth the watch. You might think it would deliver powerhouse performances mixed with high camp. You would be wrong.

SEE ALSO: Critics hate 'All's Fair,' but the internet has other thoughts

Murphy's latest outing All's Fair is an uninspired, un-fun dud, centering on a team of female divorce attorneys who start their own practice. But what should be a glossy, juicy drama falls flat, and what should be a scintillating ensemble piece shows few signs of good chemistry. In Mashable's Fall TV preview, I asked, "Will Kardashian be able to hold her own against these Emmy and Oscar nominees and winners?" The answer, unsurprisingly, is no. — B.E.

Starring: Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka, Sarah Paulson, and Glenn Close

How to watch: The first three episodes of All's Fair are now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes every Tuesday.

11. All Her Fault

After watching Sarah Snook's Emmy–winning work as Shiv Roy in Succession, I'd watch her in anything. Lucky me, then, as Snook is back on TV in thriller All Her Fault. Snook plays Marissa Irvine, a mother who goes to pick up her son Milo from his first playdate. However, the woman who answers the door isn't someone Marissa recognizes. Not only that, this woman has never even heard of Milo. What follows is a parent's worst nightmare, all based on the novel by Andrea Mara.* — B.E.

Starring: Sarah Snook, Jake Lacy, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña, Sophia Lillis, Abby Elliott, Daniel Monks, Jay Ellis, Thomas Cocquerel, Duke McCloud, and Kartiah Vergara

How to watch: All Her Fault is now streaming on Peacock.

10. Materialists

It was the love triangle that had audiences giddy in anticipation. Dakota Johnson stars as a New York career gal who must choose between the rugged blue-collar hunk played by Chris Evans and the debonair millionaire portrayed by Pedro Pascal. However, as winsome as the press tour for Materialists was, the movie — from Past Lives' filmmaker Celine Song — was far more complex, even dark.

Taking a bracing look at the dating scene in New York, Song upends the expectations of a traditional rom-com to dig into the unsexy terrain of financial pressures, parental trauma, and sexual assault. As I wrote in my review, "She sets up a traditional rom-com in scenario and characters, but then rejects the buzzy optimism and whimsy of standard Hollywood romantic comedies to create something cuttingly modern." But that's not to say it will win over everyone seeking a rom-com. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans

How to watch: Materialists debuts on HBO Max on Nov. 7.

9. The Smashing Machine

Based on the life of MMA champion Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine delivers a bold drama from Uncut Gems' co-writer/co-director Benny Safdie. Dwayne Johnson stars as Kerr, who, when he's not fighting in the ring, is battling addiction outside of it — with the help (and sometimes hindrance) of his girlfriend Dawn Staples (played here by Johnson's Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt). 

In my review out of TIFF, I wrote, "Johnson gives a career-defining performance that should well prove he can handle meatier, even artier fare. Blunt gives her all in a thankless role, and Safdie, in his feature-length directorial debut without his brother/Uncut Gems co-helmer Josh Safdie, takes some big swings. It's a shame he didn't have a sharper eye on what was hitting, and what was leaving his audience needing more." — K.P.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk

How to watch: The Smashing Machine is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

8. The Outrun

Have you ever felt so alienated from your world that only the folklore of wild things could soothe you? In the opening of The Outrun, a young woman named Rona (played by four-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan) shares the legend of the selkie. Through a dreamy voiceover, she explains how these mythological shapeshifters of the sea could come ashore at night, shed their seal skins, and dance in the guise of humans on the sand and rock. But should they be seen by humans, they'd be trapped to live on the soil, discontent the rest of their days. Rona, an alcoholic struggling with sobriety, can relate, having had her fair share of scandalous revels and scorching disappointments. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Outrun' review: Saoirse Ronan leads a tender and poetic addiction drama

Based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by British journalist Amy Liptrot, The Outrun follows a deeply personal tale of self-love, loss, and addiction, weaving in elements of science, folklore, and animation to profound effect. Determined to get sober, Rona returns to her hometown, the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland, to reconnect with her parents and herself.*— K.P.

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Nabil Elouahabi, Izuka Hoyle, Lauren Lyle, Saskia Reeves, and Stephen Dillane

How to watch: The Outrun is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

7. St. Denis Medical, Season 2

The TV mockumentary genre is alive and well thanks to comedies like Abbott Elementary, The Office spin-off The Paper, and St. Denis Medical. The latter returns to NBC and Peacock this week, and if you haven't tuned in yet, consider this your chance to do so.

St. Denis Medical follows the nurses and doctors at an understaffed, underfunded Oregon hospital, where they juggle chaotic patients and their own personal lives. It's what The Pitt would be if it was a comfort watch, and it absolutely deserves a spot on any sitcom lover's list. — B.E.

Starring: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper, Kahyun Kim, Kaliko Kauahi, and David Alan Grier

How to watch: The first two episodes of St. Denis Medical Season 2 are now streaming on Peacock, with new episodes airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Mondays, and streaming Tuesdays on Peacock.

6. I Really Love My Husband

The feature debut of writer/director G.G. Hawkins is a playful and enticing look at love and desire, with a sharp sense of humor.

The story of this sexy comedy begins on a honeymoon to tropical Panama. There, newlyweds Drew and Teresa (Travis Quentin Young and Madison Lanesey) are seeking pleasure and fun under the sun. But something is eating at Teresa, who seems irked by her husband's every move. That is, until they meet their enchanting rental host, the free-spirited Paz (Arta Gee). More than a sexy stranger, they seem a path to sexual exploration and personal liberation. While this concept of a straight-seeming couple dabbling in kink and queer hook-ups might seem predictable and problematic, Hawkins and her cast show a keen self-awareness in the film's final act. The result is a comedy that's funny, poignant, and thought-provoking.* — K.P.

Starring: Travis Quentin Young, Madison Lanesey, and Arta Gee

How to watch: I Really Love My Husband is now available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

5. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

We've finally come to the end of Downton Abbey, with the Crawleys moving into the late 1930s, ready for their final bow. Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale gets a final two-hour film from Simon Curtis that takes the series' beloved characters further into the decade, and pays tribute to Dame Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, who died at the end in Downton Abbey: A New Era, released two years before Smith's own passing.

As Siddhant Adlakha writes in his review for Mashable, "Downton’s biggest strength has always been its operatic whiplash... The contours of The Grand Finale aren’t quite so extreme, but this lack of overt melodrama may be owed to a single missing ingredient: the fearsome, irascibly funny Dowager Countess." — S.C.

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth McGovern, and Penelope Wilton

How to watch: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale premieres on Peacock on Nov. 7.

4. Good Fortune

Imagine if Keanu Reeves was your guardian angel? Ok. Do you need any further convincing to check out Aziz Ansari's critically-heralded comedy?

If so, Good Fortune stars Ansari as an L.A. resident scraping to get by in the gig economy, while tech bros — like the one played by Seth Rogen — get to live a sweet life of luxury. That is, until a well-meaning but dim-witted angel (Reeves) life-swaps them to teach them both a lesson. Naturally, things go awry. And as they do, Reeves delivers one of his best performances as an angel out of his depth. He's not to be missed. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: 'Good Fortune' review: Keanu Reeves is a comedy blessing as a clueless angel

Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and Keanu Reeves

How to watch: Good Fortune arrives on premium digital on Nov. 7.

3. Death by Lightning

In the mood for a solid historical drama? Then check out Death by Lightning, a miniseries that examines the events leading up to the assassination of President James Garfield (Michael Shannon) by Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen).

SEE ALSO: 'Death by Lightning' review: Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon weave a gripping tale of political assassination

The series parallels the two men's lives in fascinating ways, juxtaposing Garfield's surprise rise to power with Guiteau's desperate attempts to get in with the Republican party. Boasting shady politicking reminiscent of the papal hijinks of Conclave, along with Macfadyen once more channeling the pathetic striving of Succession's Tom Wambsgans, Death By Lightning is, as I wrote in my review, "a riveting look into a short and often forgotten presidency." — B.E.

Starring: Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman, Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, and Shea Whigham

How to watch: Death by Lightning is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Pluribus

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan comes back to TV with Pluribus, a sci-fi drama that reunites him with Better Call Saul star Rhea Seehorn. But that team-up is just one small portion of what makes Pluribus so exciting.

The series follows Carol (Seehorn), the most miserable person in the world. She faces a daunting task: saving the rest of Earth's population from happiness. Why are they so happy? Why does Carol need to save them? Pluribus' plot details are shrouded in secrecy, but trust that the reason is downright enthralling, and that Carol's journey moving forward is bound to be must-see TV. — B.E.

Starring: Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra, and Carlos Manuel Vesga

How to watch: The first two episodes of Pluribus premiere Nov. 7 on Apple TV, with new episodes every Friday.

1. Frankenstein

Master of monsters Guillermo del Toro finally reveals to the world his Frankenstein. The movie he's dreamed of making for ages is a gorgeous and gory wonder, starring Oscar Isaac as the titular mad scientist and Jacob Elordi as his misunderstood monster.

With a grand scale, a dark imagination, and a rich vision, del Toro delivers a must-see for horror fans. As I cheered in my review out of the TIFF premiere, "As a whole, del Toro's Frankenstein is a marvel. His vision is clear and mesmerizing. His ensemble is electrifying. His adaptation is unique, soulful, and unforgettable. The man who loves monsters has just made his masterpiece: It's rich, rapturous, and ruthlessly interrogates what it means to be human, with all of our glory and our flaws." — K.P.

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz

How to watch: Frankenstein debuts on Netflix on Nov. 7.

(*) denotes a blurb comes from a previous list.

SAVE $300: As of Nov. 6, the Google Pixel 9 is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price and its lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9 $499 at Amazon
$799 Save $300   Get Deal

Black Friday is just a few weeks away but there's already some early deals kicking around. Walmart's sale will kick off midway through the month and Best Buy dropped its sale on Halloween, so if you want some early discounts, there's places for you to go. Meanwhile at Amazon, the Daily Deals continue to impress, and one deal that has really caught our eye is on the Google Pixel 9.

As of Nov. 6, this smartphone is down to its lowest-ever price, now just $499. That's a saving of $300, and quite a drop from its previous low. This deal is for the 128GB option and you can choose between the obsidian, wintergreen, and porcelain colors.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps introduces conversational navigation with Gemini

It obviously comes with built-in Gemini, giving you access to Google’s newest AI tools. Google AI features include Add Me, Best Take, and Magic Editor which all let you tweak photos, fix group shots, or rework backgrounds effortlessly. So, with this phone you can take great photos and edit them easily.

And speaking of taking photos, the camera setup includes a 50 MP main sensor and a 48 MP ultrawide lens with a Macro Focus for detailed close-ups, so this is one seriously impressive phone camera.

Get this great smartphone deal at Amazon ahead of Black Friday.

SAVE OVER $600: As of Nov. 6, the Sony Bravia 5 75-inch is on sale for $1,398 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony Bravia 5 75-inch TV $1,398 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $601.99   Get Deal

In need of a new TV for the holidays? Look no further than the Sony Bravia 5. This impressive TV has everything going for it: great picture quality, stunning sound, and built-in Google TV. It's also on sale at Amazon for its lowest-ever price, so you don't need to wait for Black Friday to scoop up a great deal.

As of Nov. 6, this TV is priced at $1,398 (down from $1,999.99). That's a saving of over $600 on list price. 75-inch a little too big for your living room? Not to worry, all sizes of this TV are reduced, even up to 98-inch if you want to go seriously big.

SEE ALSO: Hurry to snag the 85-inch Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV while it's under $770

So, what else does it have going for it? This TV uses thousands of Mini LEDs to create amazing qualityat all times. It benefits from a XR Processor with AI, which adjusts the picture in real time, so everything you watch looks clear and detailed.

On the inside it runs on Google TV, so all your streaming apps are in one place. And you can use voice control through Google Assistant. There’s also access to movies through the Sony Pictures Core app, including IMAX Enhanced titles, and special picture modes made for Netflix and Prime Video.

Are you a gamer? This TV is set up for that too, especially if you have a PS5. It’s equipped with PS5 features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode.

Get this great TV deal from Amazon now.

DOUBLE POKÉCOINS: As of Nov. 6, Pokémon GO is doubling PokéCoin bundles over $19.99, and first time web store customers get an extra 15% discount plus bonus coins.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Double Pokémon GO Pokécoins $19.99 at Pokémon GO
$39.98 Save $19.99 $19.99 minimum spend (15% discount on first web order purchase plus bonus PokéCoins) Get Deal

It's been a strange year for Pokémon GO since Scopely aquired Niantic's gaming division for $3.5 billion back in May, with many trainers feeling unsure about the future of the GPS-based hit. Nothing much has changed bar the introduction of Pokémon Stamp Rally and quality of life improvements such as faster Pokémon intros and local content becoming remotely accessible. Of course, that's just my take.

Black Friday is officially creeping into the Pokémon GO Web Store until Nov. 29. Trainers can double their PokéCoin purchases over $19.99, which also includes bonus coins for purchasing and a 15% discount at checkout for first-time buyers through the web store.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

That's not the only Black Friday deal Niantic is offering, either. Trainers can also purchase the new Seasonal Delights Ultra Box for 6,095 PokéCoins. This includes the following:

• 40 Incubators ($38.87 value)

• 40 Super Inclubators ($59.80 value)

• 3 Remote Raid Passes ($3.99 value)

• 5 Premium Battle Passes ($4.99 value)

• 1 Max Particle Pack ($7.99 value)

Needless to say it's great value, with the figures above representing the price when bought seperately. There's usually other bundles to score these items for far less, but this is a solid deal considering you can double your PokéCoins right now.

Super Inclubators are one of the biggest gains here, cutting Pokémon Egg hatching down by a third of the walking time it usually takes for a standard incubator. Max Particles are very important too. They're needed for entering Max Battles whilst also used as currency to unlock and level up Max Moves for a trainer's Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon. You'll also need Pokémon-specific candies to unlock max moves.

In 1881, a man named Charles Guiteau shot President James A. Garfield twice at point-blank range. The attack, which took place four months into Garfield's presidency, resulted in him becoming the second American president to be assassinated.

Yet the events leading up to the shooting, as well as its aftermath, proved just as shocking as the assassination itself. These make up the bulk of Netflix's four-episode miniseries Death by Lightning, which charts the parallel stories of Garfield (Michael Shannon) and Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen) before their final meeting. Based on the nonfiction book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, Death by Lightning offers up a riveting look into a short and often forgotten presidency.

SEE ALSO: 'Death by Lightning's true story: What does the show get right? Death by Lightning provides political drama in spades. Michael Shannon in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Aside from some flashbacks, Death by Lightning mostly hones in on the 15-month long period between Garfield becoming the Republican presidential nominee and his death. During that time, Garfield goes from avoiding the spotlight to being thrust into power and facing off against powerful New York politicians like Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham) and Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman), who was also his vice president.

The inter-party sniping is especially juicy, conjuring up the backhanded scheming of Conclave. The comparison is most apparent during the show's depiction of the 1880 Republic National Convention, which sees multiple flawed candidates jockeying for power, several chaotic rounds of voting, a number of shady comments lobbed across the convention floor, and a surprise winner in Garfield, who didn't even enter the convention as a contender. Swap Conclave's cardinal robes for suit jackets and campaign buttons, add a bit more raucous shouting, and you've got a good idea of what awaits in Death by Lightning.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix TV shows of 2025 (so far)

The drama doesn't end with Garfield's nomination or even his election. Once in office, Garfield hopes to push new civil service reforms and advocate for civil rights. However, Conkling and the New York crew's beef with him leads to corruption-fueled government deadlock. While Death by Lightning features events that played out nearly 150 years ago, watching them during the U.S. government shutdown gives them an all-too-real relevancy. It's also a grim reminder that as wild as these dramatized political shenanigans are, our political reality has only gotten more unbelievable since Garfield's time.

If Death by Lightning were just about the struggles Garfield faced in office, it would be a fascinating enough political drama. But there's a dark underbelly to Garfield's story, and that's that of his killer.

Matthew Macfadyen brings Tom Wambsgans energy to Charles Guiteau. Matthew Macfadyen in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Death by Lightning's grander-scale set pieces focus on Garfield, with crowded conventions and speeches highlighting the far reach of the presidency. And there is always one man just skirting the edges of these events: Charles Guiteau, a failed lawyer and newspaper editor with political aspirations of his own.

As played by Macfadyen, Guiteau carries shades of the actor's Emmy-winning role of Tom Wambsgans on Succession. Few performers do "pathetic" as well as Macfadyen, and there's a pathetic-ness to both Tom and Guiteau, a need for validation that manifests as desperate striving for a higher stature. (Plus, Death by Lightning does have Macfadyen say the word "ludicrous," which I will never not associate with Tom and ludicrously capacious handbags.)

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Because of their wheedling attempts to get closer to power, Tom and Guiteau both act as a wretched kind of comic relief, one that makes you want to cringe just as much as it makes you want to laugh. However, there's one key difference. Tom, for all the humiliations he faces in his personal and professional lives, does find success. He's rich, holds high-ranking positions at Waystar-Royco, and (spoiler alert!) even winds up as CEO. Guiteau, on the other hand, is an abject failure across the board, and a low-level con man to boot. Yet he's so deluded by visions of his own greatness and what he believes God has in store for him that he never truly acknowledges the truth.

That quality is especially present during Garfield's campaign, of which Guiteau was a huge supporter. In one of Death by Lightning's funniest storylines, he begs relentlessly to be granted the opportunity to deliver a speech in support of Garfield. When he finally does get to speak, it's in front of a crowd of a dozen, and Guiteau's words are less than convincing. But that doesn't stop Guiteau from believing that he, personally, got Garfield elected.

Contrast Guiteau's awkward speech with Garfield's rousing one at the Republican National Convention, delivered with charismatic gravitas by Shannon. Those two speeches prove the men couldn't be more different. Still, Guiteau views them as kindred spirits, as the two were both born into poverty in the Midwest. (There were even more historical parallels between the two, including the stranger fact that both survived boat accidents, but the show doesn't dive into that as much as it could.) That Garfield rose to the presidency proves that Guiteau could do so, too. Now, he feels he's owed power, and that makes him dangerous.

Guiteau's spiral from Garfield supporter to eventual assassin makes for a darkly funny counterpoint to Garfield and his nation-level political battles. The latter is looking to lead the country, while the former is only looking to help himself.

Death by Lightning's meticulous plotting of the two men's differences and individual struggles means that by the time we get to their infamous (and deadly) meeting, we have a rich portrait of each. The result is an encounter that is, as the title suggests, both sobering and electrifying.

Death by Lightning is now streaming on Netflix.

Netflix's Death by Lightning is a thrilling look into the events leading up to the assassination of President James Garfield (Michael Shannon) by Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen). The series is based on Candice Millard's 2011 nonfiction book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President.

SEE ALSO: How much does Netflix cost per month?

But how much of what takes place in the series actually happened?

Below, we've broken down Death by Lightning's most shocking moments and whether or not they're based in historical fact. From brains in jars to chilling executions, here's what Death by Lightning gets right about Garfield and Guiteau's stories (and what's been dramatized).

Is Charles Guiteau's brain really in storage? Matthew Macfadyen in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Death by Lightning begins with the wild revelation that in 1969, almost a century after Garfield's death, Guiteau's brain was in storage at the Army Medical Museum in Washington, D.C. In the show's final episode, we learn why. During Guiteau's autopsy, doctors studied his brain in the hopes of finding physiological proof of his mental illness. However, aside from the abnormally thick dura mater membrane around his brain, the doctors found nothing unusual.

Since then, chunks of Guiteau's brain have found new homes, winding up in the collection of the Mütter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Doctors also preserved Guiteau's enlarged spleen.

SEE ALSO: Michael Shannon and Judy Greer on the profound poignancy of 'Eric LaRue'

Ironically, while Guiteau's brain did make it to a museum, the ivory-handled revolver he assassinated Garfield with — chosen specifically for its "museum quality," as the show's Guiteau says — isn't on display anywhere. Once in the Smithsonian collection, it has since been lost.

Was Charles Guiteau part of the Oneida Community? Matthew Macfadyen in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

He was. Guiteau joined the Oneida Community, a religious sect built on ideas of utopia and free love, in 1860. But he was familiar with Oneida well before that, as his father was close with Oneida founder John Humphrey Noyes. (And yes, this commune is the same Oneida as Oneida Silverware.)

As seen in Death by Lightning, Charles Guiteau didn't actually get any free love. The women of the community even nicknamed him "Charles Gitout." Guiteau left Oneida in 1865, because he believed he was "destined to accomplish some very important mission." At the time, one can only imagine he didn't mean shooting a future president.

Did Charles Guiteau actually meet James Garfield? Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

He did. As with the rest of the show, Death by Lightning's big meeting between Garfield and Guiteau is highly dramatized, but it's linked to true historical event. In real life, as in Death by Lightning, Guiteau consistently stopped by the White House in the hopes of gaining some office in Garfield's administration. He originally wrote to Garfield about becoming a minister to Austria, but later changed his mind in favor of the Paris consulship.

It was during one of these visits that Guiteau met Garfield and pleaded his case for the consulship. Millard describes Guiteau giving Garfield a copy of the stump speech he had delivered during Garfield's campaign. On it, he wrote "Paris consulship" and connected those words to his own name, just to make sure Garfield got the message.

SEE ALSO: Does Netflix's 'Ballad of a Small Player' have an end-credits scene?

Guiteau also encountered Vice President Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman) often during his time in New York. While Millard makes no mention of Arthur shoving Guiteau to the ground in Chicago, or of Guiteau meeting Arthur on a drunken night out, she does write that Guiteau would find Arthur at campaign headquarters, out on the street, or even at his house. Arthur never let him inside, but he did let him give one stump speech to a very, very small crowd in New York.

Did Alexander Graham Bell try to help James Garfield after he was shot? Michael Shannon in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Yes! Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell's appearance in Death by Lightning's final episode isn't a random historical cameo. It's fully rooted in fact.

According to the National Park Service, when Bell read news of Doctor Willard Bliss' (yes, his first name was actually Doctor) attempts to find the bullet within Garfield's body — attempts that would lead to the infection that eventually killed Garfield — he realized he might be able to help. He could repurpose earlier induction balance work on his telephone into a metal detector.

Bell tested his device on wooden boards and animal carcasses with bullets in them, then on Civil War veterans who still had bullets in their body. When he brought the invention to the White House, Bliss was adamant that Bell only search the right side of Garfield's chest, where he believed the bullet to be lodged. However, the bullet was actually on the left side of Garfield's chest. Perhaps Bell would have been able to find it had he not been dealing with Bliss' incompetence.

How did James Garfield die? Michael Shannon in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Like Death by Lightning says in its final episode, Garfield ultimately died of infection and not from his bullet wound. 79 days passed between the shooting and his death, during which doctors probed his back with unwashed hands and unsterilized instruments.

Chiefest of the physicians involved was Bliss. Bliss was aware of British surgeon Joseph Lister's practice of antisepsis, but he paid no mind to it. In the series, Charles Purvis, surgeon in chief of the Freedmen's Hospital and the first Black physician to treat a living president, reminds Bliss of Lister's theories, only to be waved off. Something similar occurred in real life, when Purvis asked Bliss to stop his invasive examinations.

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Ironically, Bliss had once been supportive of Black physicians. The District of Columbia Medical Society expelled him from their ranks after he took a stand against their policy to ban Black doctors, as well as became interested in homeopathy. Garfield lauded him for his efforts. However, six years later, Bliss caved to the Society and apologized in order to return to its ranks.

Did Lucretia Garfield stop the publication of Charles Guiteau's book? Betty Gilpin in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

One of the standout scenes from Death by Lightning's finale comes when Lucretia "Crete" Garfield (Betty Gilpin) visits Guiteau in jail. In a searing monologue (everybody say, "Thank you, Betty Gilpin!") she tells Guiteau that he will be a footnote in history, and nowhere near the great leader he thinks he will be. She also promises to block the publication of his book, The Truth.

As great as the scene is, there's no evidence this happened in real life. Guiteau and Crete did cross paths briefly, though, as Destiny of the Republic mentions that Guiteau approached Crete at a public White House reception and gave her his card. The show moves a version of this meeting to Garfield's inaugural ball. However, the hampered publication of The Truth does actually have some truth to it.

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As Millard writes in Destiny of the Republic, Guiteau stole most of his ideas for The Truth from Oneida founder Noyes' 1847 book, The Berean. He tried to get the book published by Boston publishers D. Lothrop & Co. When they refused, Guiteau made 1,000 copies through a printing company, even adding "D. Lothrop & Co." to the binding to feign legitimacy. The book didn't sell, and Guiteau never paid the printer.

Did Charles Guiteau stub his toe on the gallows? Matthew Macfadyen in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Indeed he did. Guiteau tripped on his way up to the gallows, at which point he told Washington-based minister Reverend Hicks, "I stubbed my toe going to the gallows."

Death by Lightning follows that piece of history beat for beat, but that's not all it got right about Guiteau's final moments.

Did Charles Guiteau sing at his execution? Matthew Macfadyen in "Death by Lightning." Credit: Larry Horricks / Netflix

Death by Lightning's execution sequence culminates in Guiteau's last words, a reading of a poem he penned that very morning titled "Simplicity," or "I Am Going to the Lordy."

Millard writes that Guiteau recited his poem in "a falsetto meant to evoke the pleadings of a child." Death by Lightning carries that sense to the screen, where Macfadyen delivers a singsong rendition of some of "Simplicity." (The original version is much longer.) Guiteau wanted an orchestra to accompany his last words, but his request was denied.

However, "I Am Going to the Lordy" does live on in musical history as part of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins. The song "The Ballad of Guiteau" heavily features Guiteau's poem. Looks like he got his orchestra after all.

Death by Lightning is now streaming on Netflix.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A, e, i, o, u.

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VOWEL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A pattern.

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CYCLE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A sudden withdrawal.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 6, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DETOX

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Brutal.

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CRUEL

Final Hurdle hint

Terribly.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

BADLY

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Now that the full moon has passed, the moon will be getting less visible each night until the New Moon. This is called the lunar cycle.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Nov. 6, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This means 98% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

The moon is still big and bright in the sky tonight, so there's so much you'll be able to spot, if the clouds stay away. If you look up, without any visual aids, you can still see the Tycho Crater, Mare Vaporum, and the Mare Serenitatis. If you have a pair of binoculars you'll also see the Clavius Crater, Mare Humorum, and the Mare Frigoris. Finally, with a telescope you'll spot the Apollo 14 and 17 landing spots, as well as the Rima Ariadaeus, a fracture system caused by rising magma.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

NASA notes that as the Moon orbits Earth over about 29.5 days, it goes through a series of phases. These phases occur because of the changing angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Depending on its position, the Moon can appear fully illuminated, partly illuminated, or completely hidden, even though we always see the same side. What changes is how much sunlight reflects off its surface, creating a repeating sequence known as the lunar cycle.

The eight main moon phases are:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.