Death by Lightning – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Death by Lightning

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2025

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A critically acclaimed 2025 Netflix mystery that's earning buzz but keeping its cards close—literally no one knows what it's actually about yet.

7.7/10

90%

86%

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Death by Lightning

show

TV-MA, 2025

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A critically acclaimed 2025 Netflix mystery that's earning buzz but keeping its cards close—literally no one knows what it's actually about yet.

7.7

90%

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7.7/10

90%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: this show is getting rave reviews and people seem to love it, but we literally know nothing about it. No synopsis, no genre, no creative team info. It's like Netflix dropped this thing and said 'figure it out yourselves.'

What we DO know: it's age 15+, it's called 'Death by Lightning,' and critics are eating it up. That combo suggests quality prestige television with mature, possibly dark themes. Could be a historical drama, a thriller, a supernatural mystery—your guess is as good as mine.

For parents of teens: if your 15+ kid wants to watch this, the ratings suggest it's worthwhile television, but you'll want to watch the first episode together or at least check it out yourself first. The lack of information makes it impossible to give specific guidance about what to expect.

For everyone else: this is a 'wait and see' situation. Let the internet tell you what it's actually about before diving in.

Age Fit

Best for ages 15+ based on Common Sense Media's guidance. The strong critical reception suggests sophisticated storytelling that older teens and adults will appreciate, but the ominous title and age rating make it clear this isn't for middle schoolers.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

With a title like 'Death by Lightning' and a Common Sense age rating of 15, this show likely contains mature themes, violence, or intense situations that aren't emotionally healthy for younger viewers. The high critical scores suggest quality storytelling, but probably not modeling cooperation or kindness in a straightforward way. Without synopsis or genre details, we can infer this isn't light family fare.

Imaginative

Strong critical reception (91% RT critics, 80 Metacritic) suggests creative storytelling and original execution. The mysterious title implies potentially unique narrative concepts. However, without knowing the genre or creative team, it's hard to assess whether it invites exploration or creative thinking versus passive consumption.

Safe

Age 15+ rating from Common Sense Media indicates content that's definitely not appropriate for young children - likely violence, intense themes, or mature subject matter given the ominous title. Netflix's kids mode availability helps with platform safety, but the content itself requires parental discretion. Not unsafe per se, but requires age-appropriate viewing.

Enriching

High critical acclaim (91% critics, 80 Metacritic, 7.7 IMDb) combined with strong audience scores (86% RT audience, 3.8/5 Letterboxd) suggests substantive, well-crafted storytelling that likely offers meaningful themes and emotional depth. The title alone hints at historical or dramatic content that could provide insight, though without specifics it's hard to pinpoint exact enrichment value.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Impressive critical reception (91% on RT, 80 on Metacritic) suggests this is genuinely well-crafted television
Strong audience scores indicate it's not just critic bait—people are actually enjoying it
The mysterious rollout and lack of info might mean Netflix is protecting spoilers for a reason
New release means it's culturally relevant and conversation-worthy for teens

⚠

What to Watch For

Age 15+ rating means this isn't family viewing—expect mature themes, possible violence, or intense content
The title 'Death by Lightning' pretty much guarantees dark subject matter
Zero synopsis available makes it impossible to screen ahead—you're going in blind
Could be historical drama, thriller, or horror—the genre mystery is part of the problem

Conversation Starters

"What do you think the title means? Is it literal or metaphorical?"
"How did the show handle [whatever intense thing happens]—did it feel gratuitous or necessary to the story?"
"Were there any characters you really connected with? What made them feel real?"
"If you could change one thing about how the story unfolded, what would it be?"

Stills