Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal

The series starts with the exploration of the death of a young woman named Mallory Madison Beach, who dies in a boating accident, where she's accompanied by her boyfriend and some friends. One of those on board was Paul Murdaugh, a young man from a wealthy family, a family that has links to numerous deaths.

I am genuinely the first person to criticise Netflix when they drag out a documentary series, and after episode one, I felt that vibe, however I was unaware of The Murdaugh story, and this time I'd suggest the format works, there are numerous shocking revelations.

Lots of powerful interviews, and just think these events are so fresh and raw for many of the people, one or two interviewees made me feel as though they were trying a bit too hard, perhaps I'm being unkind.

If you're unaware of the story, it's shocking, it's truly like a plot from an over the top thriller, you can't believe one family got away with so much for so long.

You'll be aware that money and power carry a lot of weight, if you have one you're laughing, if you have both you're practically bomb proof.

I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

8/10.

I was surprised at how well this was done. If is far superior to the trashy, cheap, sensational treatments it has gotten on Dateline NBC, 20 20, 48 Hours and many many other news outlets.

This show doesn't focus on Alex Murdaugh, it focuses on the situations and victims he caused.

You hear from the kids on the boat, their patents, law enforcement, private detectives, jailhouse recordings and others.

This is one documentary Netflix did right. It doesn't seem padded or overlong like many of their shows.

Please keep it up Netflix.

This is far more compelling than focusing on Murdoch himself.

After watching multiple documentaries, special news reports, etc. On the lives of the Murdaughs, a southern institution of a family, I was very pleased to find this docuseries actually gives more screen time to Mallory Beach, the REAL victim, and not to the insane, evil murdaugh family and their conspiracies. (Although the audience is given information that I've never heard before on the specifics of their swift and direct interruption of the investigation.... facts provided unbiased from the kids on the boat and their parents, who must finally feel unthreatened to speak openly.)

This was more of a tribute to Mallory, a testament to her as a person, as well as recognizing the pain all of the kids endured, versus a shockumentary on how unabashedly despicable the Murdaugh clan ruled over the innocent community for a century.

Yes, there is focus on the other deaths and events involving the murdaughs specifically, but FINALLY the audience gets to know the reality and loss of this teenager, as a human being.

That is what is missing in so many true crime documentaries. The focus is on the perpetrator, rarely on the victims.

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023) is a series that I recently watched on Netflix. The storyline follows a group of privileged kids with money, drugs, boats and planes in South Carolina that one day takes their carefree lifestyle too far leading to the death of a young lady. One of the kid's fathers is the town lawyer from a family with a history or privilege and living life above the law and comes in to hide the murder. The misdeeds of father's past come to the surface and he takes things a bit too far for the cover up.

This movie is codirected by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason, who also worked together on The Pharmacist. Growing up in Maine I could relate to just about every aspect of this picture. This docuseries perfectly depicts small town white America and the lifestyles, relationships and how authority works...until someone gets too comfortable and gets over their skis. The interviews with the people involved was fascinating and their raw emotions and depiction of the events were fascinating. I did feel there was a lack of accountability on display from both the victims, families and towns people, but if this doesn't perfectly depict the problems within our society nothing does.

Overall, both the big picture and actual storyline of this series is fascinating, eye opening but not surprising. I would score this series an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

Excellent overview of Murdaugh scandal, including the power they had in Hampton Country, South Carolina and more specifically the town of Hampton. This power included the fear of local law enforcement and local townspeople had in crossing the Murdaugh family. It covers an overview of the Murdaugh dynasty, which has come to a close now that Alex Murdaugh has been disbarred and fired from the powerful law firm that his great grandfather started and with his son Baxter thrown out of the University of South Carolina for plagiarism.

The scandal begins with the boating accident caused by their son Paul who was later murder along with his mother Maggie up through the "attempted" suicide on Alex's life.