Juror praises Hulu for 'depiction of the family' for 'Murdaugh: Death in the Family'

If you are a true crime fan or a Hulu/Disney+ subscriber, then the scripted, based-on-true-crime series, "Murdaugh: Death in the Family," may be on your watch list.

But others, who know the real people portrayed, are refusing to watch or have posted harsh reviews online.

While touted as one of Hulu's most-watched new offerings, this eight-part series, launched on Oct. 15 (with new episodes airing each Wednesday until the Nov. 19 finale), has drawn mixed reviews from critics.

Film and TV critic Richard Roeper of RogerEbert.com called it "underwhelming" and "an occasionally engrossing but mid-level project that never really grabs hold of you," to a USA Today review labeling it "meaningless , mediocre and maddening."

But for many in lower South Carolina, who know the real people behind the crime saga of Alex Murdaugh, convicted of stealing millions and murdering his wife and son, or for those who got caught up in this ongoing legal drama in other ways, the reviews are more pointed, more personal, and more powerful.

Locals share harsh comments, reviews of Hulu's Murdaugh series on social media

"Murdaugh: Death in the Family" portrays many Lowcountry people — some dead, some living — and family members of both the convicted Murdaugh and his many victims. Last week's episode included scenes from Hampton County's landmark Watermelon Festival, which resonated with many locals in strange ways.

For Murdaugh's victims and their families, and for the people of the 14th Judicial Circuit of the S.C. Lowcountry who knew or were acquainted with them and who lived this true-crime saga, the reviews are harsher and on more personal levels.

Social media comments from residents in Beaufort and Hampton counties, the epicenter of the crime saga, range from "disgusting" and "refuse to watch" to those who mock the Southern accents and the excessive and unrealistic overuse of the colloquial nickname "Bo" used by actors in the show.

The series is based on "The Murdaugh Murders Podcast," founded by journalist/podcaster Mandy Matney, who is also an executive producer for the series.

Kaitlyn Bartley, a Hampton County native now living in Atlanta, posted on Facebook that she knows or is acquainted with all the victims and has reached out to Matney on several social media pages to inquire about the victims' response to the Hulu series.

Several family members of victims expressed strong feelings on social media, but have declined to comment on the show after requests from The Hampton County Guardian .

In another Facebook comment also reprinted with permission, Lowcountry resident Rebecca Loper posted on Oct. 27:

"It's honestly disgusting to see people making money off of a true crime series about real people. People I knew and loved. For so many, this is 'entertainment,' but for those of us who lived it, these stories aren't just episodes to binge. They're our memories, our pain, and our trauma that we still carry every single day. Before you hit play, I hope you'll stop and think about the families and friends whose lives were shattered, who don't get to turn it off. This isn't just 'content.' These were real lives, real pain, real losses, and real families who are still trying to heal from something we will never fully recover from. While the world is watching and analyzing every detail like it's a movie, some of us are reliving the worst moments of our lives."

Murdaugh juror-turned-author weighs in on Hulu's Murdaugh series

Amie Williams served as a deliberating juror in early 2023 during Murdaugh's six-week, internationally publicized double murder trial in Walterboro, before publishing a book about her experiences, "The Long Road to Justice."

Williams responded to a request from The Hampton County Guardian to weigh in, drawing on her personal experience as both a juror and one of the few people to visit the  crime scene, the former Murdaugh family home and kennels called Moselle , deep in rural Colleton County.

Williams said that memories and sadness came flooding back to her while watching the early episodes, and she has yet to watch the episode depicting the murders. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were gunned down on the night of June 7, 2021, and "June 7" was the title of this week's episode.

"The opening scene put a pit in my stomach, causing the whole six weeks to come flooding back," Williams said. "So, I am not looking forward to that part of the series."

Williams added that, while she thought the show's producers did a "great job" of recreating the Moselle property, and they picked the "right actors" to portray Alex, members of the Murdaugh family, and the Satterfield family, there were scenes that were uncomfortable to watch.

"I think they did an amazing job. I understand that they had to fill in a few things, but the depiction of the family was close to what we heard in court," she added. "Overall, it was well put together, but I didn't really care for the sex scene with Alex and Maggie, though."

Williams will be holding a book signing as part of the First Friday celebration in Downtown Beaufort from 3-7 p.m. on Dec. 5 at McIntosh Books on Bay Street. The book is also available at www.thelongroadtojustice.com

Author, Trial Watchers co-creator weighs in on Hulu series

Neil Gordon, co-author of the Trial Watcher s anthology and its companion five-part docuseries on Amazon Prime, shared his insights with The Hampton County Guardian .

Gordon said that true crime viewers "who closely followed the Murdaugh tragedies will love the series because it peeks behind the curtain of how key family members were like, such as Alex, Maggie, Paul, Buster, and Randolph. By either attending the trial, watching other docs, reading articles, and listening to podcasts, we think we know them. Seeing their mannerisms and emotions on screen was chilling."

While Gordon echoed other reviewers' positive comments about Jason Clarke's performance as Alex Murdaugh and Patricia Arquette's portrayal of his murdered wife, Maggie, he found one scene surprising.

"The most surprising scene was Alex's character briefly having sex with Maggie's character," Gordon said. "I could have done without that. I doubt any 'trial watchers' visualized that during the Murdaugh case. Patricia Arquette was amazing in her multi-dimensional feisty role of Maggie, trying to keep Alex on the straight and narrow while navigating through the Murdaugh family legacy and expectations."

Like others, Gordon's thoughts settled most on the victims, calling the  death of Mallory Beach in the 2019 boat crash at Archer's Creek  a "ticking time bomb," and expressing empathy for the Satterfield family on how they were portrayed. Gloria Satterfield, a longtime Murdaugh family employee, died after a fall at Moselle in 2018, leading to one of many financial schemes launched by Murdaugh.

"I felt a great sense of empathy for the Satterfield family, and I thought the producers really captured the tragedy of Gloria's deadly fall and the family's deep, deep faith," he added.

Murdaugh weighs in on Hulu true crime series

Even Alex Murdaugh has weighed in from inside his prison cell, where he is serving back-to-back life sentences at McCormick Correctional Institution.

In a Nov. 4 statement issued through his legal defense team, Murdaugh said he is "disappointed and disturbed" by the Hulu series.

The following statement was attributed to Murdaugh's defense attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, "on behalf of Alex after receiving reports about the recent Hulu program."

"Alex is deeply disappointed and disturbed by the recent Hulu streaming series about him and the entire Murdaugh family," the statement begins. "The program contains numerous inaccuracies and misleading portrayals that distort the truth of their lives."

"Murdaugh: Death in the Family" is not presented as a factual documentary, however, but is instead a scripted, dramatic reenactment inspired by true events. Writers and producers have taken creative liberties with the show, particularly with the timeline of events, and a few fictional names have been introduced.

Murdaugh appears to take offense at the way his relationship with the murder victims is portrayed, adding: "The depiction of their personal family dynamics is particularly troubling, as it totally mischaracterizes Alex's relationships with his wife Maggie and his son Paul, both of whom Alex loves so dearly."

Murdaugh's legal team appears to take particular exception to the portrayal of his relationship with the late Paul, adding in the statement:

"Alex was always extremely proud of Paul. Any other portrayal of his feelings toward Paul and Maggie are baseless and false. Equally concerning is the lack of engagement by the producers or actors to understand the individuals portrayed."

The statement concludes:

"No one from Hulu ever reached out to Alex, his son Buster, anyone in the Murdaugh family, or Alex's attorneys to hear their perspective or verify the facts. Instead, the program appears to rely heavily on sensationalized accounts from secondary sources with no direct knowledge or relationship with him or his family. We urge viewers to approach this dramatization with the knowledge that it is not an accurate portrayal of Alex, his family, or the tragic events that it sensationalizes."

Other highlights of the first five episodes portray Murdaugh intoxicated or under the influence of drugs to the point where food was dripping from his mouth as he passed out. During his murder trial, Murdaugh in fact testified and admitted to his former drug abuse while on the witness stand.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Juror says Hulu's 'Murdaugh' series did good job recreating Moselle