Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal season 2 review: Redundant and insipid

The second season of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal documents the trial of Alex Murdaugh, who is charged with murdering his wife and son. The docuseries is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Alex Murdaugh was charged with the murder of his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul. He pleaded not guilty. The docuseries follows Alex’s trial, which led to him being sentenced to prison for life.

The three episodes trace the events that took place on the day of the murders. People who were in contact with the Murdaughs on that day, such as their former housekeeper, are interviewed in the docuseries to discover how that day was different from the usual.

An interview with Alex’s mother’s caregiver reveals that Alex has been lying to the police about his whereabouts. A piece of video evidence further disproves his alibi claim, and Alex takes the stand to defend himself, which does more harm than good.

The other aspects of this famous criminal case, such as Cousin Eddie’s role, are also explored in the docuseries. The question then remains: whether Alex is guilty or innocent?

Positives

The Murdaugh case had garnered a lot of public attention, and people wanted to witness the court proceedings, but not everybody could do that. The docuseries shows the audience the footage from the proceedings, allowing them to see what influenced the jury’s decision and somewhat experience the real-life trial.

The series examines every single detail that led to the jury’s decision. The witnesses are interviewed thoroughly, and the makers do not shy away from asking the interviewees controversial questions point-blank.

Negatives

This season does nothing but examine Alex’s trial. It is no secret that he was found guilty, so the makers desperately try to give the audience something new and fresh. Unfortunately, that only happens rarely.

There are times when the series becomes a collection of different people’s opinions and assumptions. For instance, people who were involved in the boat accident in the first season but had nothing to do with the murders are interviewed for no particular reason. 

The series is also dull and unnecessarily extended. There is the auction of the Murdaughs’ belongings and an interview with a woman who is introduced as a “Murdaugh enthusiast”. Perhaps the makers wanted to show the extent of the public’s interest in the case, but it did not have the desired effect.

Verdict

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal season 2 is a dull account of a trial and does not have much to offer. It is safe to say that only a true “Murdaugh enthusiast” might enjoy this season.


Also Read: The Saint of Second Chances review: A heartwarming, colorful comeback story

Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan Chhatwani
Muskan is an editor at The Envoy Web. Her name translates to smile in English, but she likes shows and films that do anything but make you smile. She believes that analyzing and interpreting the tiny little things on-screen can reveal a story that is not visible to everyone, a story of your own.

More from The Envoy Web