By Juan Markos
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 10/17/2025
The Murdaugh family of South Carolina has been the subject of much discussion. Once an influential and powerful family, they are now infamous. The Murdaughs are from the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, and three generations of Randolph Murdaugh served consecutively as the elected prosecuting attorney for the state’s 14th judicial district from 1920 to 2006. Their prominence led locals to refer to the five-county district as “Murdaugh.” In addition to their legal positions, Randolph Murdaugh Sr. established the Murdaugh Family Law Firm, now known as the Parker Law Group.
For many years, the family was placed on a pedestal, but that changed with the fourth-generation son, Richard Alexander Murdaugh. He secretly lived a life of corruption, embezzlement, and fraud spanning decades and affecting numerous victims, many of whom were disadvantaged.
Murdaugh: Death in the Family focuses on events from the 2020s, highlighting a tragic incident involving his son Paul, played by Johnny Berchtold Who I just watched on Reacher season 3. Paul’s reckless behavior led to a boat wreck that killed his friend, Mallory Beach. This incident occurred on the same day that his grandfather was receiving an award from the governor at their family’s estate. Following the accident, Paul’s father and grandfather tried to cover up the incident, and Mallory’s death marked the beginning of the downfall of this once-prominent family.
Murdaugh: Death in the Family premiered on October 15th on Hulu, with the first three episodes instantly drawing viewers in. Although the crimes of the Murdaugh family are now well-known and have been widely reported in newspapers, magazines, and various true crime shows, documentaries, and miniseries, the public remains fascinated by this sensational drama. The saying goes, “The higher you are, the harder you fall,” or perhaps, “Sometimes your at the top only to fall harder.”
The show is created by Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr for Disney Hulu networks and features an all-star cast, including Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette, Patch Darragh, Brittany Snow, and reportedly, Kelby Roberson. I can’t wait to see this family fall apart and watch the drama unfold. New episodes are released on Wednesdays on Hulu.
