MURDAUGH MURDERS Season 2 on Netflix is all about the trial where Alex Murdaugh is accused of murdering his wife and son. With 3 half-hour episodes, you can watch it as a feature documentary. Read our full Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal Season 2 docu-series review here!

MURDAUGH MURDERS Season 2 is finally on Netflix to round out the events from Season 1. When season 1 was released, Alex Murdaugh was on trial and just weeks later, he was found guilty of murdering his wife and son. With just three episodes – each around 30 minutes long – you can easily watch this season as a feature-length documentary.

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Our review of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal Season 1 >

In season 2 of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, it’s all about this trial. There’s video footage of the crime scene and several firsthand account interviews. There’s also the dark side of true crime when we see people clamoring to buy things from the estate where the murders happened.

Continue reading our Murdaugh Murders Season 2 review below. Find all three episodes on Netflix from September 20, 2023.

Season 2 focuses on “the day of” and the trial

While the focus of Murdaugh Murders season 2 does focus a lot on the day of the murder, we also get firsthand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to the day. And the days following the execution-style murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

This includes interviews with people working for the Murdaugh family in various capacities. And yes, it does also include Curtis Edward Smith, aka Cousin Eddie. He’s both Alex Murdaugh’s close friend and former client. He’s also someone who was accused of having been involved in Alex’s murder-for-hire plot in 2021.

Finally, Cousin Eddie is thrown under the bus by his “friend” Alex. This is not something Eddie takes lying down and having seen two minutes of an interview with Eddie, I cannot see how Alex Murdaugh would expect him to. Then again, it does become quite obvious that Murdaugh had completely lost the plot at this point.

The trial itself also shows how he is desperately trying to put his best face forward. Fortunately, evidence turns up that paints a very different picture of what happened on that fateful night when Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were murdered.

Murdaugh Murders: Season 2 – Review | Netflix Documentary

The footage that changed the trial

When Alex Murdaugh stands trial for the murder of his wife and son, there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. However, there also seems to be proof that he attempted to coax people into helping with his alibi.

All of this in itself does not look good. Still, it’s really in episode 3 of Murdaugh Murders season 2 that things change. This is when footage (and, in particular, audio) is presented that changes everything. First and foremost, it’s proof that Alex Murdaugh has lied. Several times.

He even admits as much, while still escaping the obvious question: Why did you lie? Instead, he gives a non-answer of “What tangled webs we weave” which only really deals with his continued lying. Not exactly an explanation of why he first lied.

It’s fascinating and like watching a trainwreck really. However, it also feels like finally some justice is served.

Watch Murdaugh Murders Season 2 on Netflix now!

The second season of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal was directed by Michael Gasparro and executive produced by Julia Willoughby Nason.

I found season 2 of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal to be stronger than the first season due to the interviews with those involved in the case. We hear from jurors, prosecutors, witnesses, and former friends of the Murdaugh family. All of this results in an in-depth look at both what happened on the day of the murder and the actual trial.

Admittedly, I probably enjoyed this second season even more because it ended in a verdict. Though Alex Murdaugh is (of course, one is tempted to say) appealing this conviction so it isn’t entirely over and done with yet.

While season 2 does have three episodes, it could just as well have been a feature-length documentary film. The total runtime is around 90 minutes, but I get that dividing it into episodes makes for a bitesize devouring of this twisted tale.

Season 2 of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is on Netflix from September 20, 2023. 

Plot

The second season features firsthand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, including: Curtis Edward Smith, aka Cousin Eddie, Alex Murdaugh’s friend and former client, who’s alleged to have been involved in Alex’s murder-for-hire plot in 2021.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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