Meet the Experts: Spotlight
'Murdaugh: Death in the Family' EP on why he 'felt an obligation' to take on the true-crime saga
Showrunner Michael D. Fuller talks about the pressure, the pitfalls, and why telling this story still matters for Hulu's limited series.
You think you've heard enough about the Murdaughs. Then you sit across from someone who lived through it - a neighbor, a former classmate, a court clerk who watched every minute - and the room goes quiet. That's the space Michael D. Fuller says he kept returning to while making Hulu's 'Murdaugh: Death in the Family (movies and tv series).' Not the headlines. The people (movies and tv series) breathing through them.
Fuller didn't pitch this like a splashy crime show. He felt a responsibility - to victims, to a small South Carolina community, to viewers who are tired of stories that chase clicks and skip the cost. The assignment was simple and hard at the same time: tell the truth without turning real pain into content.
Why tell this story now
The case hasn't faded. In 2023, Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. In early 2024, a judge rejected his bid for a new trial over alleged jury tampering. Appeals are still in motion, and the financial cases tied to his law practice continue to spool out. That's a lot for audiences to track, and honestly, it's a lot for filmmakers too.
This series sets out to make sense of what the verdict didn't settle: how a powerful family came apart, what the community lost, and what justice looks like when the cameras leave. If you need a quick refresher on the case timeline, this NPR recap of the verdict lays out the basics.
The hard parts you don't see
- Legal guardrails: Court exhibits, body-cam footage, jail calls - each comes with restrictions. One mislabeled document can blow a deadline or worse, blow trust.
- Separating rumor from record: In a small town, gossip travels faster than filings. The team kept circling back to sworn testimony and primary sources, even if it meant re-editing late in the game.
- Consent and care: Survivors don't owe anyone their stories. Some said yes, some said no, some changed their minds. Respecting that meant reshaping scenes and letting silence stand in for an interview that didn't happen.
- What to show - and what not to: There's footage that grabs attention and footage that tells the truth. Those aren't always the same thing. The series leans on context over shock cuts.
- Small-town realities: Crews can't just roll in and pretend they're invisible. The courthouse has its rhythms; the boat ramp has its ghosts. Access follows relationships, not press badges.
- Story structure that earns trust: Out of sequence can be stylish. Here, chronology matters. Viewers need to feel the timeline tighten - the 911 call, the investigation, the trial - without losing the thread.
What Fuller's team focused on
They built around the human fallout first, the legal timeline second. That means putting loved ones ahead of lore, naming the people who were harmed, and avoiding the easy "mastermind vs. monster" framing that flattens everyone in the middle. And when the facts were messy, they stayed messy. No neat bow, just receipts.
The newsroom habits mattered: two-source verification, outside legal review on sensitive cuts, and a running "what's the point of this scene?" gut check. If a moment didn't add clarity or compassion, it didn't make the hour.
For the true-crime crowd - and the folks who make these shows
Viewers are smarter and more skeptical now. They'll spot shortcuts. What lands, especially with a case this loud, is simple: new reporting that actually answers something, plus care for the people who never asked to be on TV.
- Map your consent grid before you start filming - who's informed, who's participating, who's off-limits.
- Budget real time for rights and records. Public doesn't always mean usable.
- Bring in a trauma-informed consultant. It changes interviews for the better.
- Label reenactments clearly or skip them. Ambiguity breeds doubt.
- Assign a fact-checker who doesn't sit in the edit bay. Fresh eyes save you.
Where this story goes next
Appeals can stretch for years. Financial prosecutions keep surfacing side trails. Coverage will ebb and flow. But the people still living with this - families on both sides, court staff, first responders - they don't get to move on as fast as the news cycle does. That's the tension the series sits with.
Here's what this could mean: audiences aren't asking for more spectacle; they're asking for honesty and care. And if 'Murdaugh: Death in the Family' earns their trust, it'll be because it knows the difference. For broader context on ongoing cases, the Associated Press' continuing coverage is a solid, fact-first resource.
