It’s always Hot Ted Bundy this, Hot Ed Gein that. But why is no one talking about the entire cast of Hulu’s “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” looking a little too good?
A multi-generational dynasty of Southern corruption rooted in economic mobility and legal influence, the complex but nevertheless notorious South Carolina family made headlines in 2019 for the deadly aftermath of a drunk boating accident involving the youngest Murdaugh boy, Paul. The crash killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach, drawing attention to years of alleged Murdaugh misdeeds in a not-so-tight-knit community that ultimately witnessed, up close, what a person can do when they sail past desperation and into madness.
People have looked to violent crime as a form of entertainment for centuries, and it’s no question the twists and turns of the Murdaugh family make for great TV. Follow along with the saga, and you’ll see villains with varying degrees of culpability become surprisingly sympathetic victims. The show encompasses multiple criminal cases involving several fatalities that occurred between 2015 and 2021. Series creators Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr do a remarkable job weaving that mess of facts into a cohesive drama that gets at the heart of the Murdaughs’ power. Mostly.
What became of the four adult relatives — dad Alex (Jason Clarke), mom Maggie (Patricia Arquette), eldest Buster (Will Harrison), and youngest Paul (Johnny Berchtold) — is better left unspoiled as the streamer continues rolling out new episodes of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” week to week.
But with a sizable audience doing research to kill time between installments, the miniseries’ cast boasts an awkward attractiveness that sticks out as oddly inauthentic. Set as an otherwise cunning docudrama, the Hollywood-coded cast continues a frustrating tradition of “disappearing” into characters for which these actors look almost too naturally famous. That gimmick can work well during awards season, but it subtly undermines what shows like “Murdaugh” do well.
No one is complaining about Patricia Arquette leading yet another true crime account for the small screen. Between “The Act” and “Escape at Dannemora,” she’s been able to adapt into any real figure she pleases, so far. But take a long look at the real Murdaughs, and you’ll be hard-pressed to argue the kind of power that fuels the “Severance” actress has much to do with this true American horror story.
That’s not a roundabout way of calling the Murdaughs ugly or implying the series’ costume, makeup, and hair departments haven’t done their best to knock the dashing Jason Clarke down a peg. Rather, these distorted portraits carry an unspoken weight that can steer grounded psychology into fantasy.
The practice dates back to 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” which cast Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as lovestruck bank robbers. Their striking image has persisted for decades, inspiring everything from luxury advertisements to a Sabrina Carpenter music video with Barry Keoghan. But it’s Charlize Theron’s performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003’s “Monster” that most resembles the slight miscasting at work in “Murdaugh: Death in the Family.” Even rocking significant special effects makeup (just a touch of which is at work in the Hulu series), the bizarre transformation of Theron is so distracting that one could argue her physical appearance has a greater legacy than the film itself.
There’s plenty of good acting in the latest Murdaugh reimagining, but shark-like contacts and the demonstrably finicky task of making anyone look like “a ginger” detract from quieter beats. Yes, these casting directors knew the right talent to pair with this bonkers story in theory. But the optical-illusion quality, which makes you want to squint every time Clarke and Arquette pop on screen, works against the performers’ considerable efforts to vanish into their roles. Toss in the stunning Brittany Snow as an intrepid journalist (the series is adapted from reporter Mandy Matney’s podcast), and you’ve got a serious nightmare presenting a bit too glossy.
“Murdaugh: Death in the Family” is a strong docudrama despite that, but other limited series might consider going the route of Netflix’s “Adolescence” to cast unknowns more often. The result isn’t always an easier character for the actor to pull off, but removing the Hollywood hotness factor provides an opportunity for at-home audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story. Battling the temptation to pick up a second screen every time you’re watching something in your living room feels even harder when you know you’ve got the real thing and how it ends in hand.
“Murdaugh: Death in the Family” is streaming on Hulu.
