20/20 Podcast: Introducing "Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast"

Episode Air Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Mandy Matney (Executive Producer, Journalist)
Guests: Michael D. Fowler (Co-Creator, Showrunner), Aaron Lee Carr (Co-Creator), Liz Farrell (Journalist/EP), others
Purpose: Behind-the-scenes look at Hulu’s dramatized miniseries about the Murdaugh family crimes, reflecting on the process of adapting real events, their emotional truths, and how to responsibly portray sensitive true crime stories.

Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

This episode launches the companion podcast to Hulu’s true crime drama "Death in the Family," which dramatizes the notorious Murdaugh family saga. Mandy Matney, the journalist whose reporting broke open the case, teams up with show creators and fellow investigative journalist Liz Farrell. Together, they discuss the origins of the TV series, their “victims first” approach, the challenge of adapting sprawling true events, and the importance of capturing emotional truths rather than simply recounting facts. The conversation explores ethics, storytelling, and the enduring impact of generational privilege and corruption.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Real and Fictional “911 Call” (02:28–05:04)

• The episode opens with the actual 911 call Alec Murdaugh made after discovering his wife and son shot, a call that also opens the TV series.
• Mandy Matney describes the chilling impact of hearing both the real call and Jason Clark’s near-perfect dramatic recreation.
  • "It's uncanny, isn't it? Full body chills." — Mandy Matney (05:04)
• Michael D. Fowler details why they started the show with this moment and the meticulous work by actor Jason Clark to mirror the real call, calling it "primal" and powerful.
  • “And Jason did that 911 call and everybody in the room... there was such an electricity and, you know, a reality to what he was doing.” (07:12)

2. Humanizing the Headlines, Honoring Complexity (09:32–12:12)

• Fowler and journalist Aaron Lee Carr discuss transcending headlines by portraying mundane, revelatory moments: sibling dynamics, music tastes, and everyday humor.
  • “It was about finding so many of those moments... those little things that made these people... relatable.” — Michael D. Fowler (09:43)
• Liz Farrell highlights the writers’ skill at capturing the “interior life” of the Murdaughs, showing privilege, resentment, and subtle family power dynamics through small, intimate moments.

3. Emotional Truth vs. Literal Fact (16:58–21:36)

• The process of adapting the Murdaugh case for TV necessitated condensing timelines and adjusting character arcs to capture “emotional truth”—the internal, human story—rather than just reportable facts.
  • “Truth is the facts by the letter... Emotional truth is, okay, but what can we get at where one, we have to streamline certain things... What's the emotional heart of that?” — Michael D. Fowler (18:35)
• Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaughs’ housekeeper, is kept alive in the series after her real-life death, to show her relationship with Paul and its impact, aligning with a victim-focused narrative.

4. "Victims First" Approach & Mallory Beach (25:34–30:47)

• Matney and team worked to ensure victims like Mallory Beach are portrayed with dignity and accuracy, resisting sensationalization.
  • “Victims first reporting is unfortunately not a priority for most media... which sometimes further hurts the victim and also tends to normalize violence against them.” — Mandy Matney (25:34)
• The show memorializes Mallory through scenes like her caring for animals, echoing real-life traits and her family's subsequent charity work ("Mal's Pals").

5. Showing Corruption and Power Structures (46:52–53:04)

• The writers depict the “good old boy” system—how the Murdaughs mingled with and influenced public officials—to show systemic corruption, not just individual crimes.
  • “It's through action... that he has these blue lights that he carries around, this badge, that he tries to wield this to his advantage... those are all things we know that real Alec did.” — Michael D. Fowler (51:33)
• Combining timelines (such as the Order of the Palmetto Party and the boat crash) gives context to the family's power and its consequences.

6. The South Carolina Context and Creative Calling (32:07–35:26)

• Fowler, a South Carolina native, felt obliged to tell the story authentically due to his understanding of local culture and politics.
  • “I felt almost doing what I do... an obligation in a way to where I'm from and to the place and to the people..." — Michael D. Fowler (32:07)

7. Writing a Family Drama First (35:52–37:45)

• Fowler and Carr emphasize that, above all, the series is a family drama: one about generational privilege, power, and what happens when those forces go unchecked.

8. Humanizing Paul Murdaugh (39:25–43:30)

• The show displays Paul’s recklessness alongside relatable teenage mischief, reframing him as a product of his environment.
  • "Paul's messiness seems unique to his upbringing because of his last name... most of us can look back on our teenage years at things that we did and just be glad that our mistakes did not define us." — Mandy Matney (43:30)

9. Intended Takeaways: Complexity & Consequence (53:35–55:04)

• Fowler hopes the audience leaves with an awareness of the complexity and humanity of all involved, and how unchecked privilege can lead to tragedy.
  • “What I would really love is just that... these are human beings and that these are people and they're complex and they're complicated... And hopefully there’s some truth illuminated.” — Michael D. Fowler (53:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the power of the recreated 911 call:
  “Everybody sat up and leaned in because there was such an electricity and... reality to what he was doing.” — Michael D. Fowler (07:12)
• On writing with 'emotional truth':
  “Emotional truth, story truth, those two are pretty interchangeable for us... what's the thing that's really at the connection between those people?” — Michael D. Fowler (18:35)
• On the ‘victims first’ approach:
  “Victims first reporting is unfortunately not a priority for most media... which sometimes further hurts the victim.” — Mandy Matney (25:34)
• On South Carolina’s culture shaping the narrative:
  “Feeling an obligation in a way to where I'm from and to the place and to the people... to want to be someone who understands the way that the culture is there.” — Michael D. Fowler (32:07)
• On the danger of unchecked privilege:
  “Within generations of power, within generations of privilege... if unchecked, [it] can really become something that can unravel in a way.” — Michael D. Fowler (53:35)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:00–02:28 – Show intro, preview of the episode, real 911 call teaser
• 02:28–05:04 – Real 911 call: hearing the moment as it happened
• 05:04–07:12 – Mandy’s gut instincts, the challenge of reporting on Alec Murdaugh
• 07:12–09:32 – Michael D. Fowler on recreating the 911 call, behind-the-scenes detail
• 09:32–12:12 – Humanizing the Murdaughs, focus on relatable moments and dynamics
• 12:12–16:58 – Liz Farrell on show’s detailed character work; adaptation challenges
• 16:58–21:36 – Adapting timelines, "emotional truth," and Gloria Satterfield’s role
• 25:34–30:47 – Victims first, Mallory Beach’s portrayal, empathy for victims
• 32:07–35:26 – Michael D. Fowler’s personal tie to the region and story
• 35:52–37:45 – Why the Murdaugh story is foremost a family drama
• 39:25–43:30 – Humanizing Paul Murdaugh, the line between youthful mistakes and tragedy
• 46:52–53:04 – Exposing power networks, the good old boy system, and their impact
• 53:35–55:04 – Takeaways: tragedy, complexity, privilege, and the human core of the story

Final Thoughts

This episode eloquently introduces the companion podcast's mission: to contextualize the Hulu series, ensuring authenticity, honoring victims, and offering insight into the immense challenges faced by those adapting such a far-reaching, real-life tragedy. It invites listeners both familiar and unfamiliar with the Murdaugh case to engage with not only the facts, but also the emotions, unseen dynamics, and lessons about power and consequence that echo far beyond South Carolina.

For more behind-the-scenes stories, subscribe to “Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast,” and watch new episodes of the series every Wednesday on Hulu.