Podcast Summary

Podcast: Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast
Episode: Series Co-Creator Erin Lee Carr Discusses the Victims Through a Lens of Justice and Resilience
Host: Mandy Matney (with Liz Farrell)
Release Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” official podcast offers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the Hulu series—specifically, episode five, which centers on Stephen Smith, a young gay man whose 2015 homicide remains unsolved, as well as the broader lens of justice, identity, and resilience for the victims. Investigative journalist and host Mandy Matney, joined by fellow journalist Liz Farrell, speaks with director Erin Lee Carr (known for her compassionate true crime storytelling) and with Sandy Smith, Stephen’s mother and a fierce advocate for justice.

The conversation explores the complexities of adapting real-life events for television, the representation of marginalized victims, and the power of storytelling to demand justice and humanize tragedy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Stephen Smith’s Story (00:04 - 05:34)

• Stephen Smith’s Legacy:
  • The episode focuses on celebrating Stephen’s life as a joyful, openly gay man in rural South Carolina rather than solely on the mystery of his death.
  • Erin Lee Carr insisted that “people are so much more than how they died. You can feel Stephen’s vitality in everything that’s been lost to the Smith family.” (Mandy Matney, 03:54)
• Authenticity in Representation:
  • Key dinner scene recreated on set to show Stephen’s humor, warmth with family, and love for his cat—a vivid counterpoint to reducing him to a crime victim.

Notable Quote

• “She’s my little sweetheart. She deserves to eat organic.” – Erin Lee Carr (as Stephen joking about his cat, 04:52)

2. Adapting True Crime for TV: Collaboration and Values (05:34 - 11:47)

• Choosing the Right Partners:
  • Mandy faced pressure from many production companies, some of which tried to shut down her reporting. She found trust only with Erin and co-creator Michael Fuller for their shared values and commitment.
• Research Approach:
  • Erin Lee Carr’s research binder was legendary, containing exhaustive case details, family histories, and media to ensure authenticity for the writers and actors.
• Navigating the “Snake Pit”:
  • Rather than competing with ongoing documentaries, Erin chose scripted storytelling to explore the emotional and psychological truth of the events (07:17).

Notable Quotes

• “You were making it as the case was unfolding... It’s very rare that you get that kind of real time access to something that’s happening.” – Erin Lee Carr (07:48)
• “I want to know almost everything about this, in order to supply you with the details, so that we can get it as accurate as humanly possible.” – Erin Lee Carr (08:52)

3. Humanizing the Victims and Families (11:47 - 17:33)

• The Struggle for Justice:
  • Liz Farrell recounts how poorly law enforcement treated the Smith family, letting the investigation go cold due to fear and lack of will (11:47 - 13:19).
• Portraying LGBTQ+ Experiences:
  • As a queer filmmaker, Erin Lee Carr was drawn to telling Stephen’s story authentically—showing his happiness and openness growing up gay in the Bible Belt (13:19 - 14:25).
• Set Design as Storytelling:
  • Every detail of Stephen’s bedroom was curated to reflect his real interests, books, and pride, offering a palpable sense of who he was.

Notable Quotes

• “We don’t just think about him as a body. We think about him as a living, breathing person who was taken from us.” – Erin Lee Carr (15:23)
• “This episode isn’t just about a murder mystery. It’s about identity, resilience, and demanding justice for those forgotten.” – Mandy Matney (16:53)

4. Sandy Smith’s Response to the Series (17:33 - 21:33)

• Emotional Impact:
  • Sandy was hopeful and nervous about her son’s story finally being told right: “You just want whoever’s playing Stephen to give him justice, you know, the person he was. It matched perfectly.” – Sandy Smith (17:48)
• Legacy and Advocacy:
  • Sandy hopes renewed attention might finally yield answers and that those with information will step forward out of empathy (19:20).

5. Crafting Authentic Family Portrayals (21:33 - 23:42)

• Building the Smith Family:
  • Casting and writing focused on honoring Sandy’s resilience and the siblings’ camaraderie.
  • Erin Lee Carr describes directing Rhoda Griffiths (Sandy) and the importance of remembering that “all these people left this world, they left an indelible imprint and they left their families. It is our job to make sure that the loss of these people are not forgotten.” (22:53)

6. Addiction, Family Dynamics, and Cycles of Trauma (25:30 - 33:52)

• Depicting Addiction On-Screen:
  • The show visualizes Ellick Murdaugh’s addiction, drawing from Erin’s personal experience as someone in recovery and the child of an addict (28:06).
• Cycle of Dysfunction:
  • Mandy reflects on previously judging Paul Murdaugh and evolving her perspective upon learning more about the dysfunctional family dynamics and addiction’s legacy.
  • Erin: “Addiction explains everything and excuses nothing.” (28:57)
• Domestic and Emotional Abuse:
  • Maggie’s isolation and emotional suffering are explored in the show, deepening her character beyond public perception.

Notable Quotes

• “When you’re unhappy, you utilize these substances to feel normal, and then they just take over... addiction started all of this, and it almost finished it.” – Erin Lee Carr (28:15)
• “I just got so much more empathy for [Paul]... the show really changed the way that I view him as well.” – Mandy Matney (30:43)

7. Exploring Gender, Motherhood, and Feminist Themes (33:52 - 45:16)

• Maggie Murdaugh’s Perspective:
  • The show, with Patricia Arquette’s nuanced portrayal, delves into Maggie’s frustrations, isolation, and the burden of being the Murdaugh matriarch.
  • Both Mandy and Erin explicitly discuss the importance of feminist storytelling, women in leadership on set, and challenging toxic masculinity.
• Buster’s Humanity:
  • Buster Murdaugh, often vilified or flattened in news coverage, is treated with empathy and depth to reflect the tragedy of his losses.

Notable Quotes

• “In my Irish Catholic tradition, you do not malign the dead... it was extremely important to understand what were the circumstances that led to all of these people doing all these things.” – Erin Lee Carr (31:41)
• “Women in women first... we wanted to really think about how this show was made because it’s so masculine. There’s so much toxic masculinity.” – Erin Lee Carr (42:55)

8. Channeling Grief into Justice and Storytelling (45:16 - 51:03)

• Personal Motivations:
  • Mandy and Erin speak openly about their own experiences with loss (Mandy’s brother, Erin’s father) and how grief informs their drive for justice and truth-telling.
• Emotional Truth in Narratives:
  • Key scene: Mandy’s character delivers a speech at Stephen's memorial, finally linking her own family loss to her mission for others—a moment that reflects reality even if dramatized.
  • Both women argue that talking about grief, not avoiding it, is more healing.

Notable Quotes

• “My grief turned into gratitude… sometimes the memory of these people can push you forward; you’re doing it for them, too.” – Erin Lee Carr (47:19)
• “I want people grieving a loss like that to know that they aren’t alone and that they too can channel their grief into something really powerful.” – Mandy Matney (51:03)

9. Journalism and Justice for Stephen Smith (Final Thoughts, 51:03 - end)

• Critical Clarifications:
  • The show dramatizes aspects of the “Buster rumors” for narrative reasons and reiterates that Buster has denied involvement, no suspects named, and the case remains unresolved.
• Call to Action:
  • The team hopes the series will reignite interest and encourage anyone with information to come forward: “That is all we’ve ever wanted for Sandy Smith, for her to have answers.” – Mandy Matney (51:50)

Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “She’s my little sweetheart. She deserves to eat organic.”
  – Erin Lee Carr (as Stephen) [04:52]

• “People are so much more than how they died.”
  – Mandy Matney (03:54, recounting Erin)

• “Addiction explains everything and excuses nothing.”
  – Erin Lee Carr (28:57, quoting her late father)

• “You just want whoever’s playing Stephen to give him justice, you know, the person he was. It matched perfectly.”
  – Sandy Smith (17:48)

• “In this show, it was extremely important to understand what were the circumstances that led to all of these people doing all these things. And addiction is one of those things.”
  – Erin Lee Carr (31:41)

• “My grief turned into gratitude… sometimes, the memory of these people can push you forward.”
  – Erin Lee Carr (47:19)

• “I want people grieving a loss like that to know they aren’t alone and that they too can channel their grief into something really powerful.”
  – Mandy Matney (51:03)

Notable Segment Timestamps

• Introduction & setup: 00:04 – 05:34
• Director Erin Lee Carr on research & values: 05:34 – 11:47
• Smith family’s struggle: 11:47 – 13:19
• Erin Lee Carr on queer identity and Stephen: 13:19 – 14:25
• Set design as emotional truth: 14:42 – 15:40
• Sandy Smith’s reflections: 17:33 – 21:33
• Addiction and cycles of trauma: 25:30 – 33:52
• Maggie’s interiority & show’s feminist approach: 33:52 – 45:16
• Grief and storytelling: 45:16 – 51:03
• Closing & call to action: 51:03 – end

Conclusion

This episode powerfully underscores how thoughtful storytelling—rooted in empathy, rigorous research, and personal investment—can humanize victims, confront systems that fail them, and inspire the pursuit of justice. By focusing on Stephen Smith’s lived experience, the complexities of the Murdaugh family, and the lived grief of survivors, Mandy Matney and Erin Lee Carr challenge the conventions of true crime while inviting listeners to be part of a movement for accountability.

If you care about justice for Stephen Smith, visit justiceforsteven.com or send tips to SLED at tipssled.se.gov.

For more behind-the-scenes insight and future discussions—including with Patricia Arquette about portraying Maggie—subscribe and stay tuned to the "Murdaugh: Death in the Family" official podcast.