‘Dynasty: The Murdochs’ (2026) Netflix Series Review - Succession

Those who are familiar with this dynasty will surely appreciate the viewing experience this four-part documentary offers. Based on the famous media empire of the Murdochs, the plot follows the rise and life of the patriarch Rupert Murdoch and the tension he shared with his children. Son of an Australian newspaper proprietor, we get to see how Rupert Murdoch rises to fame and grows in the rising global media empire. Through political alliances, cultural influences, and mergers and acquisitions, Rupert Murdoch helped reshape the modern news we see today.  With the help of archived footage, we get to see the impact that Rupert Murdoch had on the media.

Soon enough, the focus shifts to his four adult children: Prudence, Lachlan, James, and Elisabeth. We get to witness the complicated relationship Rupert Murdoch has with his children and the complicated relationship these children share with each other. It is their will and desire to inherit the empire that makes the plot behind the HBO drama Succession.

However, I don’t know if that is how the makers wanted to present the documentary to us, or not, but we get to see very little development on the part of the children. Like we all know who the preferred heir was, and the rest of the story (thanks to the drama Succession), but that part is more like a touch-and-go instead of an actual part that should have been explored more. And if it had been made in a better way, that could have proved to be a game-changer for the entire run time that we had. But other than that, sometimes, this documentary feels more like a fictional movie plot, not because of the execution, but because the real-life story is like that. No wonder it was chosen to be the plot of a drama.

If you are someone who has watched that drama, this documentary doesn’t offer much or anything new. In fact, it definitely offers less than what Succession tells us. Throughout the run time, the main focus was and continued to be on Rupert Murdoch, which is necessary but not so much given that there are other plot lines too that could have been developed. That part of character development, or even the plot development, was missing when all the makers had to do was take inspiration from real life.

Other than that, the plot doesn’t give much. The pacing is a bit slow. Hence, what could have been good doesn’t become that good. The execution part could have been better. If you aren’t aware of Rupert Murdoch and his success, no worries, you can still watch the documentary, as they take you right from the start of the story of the patriarch. Whether or not you will enjoy it, it's up to you. However, the documentary might propel you to watch its better version: the Succession. So all in all, if you don’t want to watch anything like murder, this family politics can be a one-time watch for you.

Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times