Netflix is changing the documentary game with its new series, Instadocs.
Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted, the first episode of the streaming service’s new docuseries, landed in last week’s Netflix Top 10 Shows, just days after its May 30 release. What might be surprising is that the docuseries tackles former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh‘s double-murder convictions — he was previously found guilty of killing his wife, Maggie Murdaugh and his son, Paul Murdaugh — being overturned, which happened on May 13, only 17 days prior to the Instadocs premiere. According to Greenville News, the court ordered a retrial.
So, what exactly is Netflix’s Instadocs? Here is what we know.
What is Instadocs?
Netflix describes Instadocs as “a new fast-turnaround documentary series that takes you to the very center of the loudest headlines, immersing you in the facts and feelings of the moment.” The series hails from showrunner Steve Yaccino and executive producers Josh Tyrangiel and Connor Schell, and will set out to cover the hottest current events. Tyrangiel told The Hollywood Reporter that the new series is “very dedicated” to “hitting the intersection between urgency and finesse.”
“We don’t want to compromise on quality, beauty, facts, and getting to the center of a story,” he added. “At the same time, we want to be able to deliver it to members at the peak of their interest in the story, and so that requires constructing a very specific kind of team with a very particular set of skills who know how to move swiftly, deploy the techniques of documentary, but not take the time that most documentaries take to make.”
He also told the outlet during his interview, which took place last week, that they “don’t” have a subject for the next episode just yet.
What is Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted About?
Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted follows Murdaugh, who in 2023, was found guilty of murdering his wife and son and convicted on two counts of murder and two counts of using a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, in addition to pleading guilty “to dozens of financial crimes,” per Netflix’s episode description.
“While Murdaugh began serving consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison, his team appealed the verdict, claiming that Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill had interfered with the jury. On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the double-murder conviction, granting him a new trial that will take place this year. Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted features interviews with South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, the creators of Trial Watchers, as well as jurors — including Myra Crosby — whose shocking dismissal from the jury contributed to questions about Hill’s misconduct.
Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted is streaming on Netflix.