Netflix Documentary Ends Suits’ Streak At Number One
Documentaries aren’t really known for making the charts on various streaming services; however, the Depp v. Heard documentary just ended the Suits streak as the number-one series on both Netflix as shown on FlixPatrol.
Depp v. Heard explores the much-discussed courtroom trials involving Johnny Depp and his former wife, Amber Heard, following a lawsuit filed by Depp against the Aquaman actress in 2018 over her opinion post published in The Washington Post—the one in which the alleged sexual violence and domestic abuse were deemed false by the Court.
The docu-series Depp V. Heard is the #1 streamed series on Netflix.
It’s worth noting that the trial was covered by nearly all major television networks, in which the world got the chance to watch the chaotic testimonies by both parties.
The Depp v. Heard Netflix documentary, on the other hand, actually contrasts the live-streamed jury trial with the online discussions that followed, especially on social media platforms, such as TikTok.
However, what we’re presented with isn’t an actual documentary but rather a docu-series stitched together with the purpose of profiting from the public interest in the controversial trial and arguing that the jury’s decision was influenced by the public perception of Amber Heard rather than shedding more light on the trail itself.
The purpose of documentaries is to explore complex topics and provide viewers with facts that go beyond mere coverage of traditional news—in other words; they’re above just scratching the surface; the point of documentaries is to provide depth and encourage viewers to rethink their presumptions on a given topic.
Unfortunately, Depp v. Amber falls short of fulfilling its purpose and provides a rather shallow insight into the trial, equating itself with poor journalism rather than in-depth, fact-based reporting.
Depp v. Heard provides nothing more than a shallow overview of the case coupled with commentary examining the public perception of the trial and parties involved.
In fact, Depp v. Heard documentary is so poorly conceptualized that it does nothing short of elevating the sensationalism surrounding the trial rather than providing facts. But the recent spike in ratings, and it’s trending on Netflix, isn’t all that surprising, considering that most viewers go in expecting some recently discovered evidence that would point to an unfair trial or a fresh viewpoint on the whole matter.
Instead, the three-episode docu-series provides a rather inadequate overview of the whole trial, and only after it abandoned the unbiased and objective approach regarding the topic.
What Depp v. Heard lacks is context—and context is for kings.
Don’t get us wrong, as we’re not taking sides here. We’re against shoddy work, and Netflix’s Depp v. Heard is an embodiment of biased reporting, as it argues that the internet was favoring Johnny Depp over Amber Heard, thus affecting the jury’s decision. But to prove this, Depp v. Heard provides nothing more than a shallow overview of the case coupled with commentary examining the public perception of the trial and parties involved.
What Depp v. Heard lacks is context—and context is for kings. The whole thing came to the public eye in 2016, when Heard claimed that Depp had abused her physically—something that the world’s most famous pirate denied.
Following their divorce, Depp experienced significant backlash. Due to massive backlash from the public, Depp lost a significant amount of work, especially at Disney, and he proceeded to sue Heard’s over the op-ed piece, claiming that Heard’s allegations against him were nothing short of an elaborate hoax. That’s when the tapes surfaced, and Depp v. Heard became a trending topic again.
The infamous recording presented by evidence during the trial in which Heard was telling Depp that nobody was going to believe he was a victim of domestic abuse because he was a man was actually one of the things that painted Heard as a villain of the story and shifted the public’s perception of the whole case.
The scales ended up tipping in Depp’s favor, though his reputation sustained irreparable damage. This is one of the pain points of Netflix’s Depp v. Heard docu-series, as it makes assertions that the jury’s decision was influenced by the public’s perception of Heard.
That’s a pretty bold claim for which no evidence is presented. Depp v. Heard might be a failure as a documentary about the infamous trial case, but if you approach it with the right mindset, it’s actually a perfect documentary on how not to make one. It’s currently available on Netflix for those interested.
