Highlights
- The hackers named as The Impact Team announced their attack to the dating site for the first time on July 19, 2015.
- Initially, they released personal information of nearly 2,500 users after they didn’t take the announcement seriously.
- The Ashley Madison app is still working regardless of the infamous data breach in 2015.
In less than a year of HULU’s Ashley Madison documentary, Netflix created its version of Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal.
The docuseries is a three-part production investigating the infamous 2015 data breach of the dating site Ashley Madison.
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal Offers Diverse Perspectives on Scandal and Critique
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
A compelling look into digital infidelity
Genres
Docuseries| Release Date | May 15, 2024 |
| Director | Toby Payton |
| Casts | Samuel Greco, Perry Mavrides, Katie Bignell |
Undoubtedly, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal has become the talk of the town, with critics worldwide giving their take on the docuseries.
The three-part documentary records a Tomatometer score of 50% green splat if talking about the numbers and keeping the rating in perspective.
Keith Watson, a top critic from the Daily Telegraph (UK), offered a harsh critique, giving the documentary a 1 out of 10 rating.
He expressed his disappointment stating the docuseries failed to uncover the identity of the hacker named The Impact Team regardless of an interesting premise.
Get a look at the snippet of the docuseries,
Contradicting the reviews mentioned above, Carol Midgley from CNN voiced his contentment with the narrative, which is far from monotonous.
Unlike many top critics of several news sources, Carol lauded the documentary’s diverse elements and engaging content.
He emphasized its multifaceted approach, which is part crime meltdown, part crime mystery, part media critique, and part “tales of Ashley Madison,” indicating that it is far from monotonous.
Whereas an IMDb reviewer delivered a bold yet positive review with a full 10 out of 10 rating.
The reviewer commended the creators for addressing significant issues within Ashley Madison, like fraudulent activities and security failures.
Our Take: Similar Narrative, However, Presents Potential With Authenticity
As a reviewer of Belmont Film House, I would say you can give the Netflix series Ashley Madison” a go if you haven’t watched the previous Hulu series, “The Ashley Madison Affair.”
If not, then let me tell you to skip it already. They are quite similar, covering the rise of the infidelity-focused site, its hacking scandal, and the fall of Noel Biderman.
For first-timers watching Ashley Madison, you will feel uneasy about people joining the site for affairs and the CEO, Noel Biderman’s defense of it.
Having said that, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal doesn’t use reenactments or actors, which is definitely a plus factor of the docuseries.
Also, I was impressed that the docuseries doesn’t portray the hack’s victims sympathetically, for they were cheating on their significant others.
It's finally here! You can catch ASHLEY MADISON: SEX, LIES & SCANDAL on @netflix TODAY!
— actors alliance (@actorsalliance) May 15, 2024
A riveting #docuseries featuring our very own @KatieBignell_ 😍 pic.twitter.com/Yd7ghwi7iN
Sam Rader, an exposed cheater, tries to gain sympathy, which is a little annoying. Also, the creators gave him an outrageous screentime to whitewash his reputation.
However, I must say I appreciate Sam’s openness about using the site, regardless of the fact that he was trying to defend himself.
The mix of personal stories and expert interviews really did add authenticity and unique flavor to the docuseries.
Also this Netflix docuseries also sheds light on the prevailing issue of growing infidelity in the digital age.
Likewise, it highlights how technology has made human relationships more fragile and superficial, driven by lustful desires.
