The Halloween season is here, and it is a very fitting time to watch true crime dramas. Lifetime is airing seven original movies for its “Truly Unbelievable Movies,” a Ripped from the Headlines Event that started in September. All the films were produced earlier this year, and the lineup includes a milestone for Lifetime with its 500th original movie, the two-night event Murdaugh Murders: The Movie starring Bill Pullman as Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina lawyer, husband and father who has a dark secret. The rest of the lineup includes Would You Kill for Me: The Mary Bailey Story starring Melissa Joan Hart and Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story starring Wendi McLendon-Covey.
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie is the tentpole film from the Ripped from the Headlines Event, and it premieres on October 14th and 15th at 8c/7c. New original movies will debut on Saturdays until October 28, 2023.
You can check out the rest of the fall schedule and synopsis for each film below:
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie
Lifetime’s Milestone 500th Original Movie
Two-Part, 4 hour movie – Premieres October 14 & 15
Synopsis – Murdaugh Murders: The Movie follows the twisted true story of Alex Murdaugh played by award-winning actor Bill Pullman (The Sinner, Halston), who was found guilty in the double homicide of his wife, Maggie and his son, Paul. For over 100 years, the wealthy and powerful Murdaugh Family were a local dynasty in the South Carolina low country, where they oversaw the prosecution of all criminal cases in the state’s 14th circuit district. But behind all the power, black ties, and fancy dresses Alex had many secrets… Even with all of Alex’s influence, he couldn’t prevent The Murdaugh Family’s legacy from being tarnished after Paul was involved in a boating accident that left a young girl dead. While Maggie was consumed with what was happening with Paul, Alex was hiding his addiction to opioids and stealing insurance settlements from his own clients to fund his habit and the family’s lavish lifestyle. Then in June 2021, Maggie and Paul were found murdered and eyes began to turn to Alex. The bizarre story continued when Alex was nearly shot in the head and his indiscretions and lies began to surface, leading to the eventual unraveling of Alex Murdaugh’s once charmed life.
Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story
Premieres October 21
Synopsis: Every day for divorced prison corrections officer Vicky White (Wendi McLendon-Covey) is like the movie Groundhog Day – mundane and every day just like the previous. But when new prisoner Casey White (Rossif Sutherland) is brought to her facility, the two develop a secret infatuation. Vicky gives Casey special attention, believing he’s the only man to see her the way she wants to be seen. But when Casey’s inevitable transfer to a lengthy prison sentence approaches, Vicky decides to take desperate action. Risking everything, Vicky manages to break Casey out of jail and takes him on the run, eluding authorities on an eleven-day dash for freedom. For Vicky, even the probable tragedy ahead of them is worth the chance to live life fully once more.
Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story
Premieres October 28
Synopsis: Told through three different perspectives, Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story follows the volatile relationship between three generations of women – Ella (Melissa Joan Hart), her daughter Veronica (Olivia Scriven), and her granddaughter Mary (Presley Allard) whom she raises for Veronica. After Veronica becomes deeply entangled with Willard (Connor McMahon) and later marries him, the lives of all three women take a turn for the worse when Willard becomes increasingly abusive. Veronica suffers a deep betrayal when her best friend Susan (Celina “Spookyboo” Myers), becomes pregnant with Willard’s child, further complicating their toxic relationship, leaving Ella, Mary and her half-brother Sammy at the mercy of Willard’s alcoholic rampages. The family fears for their lives, culminating in one horrific night when Willard is shot dead…but the identity of who pulled the trigger is not revealed till the very end.
The Mary Bailey Story, based on the real-life experiences of Mary Elizabeth Bailey, author of “My Mother’s Soldier,” whom at 11 years-old, was forced to do the unthinkable.
Nerd Reactor was invited to attend the Lifetime True Crime Trivia Experience, which took place at the Bathtub Gin, a 1920s-inspired speakeasy located in Los Angeles.
Featured image courtesy of Lifetime
