A&E's 10-part docuseries from Alexandra Dean is too full of "sensationalized speculation masquerading as something akin to journalism," says Benjamin Svetkey, adding: "Picking apart what’s true from false in Dean’s documentary is something of a Herculean task, especially when dealing with the more incendiary accusations that pop up like horror-movie jump scares. How, for instance, to fact-check the segment in an upcoming episode about Hefner having sex with a dog? Or the bit in episode No. 2 about him attempting to engage his then-girlfriend (given the pseudonym 'Kendall' and shown in photos with her face blurred out) in a three-way with an underage girl? Or, for that matter, the veracity of the shadowy Dateline-like reenactments sprinkled throughout to suggest other vague shenanigans at the mansion. It’s all lobbed out there with the weight of a whispered rumor."
TOPICS: Secrets of Playboy, A&E, Documentaries