The upcoming true crime docuseries will explore tragedies associated with the Playboy brand.

ID

Since its 1953 launch, Playboy and its founder Hugh Hefner have been divisive topics of conversation. Some believed that the brand contributed in positive ways to the sexual liberation movement, while others felt it exploited women. However, one former Playboy model has worked to expose the iconic brand’s dark side since her exit from the Playboy Mansion. Holly Madison, whose unconventional relationship with Hugh Hefner was documented on E’s reality series The Girls Next Door, shared damaging details about her time in the mansion through a memoir and in this year’s Secrets of Playboy docuseries. Madison now serves as executive producer for ID’s upcoming true-crime series, The Playboy Murders. The trailer can be found below on Investigation Discovery’s YouTube.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Some of the tragedies that have surrounded the world-famous publication are highlighted in The Playboy Murders. The series explores the death of Jasmine Fiore, whose remains were found in a dumpster after a Playboy party; the story of Stacy Arthur’s obsessive fan and the untimely death of her husband; Carole Gold, a former model who was sentenced to life in prison; and the murder of another former model, Christina Carlin-Kraft. As seen in the trailer, Madison also appears in the new series.

In her 2016 memoir Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny, Madison details the emotional abuse she suffered while living at the Playboy Mansion from 2001 to 2008. Earlier this year, she appeared on A&E’s Secrets of Playboy. The 12-episode docuseries exposed scandals and abuse allegations against the magazine’s founder, friends, acquaintances, and members of the Playboy Club, a series of nightclubs owned by the brand.

Hefner died on September 17, 2017, at the age of 91. Playboy states that the Hefner family currently has no ties to the brand, which exists only as an online publication.

Related: Best Docuseries of 2022, So Far

ID Shines a Light on Hollywood Horrors

A&E

The Playboy Murders premieres on January 23 at 10 pm ET. The series will air on ID and stream on Discovery+ the same day. The series will follow Death by Fame, a true-crime series that premieres the same day and “explores the dark underbelly of Hollywood,” according to its logline.

As a major network for true crime, ID remains committed to the genre. In a statement, President of crime and investigative content, linear and streaming Jason Sarlanis said:

“Starting this January, ID is moving right into the center of the pop culture conversation by unpacking how fascination with celebrity can quickly twist into an obsession with devastating results. With two new gripping series, we’ll explore some of the most shocking crimes in pop culture history.”