Dynasty: The Murdochs (Netflix) Review – Rupert Murdoch’s Children Battle for the Media Empire
Dynasty: The Murdochs Review (Netflix)
Some family dramas are so extraordinary they feel like fiction. Dynasty: The Murdochs is one of them. The story of Rupert Murdoch and his children often reads like something straight out of a Jeffrey Archer novel, filled with rivalry, ambition, betrayal, and a relentless battle for power.
Growing up in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s, Rupert Murdoch seemed to influence almost every general election. He was often described as a political kingmaker, with politicians desperate to win the backing of The Sun. As a teenager I regularly read Private Eye, which portrayed Murdoch as one of the most controversial figures in British public life.
When Netflix released this documentary, I was eager to discover more about the man who had such an enormous influence over British politics and the global media.
Who Are Rupert Murdoch’s Children?
Lachlan Murdoch
Lachlan is Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son from his second marriage and is generally regarded as the child whose political outlook most closely mirrors his father’s. For many years he has been viewed as the natural successor to the family empire.
James Murdoch
James is widely considered one of the family’s most capable executives. However, his more moderate political views often put him at odds with his father. His career was overshadowed by the phone-hacking scandal that engulfed News International during his leadership.
Elizabeth Murdoch
Elizabeth established herself as an impressive businesswoman in her own right. Despite her achievements, the documentary suggests Rupert never seriously viewed her as the future leader of the family business, reflecting his traditional views about succession.
Prudence Murdoch
Rupert’s eldest child from his first marriage, Prudence largely stayed away from the day-to-day running of the company. Although she remains financially secure and retains voting rights, she avoided much of the intense rivalry experienced by her younger siblings.
What Was Rupert Murdoch Like as a Father?
One of the documentary’s strongest themes is Rupert Murdoch’s parenting style.
Rather than encouraging cooperation, he appeared to foster constant competition between his children. Every promotion, every new role and every responsibility became another test to determine who might eventually inherit the family empire.
The documentary portrays succession almost as a lifelong contest beginning in childhood.
Elizabeth was given responsibility for struggling Australian television stations. Lachlan and James were also handed increasingly important roles, each assignment serving as another examination of their leadership abilities.
While many family businesses prepare the next generation for leadership, Dynasty: The Murdochs argues that Rupert Murdoch pushed this philosophy to an extreme, often setting siblings against one another in pursuit of a single prize.
Is Dynasty: The Murdochs Worth Watching?
Without revealing the documentary’s biggest revelations, Dynasty: The Murdochs paints a fascinating picture of one of the world’s most influential media families.
Whether you admire Rupert Murdoch or strongly disagree with his politics, it is difficult not to be captivated by the family dynamics.
The documentary explores how ambition, wealth and succession planning can shape family relationships in ways that leave lasting emotional scars.
It raises an uncomfortable question: should children be raised primarily as future business leaders, or allowed to develop their own identities?
A Personal Reflection
For much of my younger life, Rupert Murdoch fascinated me.
His newspapers were enormously influential in British politics, and I often disagreed with the positions they took. Yet, like millions of others, I occasionally bought The Sun or the News of the World. Their mix of celebrity gossip, sport and sensational headlines clearly appealed to a huge audience.
Looking back, it’s easy to question whether readers—including myself—helped sustain the culture that eventually led to scandals such as phone hacking. At the same time, readers are not responsible for illegal actions taken by newspaper executives or journalists.
That contradiction is one reason I found this documentary so compelling.
Where Are the Murdoch Family Today?
The documentary concludes by showing a family whose relationships remain deeply strained.
The competition encouraged throughout their upbringing appears to have left lasting divisions between the siblings. Questions over succession, ownership and control of the Murdoch media empire continue to influence family relationships, making the Murdochs one of the world’s most closely watched business dynasties.
Final Verdict
Dynasty: The Murdochs is an engrossing documentary that goes far beyond media history. It is a story about family, power, ambition and the personal cost of building a global empire.
Whether you are interested in British politics, media history or simply enjoy real-life family dramas that rival the best fiction, this series is well worth watching.
Rating: 9/10
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