The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood: Release date, plot, trailer, and more 

A new, thrilling four-part docuseries, The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, will premiere on September 8, 2024, at 10 PM ET/PT, exclusively on MGM+. This highly anticipated series whisks audiences back to one of the most notorious and shocking murder cases in the history of Hollywood: the 1981 killings that took place on Wonderland Avenue.

Viewed through a very dark lens, bestselling crime author Michael Connelly reveals the secrets of this brutal real-life horror story within this noir-styled documentary. Set against the backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood delves deep into a seedy underworld full of drugs, s*x, and murder.

In each episode, Connelly revisits key players in the case, including detectives and prosecutors, and a cast of characters that includes mafia members, celebrities, and televangelists. At the center of this narrative is Scott Thorson, Liberace's ex-lover, whose stories provide the key to unraveling the truth behind the murders—if they can be believed.

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The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood: Viewing details

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood airs Sundays on MGM+ beginning Sunday, September 8, 2024, at 10:00 PM ET/PT. The series will be available to stream on the platform by subscribers. For those who prefer to binge in episode order for maximum suspense and character build, it's recommended to watch week-to-week.

Time Zones:

• Eastern Time: 10 PM ET
• Pacific Time: 10 PM PT
• Central Time: 9 PM CT

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Attention on Michael Connelly and the reception of the trailer

The series follows Michael Connelly, whose experiences as a crime novelist and crime reporter make him an ideal guide through this grim tale. Connelly makes a methodical investigation of the case; it reopened old wounds and carried new insights into one of the darkest moments in Hollywood's history.

From Alison Ellwood, the mind behind Laurel Canyon and San Francisco Sounds, comes a look into The Wonderland Massacre, already gaining a lot of interest from its gritty style and in-depth look at the crime. The combination of archival footage and modern interviews with those involved in the case has audiences interested in true crime and Hollywood noir pretty captivated.

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Cast and Crew

While Michael Connelly is the face and voice of this series, a good deal of the quality in the making of The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood lies behind the camera. It is helmed by Alison Ellwood, who has directed many award-winning documentary series and films.

Ellwood's previous works, like The Go-Go's and The History of the Eagles, have demonstrated her ability to grasp complicated, character-driven stories. The interviewees include some of the original detectives who worked the case, undercover cops, and prosecutors who were first-hand purveyors in the bloodbath that was to become known as the Wonderland Avenue massacre.

Scott Thorson, an outsized personality looming large over the narrative, becomes the real linchpin in the attempt to unravel or further cloak the truth. Rooted in Connelly's popular Audible podcast series of the same name, it brings instant credibility to the depth of research and storytelling.

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Deep dive into the plot of The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood

The core of The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood is the investigation into the quadruple murder that occurred on July 1, 1981. The massacre, related to Hollywood's underbelly of drugs, crime, and corruption, actually came out of a drug deal gone wrong. The notorious porn star John Holmes found himself entangled in the crime, adding sensationalism to an already shocking story.

Connelly weaves the puzzle together throughout the series through interviews, archival footage, and court records. The core issue is the credibility of the testimony from Scott Thorson. Thorson was deep inside the Hollywood world because of his relationship with Liberace, which made him a crucial but sometimes dubious informant about the events preceding the murders.

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood captures Thorson in great depth with both the victims and perpetrators of the massacre. Themes of deception, betrayal, and survival are woven throughout the documentary which begs the question in viewers' minds what is fact and what is fiction in a case that has been sensationalized for over 40 years.

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood will be released over four weeks, with each episode premiering every Sunday.

Episode Guide:

• Episode 1: "The Heat of a Cold Case" – September 8, 2024
• Episode 2: "The Man Who Knew Too Much" – September 15, 2024
• Episode 3: "Up in Smoke" – September 22, 2024
• Episode 4: "The Last Man Standing" – September 29, 2024

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Promising high drama, shocking revelations, and real-life quintessential villainy, The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood is all set to be one of the most discussed docuseries of 2024.