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The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood opened viewers' eyes about one of the most infamous true crime stories ever. The MGM+ docuseries not only revisited the shocking Los Angeles murders, but it built upon the Audible podcast to create a more immersive experience. Making that possible was director Alison Elwood, who tackled a project unlike anything she'd ever done before.

It was Elwood who had the idea of turning author Michael Connelly, best known for his Bosch novels, into a TV detective as she put him on camera. In an interview with Cbr, she spoke about making that decision and shaping the visual style of the four-episode series to make it distinct from the podcast as well as other true crime shows. Plus, she reveals what she found the most surprising along the way.

Cbr: The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood is such a startling docuseries.

The final episode of MGM+'s docuseries, The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood, is now available to stream. In it, best-selling crime novelist Michael Connelly (the mind behind Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer) goes back through the 1981 murders on Wonderland Avenue, a case that embodied the sex and drugs era of Hollywood and inspired Boogie Nights. The murders span several corners of history and pop culture, involving famous porn star John Holmes, kingpins such as Pablo Escobar, mafiosos like Eddie Nash, and even Liberace and his boyfriend, Scott Thorson.

Connelly may be best known for his Harry Bosch novels, which have resulted in 10 television seasons worth of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, but he also has a long and storied history as a journalist. He put his investigative skills to excellent use when putting together his Audible Original, The Wonderland Murders & the Secret History of Hollywood, but...

The fourth episode of The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood explores the aftermath of the 1981 Wonderland Avenue murders, focusing on Scott Thorson, who testified against the alleged mastermind behind the massacre. The episode, titled “The Last Man Standing,” airs on MGM+ and looks into the unexpected twists and turns of Thorson’s […]

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood: The Last Man Standing...

The second episode of The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, titled “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” continues to examine the twisted story of the massacre that took place on Wonderland Avenue on July 1, 1981. Best-selling crime novelist Michael Connelly looks into one of Hollywood’s most notorious and fascinating murder cases. […]

The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood: The Man Who Knew Too Much...

Michael Connelly is one of the great crime novelists of this generation, having given readers the Harry Bosch novels that led to the successful TV series Bosch and Bosch: Legacy. But what viewers of those shows may not realize is that Connelly began his career as a journalist, telling true crime stories. In 2021, he dove into one of Los Angeles' most infamous cases with the hit Audible podcast The Wonderland Murders & The Secret History of Hollywood.

Now MGM+ is bringing the podcast to television in a four-part series entitled The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, adding even more to an already gripping narrative. In an interview with Cbr, Connelly spoke about what made him want to revisit the project and why he believes the TV show made it better. Plus, did any of his experience with the Bosch franchise or other TV credits come into play in...

Scott Thorson, the former lover of Liberace and a key witness in the trial for the 1981 killings known as the Wonderland Massacre, died in Los Angeles on Aug. 16. He was 65 and was a patient at a Los Angeles healthcare facility. Thorson had been suffering from cancer and a heart condition.

Thorson, who later legally changed his name to Jess Marlow, brought a $113 million palimony lawsuit against Liberace in 1982 that attracted a great deal of media attention. After the suit was filed, Liberace continued to deny he was gay and stated in court depositions that Thorson was never his lover. The case was settled in 1986; Thorson received $75,000 cash, as well as three cars and three pet dogs, valued at $20,000. Liberace died in 1987 of HIV/AIDS-related ailments.

In 1988, Thorson published “Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace,” a memoir about his time with Liberace. It included claims that the entertainer paid for Thorson to get plastic surgery,...

The true crime docuseries The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood is set to premiere on MGM+ starting September 8, 2024, at 10 p.m. Et/Pt. The four-episode series, based on Michael Connelly’s hit Audible podcast, is directed by Alison Ellwood and executive produced by Connelly, Ellwood, Jen Casey, Nick Gilhool, Eli Holzman, Aaron […]

MGM+ Releases Trailer True Crime Docuseries ‘The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood’...