Our take
In the 1980s, McDonald’s gave away prizes (the top ones including sports cars, homes, and a million dollars) to whoever got one of their lucky stickers. In the early 2000s, the FBI realized that many of the winners either knew of or were related to each other, and so, a years-long, interstate, underground investigation was initiated. Cops posed as a production crew to draw out a confession. An Italian mafia family, one of the core ones from New York, is somehow involved. It’s the stuff of movies, and so McMillions’ six episodes are packed with intrigue, dramas, and tastefully cut cliffhangers. They’re drawn-out at times, but never boring. The show is kept lively by an upbeat pace, creative art direction, and most importantly, a cast of colorful characters. I dare you to think of anything more American than a multi-million fraud scheme that involves Monopoly, McDonald’s, and the mafia.
The story
A detailed account of the McDonald's Monopoly game scam during the 1990s as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents who caught the security officer who orchestrated the entire scheme.
Elsewhere
"McMillion$ is filled with characters with a capital C, the kind who can recall specific decisions and moments with brutally funny frankness."
— Jen Chaney
"Compassion, not chaos, is the key to "McMillions" success. The mindful storytellers carefully shift tones, sucking viewers into an outlandish story before driving home its substantive impact."
— Ben Travers
This docuseries reveals what went down in the notorious McDonalds Monopoly fraud that cost the company $24 million in losses.
The lively art direction and the even livelier interviewees. FBI Agent Doug Matthews, in particular, is an always-humorous presence onscreen.
That the producers were able to turn a footnote in McDonald’s history into an exciting six-part series speaks to their impressive talents.
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
