McMillion$

HBO Documentary Review: “McMillion$”

Critics gave it an 86%, users a 66%

Rated: TV-14 with six episodes with a run time of 1 hr each and an IMDb of 7.4/10.

The story of an ex-cop turned security officer who rigs the McDonald's Monopoly game promotion for a decade, stealing millions of dollars and building a vast network of co-conspirators across the U.S.

McMillion$ is a documentary miniseries about the McDonald's Monopoly game scam that occurred between 1989 and 2001, perpetrated by Jerry Jacobson, who was in charge of security for the agency that ran the promotion, and several accomplices. The series premiered on February 3, 2020 on HBO.

As with everyone else on the planet I never in my wildest dreams thought this game was fixed. I recall playing the game myself, and feeling hopeful every time I peeled off a sticker. Had I known back then it was rigged, I wouldn't have played. After watching this documentary I was pissed off to the max!

It’s a well done documentary of an elaborate scam that could easily have gone undiscovered. I knew nothing of this crime and have resisted googling it, so unlike most documentaries where I already know the eventual outcome, this was way more entertaining. The stories how these various folks got involved in this scam are fascinating, as is the method the ringleader used to pulled it off.

They do stretch this out over 6 episodes. But if you’re like me you’ll definitely want to know all about the moving parts that make up this scam. It was really fascinating to watch. McDonald's had a wildly popular game. Everyone had dreams of winning big. But behind the scenes, a number of people cheated. It was unfair to McDonald's, unfair to scores of employees of all of the companies involved, and unfair to the general public that played by the rules. But that doesn't tell the WHOLE story.

This series explores the darkest, furthest corners of such a massive con, perpetrated not just against a large corporation, but against the general public. All for the promise of an enrichment that a select few gained. I had no idea, starting to watch it, just how many people were involved, how elaborate it was, and how long it went on. So if you want all of the details, to hear everyone's stories, their justifications, their regrets, and what it truly cost them in the long run, then be patient and watch every minute of every episode.

I highly recommend that you watch this……..I know that most of you, if not all of you that read this had no clue what was going on when the game was played either…..LOL