# McMillions on HBO **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2020, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620 "2020-02-08T12:24:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/1 "2020-02-08T12:24:12Z")
Documentary in 6 parts on how McD monopoly game was a scam from 1989 to 2001. Small group won all the big money. Very good show. Mondays at 10. This Sunday is part 2. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/2 "2020-02-08T13:05:06Z")
This does look like an interesting doc, but 10 episodes? That seams way over the top. I feel like they should be able to adequately cover the subject in 2 hours or less. I’ll give the first episode a go though. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/3 "2020-02-08T13:18:06Z")
It’s only six episodes. Who’s saying it’s ten? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/4 "2020-02-08T13:53:17Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > It’s only six episodes. Who’s saying it’s ten? Nobody but the guy who hadn’t had his coffee yet apparently. My mistake. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/5 "2020-02-08T14:01:43Z")
The first episode was great, there is also a companion podcast to the series. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/6 "2020-02-08T15:38:20Z")
If you’re interested in the story itself, you might want to read [this article from The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-an-ex-cop-rigged-mcdonalds-monopoly-game-and-stole-millions), which is where many of us first heard the story. BTW, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck bought the rights to the Daily Beast story, with the intention of making a big-screen adaptation. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/7 "2020-02-08T16:21:00Z")
I have not seen this one yet but sometimes having a forum like Netflix where documentaries can do an entire season instead of a two hour movie is detrimental. Too many suffer from lack of editing because they are not forced to cut it down. It makes me hesitant to start documentary series. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/8 "2020-02-08T19:29:34Z")
The documentary’s a little slow, but Agent Matthews is enough of a character himself to make for enjoyable viewing. pah, pah, puh, pah, pah, I’m loving it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/9 "2020-02-09T01:29:59Z")
yes I think they don’t need 6 episodes 3 or 4 should be enough. episode 1 does explain why it went on so long. I will put it in a spoiler box Marketing head of security was the ringleader ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/10 "2020-02-09T14:53:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If you’re interested in the story itself, you might want to read [this article from The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-an-ex-cop-rigged-mcdonalds-monopoly-game-and-stole-millions), which is where many of us first heard the story. BTW, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck bought the rights to the Daily Beast story, with the intention of making a big-screen adaptation. I read (more or less) that article. It ran on far too long itself and I started skimming. Can’t imagine watching a \>1 hour documentary on it. (Despite it having local interest.) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/11 "2020-02-09T15:00:43Z")
I don’t know if I can stand Agent Matthews for six episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/12 "2020-02-09T19:11:53Z")
Since this is an HBO show which male character will get naked first? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/13 "2020-02-09T19:21:07Z")
i knew about this even before it hit the news my brother was the manager of a majorly placed mc’ds in Indiana when it went down … when they did the blink and you missed it sting op he called me to tell me dont worry about playing it since they were testing something and it wasn’t a real contest that time The funny thing was tho i wonder if they’ll cover the things mcds its self got in trouble over like what they would do is specifically make it so you couldn’t get the whole set without going around the country and then say you traded pieces with someone so the prize was voided as the wrote a “no trading rule” Its one reason along with the scam they just do scratch off pieces now ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/14 "2020-02-13T13:29:04Z")
another very good episode Monday with an interesting twist to the story ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/15 "2020-02-13T14:01:56Z")
I take back what I said earlier. This doc is WAY better than I thought it was going to be. I would NOT want to be friends with Agent Mathews but he is a hoot to watch on the TV. lol ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/16 "2020-02-13T15:13:58Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I have not seen this one yet but sometimes having a forum like Netflix where documentaries can do an entire season instead of a two hour movie is detrimental. Too many suffer from lack of editing because they are not forced to cut it down. It makes me hesitant to start documentary series. It’s HBO. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/17 "2020-02-13T15:15:01Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I take back what I said earlier. This doc is WAY better than I thought it was going to be. > > I would NOT want to be friends with Agent Mathews but he is a hoot to watch on the TV. lol Yes, he definitely keeps things interesting. Liked the part where the grandfather is sweating bullets trying to tell his “story” of how he won and Agent Matthews is just poking at him the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/18 "2020-02-13T15:16:28Z")
they tried to interview another FBI agent who was very involved but he turned them down. It was very funny how that one winner was sweating like mad during the interview ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/19 "2020-02-13T20:12:45Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I don’t know if I can stand Agent Matthews for six episodes. He reminds me of [someone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Stucker#/media/File:Stephen_Stucker.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620/20 "2020-02-21T16:06:21Z")
Still good but I don’t think they need 6 episodes to tell the story. There is a lot of filler that is not needed [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcmillions-on-hbo/847620.md?page=2)