American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

Name: American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story
Genre: Drama, News/Documentary, Documentary
Released: April 6, 2017
Rating: 43

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Mixed or average reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

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Series Details & Credits

Amazon Prime | AMAZON | Release Date: April 6, 2017

Summary: The docuseries features interviews, archival footage and dramatizations to tell the story of Hugh Hefner's magazine.

Genre(s): Drama, News/Documentary, Documentary

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Critic Reviews

David Hinckley

Apr 7, 2017

Season 1 Review: The series doesn’t go too deeply into several issues raised about Playboy over the years, like exploitation, objectification, and elitism. Instead, when it comes to controversy, American Playboy seems to focus primarily on the accusation that because it flaunted naked women, Playboy was obscene. Read full review

Matthew Gilbert

Apr 6, 2017

Season 1 Review: Based on the first two episodes available for preview, the biography, authorized by the 90-year-old Hugh Hefner, unfolds like a bland, hagiographic promotional tool or an affectionate eulogy for the magazine, it’s hard to tell which. Read full review

David Wiegand

Apr 6, 2017

Season 1 Review: What’s missing, at least in the first two episodes, is a deeper conversation about Playboy’s cultural role. ... Otherwise, American Playboy is eminently watchable and generally informative, the kind of look at an enormous cultural icon that PBS might do if “American Masters” included naked women. Read full review

Rob Lowman

Apr 7, 2017

Season 1 Review: Don’t expect “American Playboy” to stray beyond its message. It’s not exactly “Masters of Sex” in examining the nuances in sexual revolution, and there is little depth to its approach. Nevertheless, the docu-series is pretty watchable if for no other reason than to remind us how crazy those times could be. Read full review

Scott Von Doviak

Apr 7, 2017

Season 1 Review: An attempt at fusing those two approaches, the 10-part hybrid series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story weaves archival footage, new interviews, and dramatic re-enactments into a shoddy tapestry. Read full review

Daniel Fienberg

Apr 7, 2017

Season 1 Review: [A] sniggering white-wash. Read full review

The Daily Beast Kevin Fallon

Apr 7, 2017

Season 1 Review: Its examination of the events and of Hefner itself is so transparently revisionist and positive, at least in the two episodes given to critics to screen, that you don’t feel compelled to open your mind at all. Read full review

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tarekali

Feb 26, 2021

This documentary and real life enactment series is as slick and sophisticated as its legendary founder Hugh Hefner, and the playboy lifestyle he created. The production values are amazing, and the soundtrack is even more delightful. It's quite interesting to take a journey of multiple phasesThis documentary and real life enactment series is as slick and sophisticated as its legendary founder Hugh Hefner, and the playboy lifestyle he created. The production values are amazing, and the soundtrack is even more delightful. It's quite interesting to take a journey of multiple phases with Hef, starting from his unmooring from puritanical beliefs in the 50s, to his adoption of his own dreamed lifestyle inspired by his friend and promotions manager Lownes. One could fault Hef for the destruction of family values across the world, and for increased unhappiness of humankind. But one must admire his tenacity and vision to fulfill the lifelong dream of most men worldwide, debatable on its own merits.
The story of Playboy is also a direct parallel to the story of America, born at a time of great rebirth, optimism and progress - the roaring 50’s - when millions fulfilled the American Dream of a better life. Many great brands were born at this time, and Hef’s boat rose with the tides. As we well know the bitter division of racism is alive and well in America today. Hefner broke ground with courage in the era of civil rights when he showcased talent of all races, ignoring the rage of racist Americans. His support of legends like Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin are indicative of his tremendous courage and vision. At critical historical junctures in the long story of America, playboy provided a much needed platform for the frank expression of views. One could definitely claim to have bought it for the articles. The honest and impartial coverage of civil rights issues is itself a permanent accolade. There are some good learnings from the lifestyle that would benefit most men especially today - confidence, tenacity, vision, instinct, suaveness, sophistication, refined tastes, pursuit of perfection, learning and wisdom, literature, arts, music, science, politics, etc etc etc. It was not all about the sins and pleasures of the flesh - it was also about rising above the original and becoming the best version of oneself.… Expand

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Seasons & Episodes

43

Series Overview
Season 1

43
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 6, 2017
- No episode information is currently available for this season