Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife (2023)
Director: Emmy-nominated director Ben Steele
Cast: Benita Alexander (journalist and former fiancée of Paolo Macchiarini) Former colleagues and whistleblowers (e.g., surgeons who exposed the fraud) Families of victims
Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife (2023) is a riveting #TrueCrimeDocumentary directed by Ben Steele, chronicling the disturbing real-life story of Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, once celebrated as a regenerative medicine trailblazer. His pioneering—but unauthorized—windpipe transplants using stem-cell-coated synthetic tissue led to patient deaths and left many irreparably harmed. NetflixPeople.com
The series unfolds over three gripping episodes, opening with the romance between Macchiarini and Benita Alexander, a journalist who was both his investigative partner and his naïve confidante. Her eventual exposure of his lies becomes the emotional anchor of the narrative. NetflixVanity Fair+1
The documentary widens its lens to include colleagues who became whistleblowers and distraught families of his patients—painting a damning portrait of a man whose charisma masked a trail of deception and hubris. Heaven of HorrorMoviesRPeople.com
Through archival footage, interviews, and investigative narration, the series lays bare the systemic failure that let Macchiarini deceive elite medical institutions worldwide. It interrogates the ethics of unchecked ambition and institutional complicity, balancing emotional testimony with critical analysis. MoviesRVanity Fair
Viewer Reactions & Reception
- IMDb: A solid 7.2/10, reflecting strong viewer engagement IMDb
- Rotten Tomatoes: Holds a 62% Tomatometer, indicating generally positive reception among critics Rotten Tomatoes
- Critics & Reviews:
- Heaven of Horror praises its honest and thorough unraveling of Macchiarini’s lies and manipulation Heaven of Horror
- Midgard Times calls it a “shocking exposé of medical malpractice” though frames of sensationalism can feel heavy-handed MoviesR
Social Media Reactions (Reddit):
“How anyone could believe his stories is beyond comprehension… The lack of basic skepticism is stunning.” Reddit
“The story of how this surgeon fooled top medical institutions is what we really want to know… this documentary sacrificed that for the love con.” Reddit
These discussions reflect the tension of the series: a blend of psychological intrigue, medical ethics, and personal betrayal that left viewers both unsettled and reflective.
Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife (2023) is a riveting #TrueCrimeDocumentary directed by Ben Steele, chronicling the disturbing real-life story of Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, once celebrated as a regenerative medicine trailblazer. His pioneering—but unauthorized—windpipe transplants using stem-cell-coated synthetic tissue led to patient deaths and left many irreparably harmed. NetflixPeople.com
The series unfolds over three gripping episodes, opening with the romance between Macchiarini and Benita Alexander, a journalist who was both his investigative partner and his naïve confidante. Her eventual exposure of his lies becomes the emotional anchor of the narrative. NetflixVanity Fair+1
The documentary widens its lens to include colleagues who became whistleblowers and distraught families of his patients—painting a damning portrait of a man whose charisma masked a trail of deception and hubris. Heaven of HorrorMoviesRPeople.com
Through archival footage, interviews, and investigative narration, the series lays bare the systemic failure that let Macchiarini deceive elite medical institutions worldwide. It interrogates the ethics of unchecked ambition and institutional complicity, balancing emotional testimony with critical analysis. MoviesRVanity Fair
Viewer Reactions & Reception
- IMDb: A solid 7.2/10, reflecting strong viewer engagement IMDb
- Rotten Tomatoes: Holds a 62% Tomatometer, indicating generally positive reception among critics Rotten Tomatoes
- Critics & Reviews:
- Heaven of Horror praises its honest and thorough unraveling of Macchiarini’s lies and manipulation Heaven of Horror
- Midgard Times calls it a “shocking exposé of medical malpractice” though frames of sensationalism can feel heavy-handed MoviesR
Social Media Reactions (Reddit):
“How anyone could believe his stories is beyond comprehension… The lack of basic skepticism is stunning.” Reddit
“The story of how this surgeon fooled top medical institutions is what we really want to know… this documentary sacrificed that for the love con.” Reddit
These discussions reflect the tension of the series: a blend of psychological intrigue, medical ethics, and personal betrayal that left viewers both unsettled and reflective.