Secrets of Penthouse

There’s a sense of karma, perhaps, in watching his almost Shakespearean descent from the Penthouse to the poor house, provided one doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on the voyeurism that’s central to making “Secrets of” such a viable concept.

My first reaction was to wonder if this was really necessary, as we know Penthouse was the racier, more graphic competitor to Playboy, with the gravel-voiced, cartoonishly lascivious Bob Guccione often coming across as a sleazier version of Hugh Hefner. What more is there to tell? As it turns out: a LOT. .... The often toxic dynamic between Guccione and his grown children is deeply reminiscent of the fictional Roy family from “Succession.”

Those looking for sensationalism or titillation will be disappointed to discover that A&E’s four-part docuseries is devoid of shocking revelations.