Streaming the Netflix docuseries Depp v. Heard with the hope of getting to see something new on the fallout between Hollywood star Johnny Depp and his ex-wife actress Amber Heard is futile, at least for those who followed the highly-publicised televised trial in 2022.

For those who did not keep up with Depp and Heard’s private lives unravelling in front of the world, it is a recap worth watching while keeping in mind the biases of the makers of the docuseries.

What the Depp v. Heard docuseries is about

The John C. Depp II (Johnny Depp) v. Amber Laura Heard defamation trial held in Fairfax County, Virginia, was livestreamed for the world to view last year. Since the beginning of the trial in April 2022 to the final verdict in June 2022, the court battle trended on social media, with followers divided between the two camps.

Over a year after the jury ruling in favour of Depp, Netflix released the documentary series Depp v. Heard — directed by Emma Cooper — with the aim of making viewers question the truth behind the trial.

The three-episode show stitches together some of the key moments of the trial by picking out portions from over 200-hour of courtroom footage, and sheds light on the social media and news media frenzy that unfolded around the former celebrity couple.

The series questions the implications of the verdict on victims of domestic violence as well as the Me Too movement, while also pointing out how deeply social media affects our lives. But all these questions had been the subject of discussion even when the trial was on anyway.

Questioning Depp’s authenticity and highlighting Heard’s plight

The series explores if Depp’s account in court — which elicited a tremendous positive response from the public — was truthful enough. A known reveal that the show highlights is the testimony of the Pirates of the Caribbean star’s assistant Stephen Deuters. In court, Deuters denied claims that Depp had kicked Heard on a private jet in 2014. However, when court documents of excluded evidence were unsealed, it showed texts between Deuters and Heard that appeared to acknowledge the incident.

On the other hand, Heard’s testimonies had become popular meme fodder while the trial was on. Depp v. Heard tries to drum up sympathy for Heard by showing montage upon montage of the social media clips that poked fun at her breaking down in court and during post-trial interviews. The show highlights that The Rum Dairy actress’s right to identify as a victim of abuse was questioned and she received backlash even from domestic violence victims, who felt triggered by her testimonies.

The docuseries tends to blame public opinion for Heard losing the lawsuit. Depp v. Heard implies that the social media content around the trial put Depp on a pedestal and only pushed to prove Depp was right as he was a bigger celebrity than Heard. The show creators haven’t taken into account the lawyers and mental health professionals who posted unbiased analysis of the trial online. It also does not acknowledge that the shift in public support from Heard to Depp had a lot to do with Heard and her lawyers’ activities in court.

Post-trial update on Depp and Heard

While Depp won the defamatory lawsuit, Heard had also won one of the counterclaims against her former husband. Both parties had appealed the verdict but later dropped the appeals and came to a settlement in December 2022.

Since the trial, Depp has been spending most of his time in the UK, focusing on his music career instead of acting. He has been touring in Europe with the band Hollywood Vampires, sharing the stage with musicians like Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. There is still a chance of him returning to movies as his Instagram profile describes him as an ‘occasional thespian’ and he recently starred in the trailer for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Despite petitions by fans for Heard to be dropped from her role in the second Aquaman film, she is believed to be returning as Mera in the Jason Momoa-starrer sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, slated to release on December 20, 2023. In June, the actress made an appearance at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy. Eluding the buzz surrounding the Netflix show, Heard moved to Spain with her daughter, Oonagh Paige.