TV Docuseries Review: “McCartney 3,2,1” on Hulu

In McCartney 3,2,1, Paul McCartney sits down for a rare, in-depth, one-on-one with legendary producer Rick Rubin across a six-episode series of intimate conversation.

Watching this feels as if we are sitting in on a conversation that we’re not supposed to be hearing, giving its audience a real fly-on-the-wall experience. It reflects on Paul’s career with The Beatles, as a solo artist, and how all of the songs came to be.

While it might seem like everything there is to be told about Paul McCartney and The Beatles has already been told, this series is here to disprove that. Covering the songwriting process, music production, anecdotes about his friend John Lennon, stories of the antics of a young Paul McCartney, tales about his upbringing, and the thrill of the band’s iconic live performances, the series is surprisingly honest and open. 

This is entirely how I suspect a hangout between Paul McCartney and Rick Rubin would go down, whether there was a camera filming them or not. Do you remember hanging out with your friend in a basement listening to music or watching movies and just breaking down every little thing about it? Well, McCartney 3,2,1 is almost exactly that, just with a film crew. If this were a VHS tape, the back could say “Two music bros reflecting on life,” and it would be totally accurate.

I can honestly say I’ve never seen a documentary quite like it. It’s really like they put these two close friends and collaborators in a dark room with one light and let them talk about whatever they wanted. And then everyone is going to watch it.

The black and white cinematography gives us a blank black slate as the background. The only things you’re seeing are the illuminated or backlit actions of our two irreplaceable characters. It’s beautifully shot.

Rick Rubin is going to be giving every journalist and reporter a run for their money. He’s such a natural at interviewing Paul, and while I’m sure the friendship the two of them share plays a factor, it felt so comfortable and laid back.

Hearing Paul McCartney speak about anything is almost a therapeutic experience. He has one of those voices that are so unique to him.

In case you are wondering if you should watch this docuseries, check to see if you fall into one of the following categories:

• you’re a big fan of The Beatles
• you’re a big fan of Paul McCartney
• you know next to nothing about The Beatles and/or Paul McCartney
• you like music documentaries
• all of the above

McCartney 3,2,1 is streaming now exclusively on Hulu.