“Gunther’s Millions” Review: Criminal Conspiracy, Sex Social Experiments And The World’s Richest Dog

Who doesn’t love a good doggo? They’re man’s licky, jumpy, tail-chasing best friend! We all know at least one dog owner who tends to be a tad too affectionate of their canine buddy. This story though takes the idea of fur-baby to the next level! Imagine, if you will, a long and storied family tree of a German noble house. It’s survived through centuries and the culmination of that bloodline is… a German Shepherd.

No shade on the dog, it’s a good-looking one for sure and it’s probably very loyal to the family too. Still, we don’t think he should necessarily be deemed worthy to carry on the family name along with an inheritance of $400 million. We know what some of you are thinking: Why was I born a human? This odd tale of a wealthy German countess bequeathing an obscene amount of money to her pet dog is a lot less endearing than you think.

Beneath the paper-thin smiles of the dog’s many, many caretakers and stakeholders, there is a convoluted web of lies, scandals and schemes – or so the marketing would have us believe. Does “Gunther’s Millions” makes good on its promise of intrigue? Or is its bark worse than its bite?

If you’re as big of an animal lover as we are, then we think “Gunther’s Millions” will be a treat for you. A lot of it is basically luxury porn for the cuddly Gunther IV, who is actually the grandson of the countess’ original pet dog, Gunther III. That’s right, the inheritance has been passed from Gunther’s great-grandfather!  Before the German Countess Karlotta Liebenstein passed, she had placed a considerable amount of money for Gunther III, seeing that she had no living heir to bestow her vast fortune to. Her son had unfortunately died. Since then, the countess grew close to Gunther III, treating the dog like she would her flesh and blood.

Now, it’s clear that the dog can’t exactly act upon the wealth given to him. Therefore, she asked her a close friend of her deceased son, an Italian entrepreneur named Maurizio Mian to watch over her canine companion and his family. Mian spared no expense in showing Gunther the high life. Throughout the documentary, you can see Gunther travelling between elegant Italian villas and towering mansions, with one being formerly owned by Madonna herself! He flies by private jet, owns gorgeous yachts, eats the finest food cooked by a team of private chefs and is constantly seen to be the centre of attention of beautiful models.

Honestly, if the docuseries was just centred on Gunther living the high life, we’d be more than happy to binge-watch through the whole season. It certainly helps that the lovable German Shepherd is surrounded by a cavalcade of quirky characters who all claim to have the dog’s best interest at heart. If you came here for the novelty of living vicariously through the eyes of an animal then no doubt you will be satisfied. That being said, as the docuseries continues on, it moves towards a less wholesome angle and into the realm of downright weirdness!

For starters, the means by which the countess acquired and kept her vast fortunes were certainly morally dubious, to say the least. It turns out that a lot of the countess’ money wasn’t even hers! Then we have Mian who has gone way beyond the simple task of taking care of the dog and has created his very own multi-media production empire under The Gunther Corporation. So as you dive deeper into the story of Gunther, the docuseries begins to raise questions with regard to Mian’s character. Is he just an eccentric parasite who basically used his friend’s mother’s dog as an excuse to live out his fantasies? Was there ever a time he genuinely love the dog? By the end of the series, you may find yourself feeling conflicted but still nonetheless entertained.

One thing that director Aurelien Leturgie is unambiguous about is the insane social experiment that took place in Gunther’s house. Five people, known as the Magnificent Five, also as the Burgundians, were given the opportunity to live in a mansion with Gunther but they had to adhere to the 13 Commandments as part of the Gunther Project. Participants of this social experiment were told that they had to experiment with drugs, frequently have sex with each other and better themselves physically and mentally. This was all done in the name of science according to Mian.

Michelle Mainoni, a former Burgundian, is our window into the strange dealings that happened in the house. She describes people in lab coats following them and taking notes in this insane pseudo-scientific social experiment in which no one really knows what the aim was. She also recounts how orgies in the house became a frequent occurrence. While the Gunther Project was touted to be done in the name of science, it felt more like a religious hedonistic cult.

Things get really interesting in the final episode of the docuseries when we learn about the aftermath of Gunther IV’s passing. Mian and his cohorts had to find a way to keep the money flowing so they set up a dog-breeding company called Forteriva. Here’s where things take a dark turn for the pets. We hear from animal rescue volunteers like Ginverva Dini about how Gunther’s children were left neglected and essentially abused. That being said, the docuseries does end on a happy note with Gunther’s descendants now living free and happy lives away from the prying eyes of the public.

While director Aurelien Leturgie’s “Gunther’s Millions” isn’t a life-changing watch, it’s definitely a fun way to kill a few hours on a weekend. Framed within a clear and well-paced narrative, there is no shortage of strange and fascinating detail throughout this docuseries. If you’re looking to take a break away from Netflix’s many, many serial-killer-based, true crime documentaries then this may just be the thing you’re looking for.

You can now catch “Gunther’s Millions” on Netflix today!

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