Written by Michelle Liloia
Netflix’s Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is more than just a sports documentary, it’s a meditation on community, identity, and the power of sports to shape our lives. From the very first scene, the series pulls you into the story of a team that meant so much to a city and its fans. What makes this documentary truly compelling is how it balances nostalgia and emotional resonance with critical analysis, examining not just what happened, but why it happened, and what it meant for the people who loved the team.
The series does an amazing job of capturing the passion of Expos fans. Through interviews, archival footage, and fan recollections, it’s clear that the team was never just about baseball, it was a central part of Montreal’s culture and a source of pride. Watching the documentary, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences with sports, and how much a team can become a part of your personal history. It’s rare to see a documentary convey that sense of emotional attachment so effectively without feeling manipulative or overly sentimental, but this series does it so well.
One of the most compelling aspects of the series is how it examines the broader forces that shape professional sports. It’s easy to think of teams solely in terms of players, wins, and losses, but Who Killed the Montreal Expos? shows that complex decisions, pressures, and economic realities are always at play. Rather than reducing the story to a simple tale of mismanagement, the series invites viewers to consider the human side: the heartbreak of fans, the nostalgia of memories, and the lingering sense of “what could have been.” It is both a personal and collective story, which is what makes it resonate on multiple levels.
Even if you’re not a baseball fan, or even a sports fan at all, this documentary has something to offer. It’s about community, loyalty, and loss in a way that feels universal. It’s about the tension between business and culture, and how something deeply meaningful to a group of people can be altered, or even taken away, by forces beyond their control. For me, that’s what makes the series linger long after you’ve finished watching.
In the end, Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is a thoughtful, emotionally rich exploration of a sports franchise, its city, and its fans. It’s a documentary that entertains, informs, and moves you, all at the same time.
The series leaves viewers with a mixture of respect for the team’s legacy, empathy for the fans, and a renewed awareness of how sports connect us to each other and to our own personal histories. Whether growing up cheering for the Expos or discovering their story for the first time, it serves as both a must-watch and a reminder of why sports documentaries can be so much more than just games on a field.
