<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-11-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000944868</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DIRECTV GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DTV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001317717</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Newcomb Nancy</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2230 EAST IMPERIAL HIGHWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EL SEGUNDO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90245</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-11-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>18620</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 3, 2009 as amended, by and among The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (&quot;DIRECTV Group&quot;), Liberty Media Corporation, Liberty Entertainment, Inc. (&quot;LEI&quot;), DIRECTV, DTVG One, Inc. and DTVG Two, Inc., the holders of outstanding shares of DIRECTV Group common stock (other than direct or indirect subsidiaries of LEI) received one share of DIRECTV Class A common stock for each share of DIRECTV Group common stock held.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jan Williamson, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-11-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
