The Jacksons: A (Black) Family Dynasty

Photo (l-r): Jackie, Marlon, Tito, and Jermaine

If you're a fan of Michael Jackson or his forever-famous brothers of the Jackson Five glory days, you might enjoy spending time with them via this much anticipated reality show. The six-hour A&E series will premiere on Sunday, December 13th at 9:00pm (EST) with two back-to-back episodes. The show will chronicle the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Marlon, Tito, and Jermaine as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion CD and tour, while also coming to terms with Michael's tragic death. After the series premiere tomorrow evening, it will then move to its regularly scheduled time slot, 10:00pm on Sundays, beginning December 20th. Based on some of the reviews I've read about the series, this is what you can expect see...

The Jackson brothers are allowing unprecedented access into their world as they record new material and rehearse for the 40th anniversary celebration of The Jackson Five. You will gain some insight into the brothers' relationships with each other, their parents, and their children, while also balancing the demands of their professional commitments and celebrity. The series will also document the brothers' coming to terms with Michael's tragic loss and how to properly honor his legacy. Filming for the show actually began back in January of this year, but Michael's death apparently renewed interest in the show and filming resumed shortly thereafter. There have also been conflicting reports on whether or not Michael's children, his sister Janet, or his mother Katherine will appear in the show.

Another prominent member of the Jackson clan who you might not see is brother Randy, who joined his singing brothers several years after they had become a household name and he was old enough to participate. Apparently, that unfortunate riff that occurred several years ago between him and Jermaine when he married Randy's once-upon-a-time girlfriend and mother of his child, still rages on to this day. It has been reported that you still "don't invite the two of them to the same party" (as the saying goes) and they do not spend any more time together in the same place than what is absolutely necessary, such as Michael's funeral. Come on guys... you are "brothers" and life is short. Forgive yourselves and each other so you can move on.

One review that I read suggested that the high point of the first two hours comes when Jermaine Jackson cries. Tearfully, he recalls the dark days of 1976, when the rest of the group leaped to CBS Records while only he stayed behind at Motown, remaining loyal to the record label that gave them their first real shot at stardom. "Do you know what it is to be alone? Just to be alone?" says Jermaine. "I was out in the streets and kids were saying, "We don't want your autograph, 'cause you're the one that broke up the group. Tito responds to Jermaine, "When you came back to the group, it was one of the best, favorable memories of my life," as the foursome shares hugs all around.

When the filming started back in January, the premise of the series seemed to center on the Jackson Five, including Michael, reuniting for their 40th anniversary. The other four brothers start planning a tour and a new album. Jackie calls it, "The best album we ever made!" They exchange a lot of expected dialogue such as, "I think we owe it to the fans..." and "We're family... we'll be the Jackson 5 till the day we die." They also talk about the way the media abuses them but said, "Your fans will be there for you. You have that marriage with them from day one. It's the media that tries to come in between it."

You will also see that, just like all everyday-ordinary siblings, they get on each other's nerves. In the studio last May, Jermaine records a vocal track and then heads off to lunch. Jackie decides it's unacceptable and erases it. Later, Jermaine tells is wife at home, "You won't believe what happened in the studio today. I did these vocals, I was very excited about them, and the next thing I know, they were erased."

The first hour, which includes a sentimental journey to their childhood home in Gary, IN ends with the news of Michael's death in late June. Even before his shocking death, it's hard to determine from the series what Michael thought about his brothers' plans for the reunion. His involvement is assumed and he is only seen in archival footage and heard singing on the soundtrack, but he is mentioned quite a bit throughout the show.

The Jacksons' attorney, Virgil Roberts, tells them in the second episode, a month after Michael died... "Your brother was the biggest artist in the world and it's put a special spotlight on you. You're the living legacy." As Roberts speaks, the Jacksons' album and tour seem to still be in the picture, at least for the sake of the series. But, Jermaine isn't in the picture and his commitment to the group is called into question when he misses the official photo shoot. He later tells his brothers that he had an eye infection???

If you click on the above photo or text link under it, you will find the official A&E website for the series and you can become a fan of the show on Facebook. Further, a website called SideReel is hosting a contest that you can enter to win a 3-pack CD set which includes The Jackson 5 "I Want You Back Unreleased Masters", The Jackson 5 "Love Songs", and The Jacksons "Destiny". SideReel has 2 prize packs to give away and all you have to do is post a comment telling them why you're looking forward to watching the show OR once you've watched the premiere, what you like about the new reality series.

Despite the fact that some people might feel the Jackson brothers are merely trying to recapture some time in the spotlight on the heels of Michael's death (Hey, they could be right... Who really knows?), I've decided that I'm going to at least give the show a chance. And, to be honest, it's going to be a real push for me because I generally don't like reality shows of any kind and don't normally watch them. But, just like Michael, I still have a place in my heart for his brothers too because they, like him, have been a thread in the fabric of my life for a long, long time. If I'm nothing else, I'm loyal. I've also discovered over the years that just about anyone who enters your heart as a child, (like it or not) usually stays there forever.