The Jacksons: Next Generation

Background

The sons of Tito Jackson—Taj, Taryll, and TJ—have performed as the music group 3T since the 1980s. They achieved success in the 1990s, selling over three million copies of their debut album Brotherhood and touring Europe in early 1997. On August 3, 2015, Lifetime announced a docuseries following the three brothers as they work to jumpstart their career and plan to record a new album. The series portrays them as traditional family men facing pressures and demands that come with their last name, including constant rumors, stalkers, and frauds.

TJ Jackson stated that the show was about showing who they are as a family beyond the Jackson brand. Taryll Jackson said the series was a way to focus on what they are doing, such as creating an album, rather than on being Michael Jackson's nephews. Taj Jackson wanted to use the series to counter rumors and misconceptions about his family, noting that social media allows falsehoods to spread if not addressed. Reportedly, two of Michael's children asked to be in the show after their cousin TJ told them about the plans.

Reception

Reviews in The New York Times and Variety were mixed. Variety expressed cynicism about the series' motives.

Jon Caramanica wrote that the brothers seemed vulnerable and lacked artifice, which was built into the show. Brian Lowry found it hard to imagine a more glaring demonstration of irony and hypocrisy, stating the brothers used the show to plot a comeback and secure another 15 minutes of fame. Melissa Camacho called it a somewhat bland celebreality series offering nothing beyond standard reality contemporaries, but praised its positive message about family.

Did You Know?

• The brothers were still affected by the loss of their mother Dee Dee and the death of their uncle Michael.
• TJ Jackson served as co-legal guardian of Michael's three children: Prince, Paris, and Blanket.
• The series depicted the brothers' day-to-day life with their children and their quest to find normalcy.