Undercover Tape · Michael Jackson · Deadly Waters
Who's KotFMing it this weekend?
the true crime that's worth your time
Obviously, the big true crime drop this weekend is Killers of the Flower Moon, which landed on Apple+ today after its theatrical and VOD runs. It’s still in some theaters, which is where you should see it if you can and are comfortable. I talked your ear off about the movie on Wednesday, so that’s it from me on the topic. But I am curious about you, so I made a poll. Gotta take advantage of all those Substack bells and whistles until we ascend to the next plane, right?
Anyone who feels these checkboxes are insufficient and prefers to elaborate in the comments, go right ahead.
Whiplash! From prestige to, uh, not, we have Undercover: Caught on Tape, which premiered on A&E last night. That means its maiden episode is available for streaming as of today, so when I go to the gym1 I’m already planning on watching. But my hopes are not hugely high, as this is the premise:
“Undercover: Caught on Tape” is a true crime series offering viewers a first-hand account of dangerous criminal investigations from those closest to the action, the undercover agents themselves. Undercover agents are on the front lines, often risking their lives to gather evidence that may help take criminals off the streets.
So, copaganda for sure, and a newspaper local to the production notes that it’s heavy on reenactments, which more and more quality true crime projects are veering away from for ethical reasons.
That local paper’s piece also notes that the show has evolved from its original concept, which in this case might be a good thing:
The initial plan for the show was different, said Green Leaf’s CEO and executive producer, Rudy Vegliante. “An undercover police officer (with the New York Police Department) came to us,” he said, “and he wanted to do a series on his career.” After pitching the concept around to networks, A&E suggested they tweak the show and try to get approval to include actual surveillance footage of other undercover operations.
What must it be like to walk around with the belief that one’s career is fascinating enough for a standalone TV series? Even for folks using “him” pronouns, that’s impressive. Anyway, a more over-arching series that isn’t set to lionize any one guy is likely preferable, at least to this treadmill user. — EB
Hearsay
Before we get to it: One of the BE fixtures Sarah and I are evaluating as we work on a migration off Substack are linkdumps like this section. If you, as a Best Evidence reader, have an opinion on quick hits-slash-news content like this stuff, please be as candid as you’d like in the comments or via email (we’re editorial@bestevidence.fyi). Thank you!
‘Below Deck’s Captain Lee Solves Crimes On The High Seas In New Oxygen Series ‘Deadly Waters’ [Deadline]
Charter superyacht reality juggernaut Below Deck began in 2013 with a boat, the Honor, Captained by Lee Rosbach. After nearly a decade on the mothership product of the franchise, he left in 2022 for health reasons. But now he’s returning to screens with an Oxygen series called “Deadly Waters, which follows murders that take place in the open waters and oceans,” Deadline reports. Though the trade publication claims he’ll be solving crimes, that’s dubious—this seems more like an In Ice Cold Blood “celebrity” hosting gig. Production is reportedly underway, and a release date has yet to be announced. — EB
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson Biopic Gets Global Release Date Via Lionsgate & Universal [Deadline]
I want to talk about how troubling I find this article. But, first, here’s a timeline of the decades of child sex abuse allegations against Jackson, and here’s an Associated Press and a New York Times gift link to coverage of the still-active sexual abuse lawsuits against the late singer.
I googled and got those in less than five seconds, but Deadine mentions them not at all in that piece about the biopic, which names co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain, as producers. Jackson is a “complicated man,” and “was involved in” “controversies,” the article notes, but fails to acknowledge the criminal and civil claims made against him by multitudes of people. That sure is a weird thing to omit, and I’d love to know why that decision was made. Wouldn’t you?
Let’s compare the Deadline article to an Entertainment Weekly brief that includes quotes from Michael director Antoine Fuqua from last August. An important snip:
The biopic, which is titled Michael and currently on hold amid the writers' and actors' strikes, will tell Jackson's story "as we know it," Fuqua said, suggesting that it would not shy away from the pop superstar's checkered past and complicated legacy. Jackson was embroiled in child sexual abuse allegations during the 1990s, all of which he denied. He went to trial for sexual molestation and was acquitted in 2005. He died at 50 in 2009, from cardiac arrest caused by a drug overdose.
Asked about his approach to the film, which is being made with the cooperation of Jackson's estate, Fuqua said, "Just to tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad, and the ugly."
The Deadline item reblogs some of these quotes, but without the context of how serious the claims against Jackson are, so they seem even more toothless and less believable than they do in their original form.
Of course, both publications should be interrogating Fuqua’s comments more closely. After all, Jackson’s estate sued 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, but the prevailing argument wasn’t that the doc was untrue, but that it violated a non-disparagement clause. The estate and HBO entered arbitration over that claim in 2020. But given the estate’s response to a journalistic examination of some of the allegations against Jackson, Fuqua’s claims that he has a free hand is hard to swallow.
According to Deadline, production on the drama begins on January 22. Academy Award-winning producer Graham King and Lionsgate Chair Adam Fogelson both provided glowing prepared quotes on Jackson to Deadline, with the former saying, “I’m so honored to tell Michael’s story,” and the latter saying, “Michael Jackson was inarguably one of the greatest entertainers of all time. His impact on music, video, art, fashion, culture – and so much more – was extraordinary and is still profoundly relevant.” Neither mention the multiple, credible claims of sexual abuse against the man they so vociferously praise. — EB
Monday on Best Evidence: In observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, we’ll be off. See you on Tuesday!
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This is me announcing gym time not because I am so fucking virtuous but so I will actually go! I am mid-menstrual and know exercise will make me feel better, but all my brain wants to do is lay in bed and search my exes and others who have wronged me on social media.