Lifetime Announces ‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning’ Docuseries

Lifetime announced Wednesday that Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning — the previously announced follow-up to the network’s probing look into the singer’s alleged sexual abuse — will air in early 2020.

The first half of the two-night, four-hour special will premiere January 3rd, with the second part to follow January 4th. On January 2nd, before Part II, Lifetime will air the six-hour Surviving R. Kelly in its entirety.

Part II looks back at the immediate cultural impact in the aftermath of Surviving R. Kelly, as well as runs down everything that has happened to the singer since the docuseries aired, including his record contract termination, a gun threat at the docuseries’ premiere, the Illinois state charges against Kelly and a pair of federal indictments.

The follow-up will feature new interviews with journalist Jim DeRogatis, Damon Dash, Mathew Knowles, #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke, W. Kamau Bell, State’s Attorney for Cook County Kimberly Foxx, lawyer Michael Avenatti (who represents some of Kelly’s alleged victims) and women like Jerhonda Pace and Kitti Jones, who featured prominently in Surviving R. Kelly.

New accusations against the singer will also be unveiled in the two-part special, which will air as part of Lifetime’s Stop Violence Against Women Initiative.