Friends Speak Premiere Date/Status
Friends Speak SEASON 3 Renewed On Reelz
About Friends Speak TV Series
With their good looks and wealthy upbringings Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka appeared to be a perfect couple with a successful life ahead of them. Their story instead became one of the most ghastly in the annals of true crime. In Ken and Barbie Killers: The Friends Speak on Sunday, March 6 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT three former friends share their stories of them including growing up with Homolka, sharing a cell in prison with Bernardo and reflecting on college life with Bernardo without knowing that he was the Scarborough Rapist. Making their back-to-back REELZ premieres on Wednesday, March 9 are documentary specials about the remarkable sisterhoods of two American icons. First up is Jackie Kennedy: A Tale of Two Sisters at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT with a story of the rivalry and resentment as well as the love and loss shared between Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Bouvier and her sister Caroline Lee Bouvier Radziwill. While the Bouvier sisters spent a considerable amount of time together throughout their lives the bond between pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart and her sister Muriel Earhart was different given Amelia's life in the air. In Amelia Earhart: A Tale of Two Sisters at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT see the sister story of the legacy created by Amelia and protected and preserved by her sister Muriel.
Before a few daring Americans had taken one small step on the moon TV audiences had already been enjoying a giant leap in outer space through the groundbreaking show Star Trek. On Saturday, March 12 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT Star Trek: The Unknown Story explores the series that sparked a pop culture phenomenon that led to multiple movies and TV shows while creating a new type of super fandom in self-described "Trekkies". While fervent fans certainly help drive the success of a show or celebrity that relationship can become toxic and treacherous when lines are crossed and power is abused. On Sunday, March 13 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT R. Kelly: His Friends Speak presents the story of the pop superstar whose world of money, fame and success occluded the dark reality of his sexual abuse of women including underage girls. Now, three of his longtime friends including former promoter, ex-girlfriend and bandmate share details of their relationships with Kelly and grappling with his history of sex crimes. In their own words they discuss what they knew, what they saw and whether they personally believe he is innocent.
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REELZ today announced January 2022 premieres with new original stories about the real lives intertwined with infamous crimes led by new The Friends Speak original specials about the controversial affluenza teen saga and the shocking story of Scott Peterson's barbaric crimes. Also new in January is the documentary special The Chicago Mob: Deadly Associates about an epic real story of crime, murder, family and justice that spans 30 years. The January lineup also features four back-to-back episodes of the original hit series COPS making their REELZ premieres with the unscripted action from the front lines of law enforcement in America.
"Driving our January premiers are the raw and deeply personal experiences of people whose lives were changed after devastating events," said Steve Cheskin, SVP of Programming at REELZ. "The affluenza teen and Peterson stories illicit strong reactions from people and our Friends Speak specials illuminate the real lives of those impacted by Ethan Couch and Scott Peterson. We also look forward to showing viewers the powerful real story of a man who got himself stuck between the mob and federal authorities and whose death triggered a lifelong journey for justice by his son."
The January 2022 lineup begins Friday, January 7 with four back-to-back episodes of the original COPS starting at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT. The original reality ride-along series follows police officers and sheriff deputies during patrols and various police activities by embedding camera crews with their units to give viewers a real look at being in the line of duty. Then it's back-to-back nights of new The Friends Speak original specials starting on Saturday, January 8 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT with Affluenza Teen: The Friends Speak. Kevin McConnell was first on the scene of the horrific 2013 drunk driving crash caused by Ethan Couch. McConnell recalls the scene looked like an airline disaster with carnage stretching more than a quarter of a mile. McConnell along with his son Sheldon and Tim Williams who were also at the scene all share their experiences grappling with the lives lost and the shocking aftermath of Couch's trial. Then on Sunday, January 9 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT it's Scott Peterson: The Friends Speak with six people sharing their personal stories of the tragic case in which pregnant Laci Peterson disappeared on Christmas Day and was murdered along with her unborn son by her husband Scott Peterson. Modesto Detective Jon Buehler who worked on the case shares intimate details about his time with Scott Peterson during the investigation while Peterson family friend Debbie Wolski reveals her experience being a witness in the murder trial and Peterson neighbor Mika Anderson recalls the jarring effect of news crews descending on their neighborhood. Wrapping January 2022 premieres is The Chicago Mob: Deadly Associates on Saturday, January 29 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT about Chicago street kid turned businessman Danny Seifert whose ambitions led him to dangerous dealings with ruthless members of the Chicago mob. Seifert would become the target of a hit and the murder was witnessed by his then young son Joey. The event seared into Joey's heart and put him on a collision course with those responsible.
Below is January 2022 programming listed by premiere date and time. Full synopses for every show follow this list.
Friday, January 7
COPS four back-to-back episodes start at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT
Saturday, January 8
*NEW* Affluenza Teen: The Friends Speak at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
Sunday, January 9
*NEW* Scott Peterson: The Friends Speak at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
Saturday, January 29
*NEW* The Chicago Mob: Deadly Associates at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
Below are detailed descriptions for January 2022 programming listed by premiere date and time:
Affluenza Teen: The Friends Speak premieres on Saturday, January 8 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. From birth Ethan Couch was raised in a bubble of wealth, privilege and lack of consequences. His reckless teenage behavior escalated out of control in a series of incidents that culminated in Couch driving drunk and killing four people while also severely injuring nine more. During his trial and sentencing a radical defense of "affluenza" was presented and became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Couch received a lenient sentence when a jury agreed that he had been sheltered by wealth his entire life and did not develop a sense of consequences and morals. Now in Affluenza Teen: The Friends Speak people intimately connected to the story sit down to share their experiences including Kevin McConnell who was first on the scene of the crash which also injured his son Lucas. Joining him are his other son Sheldon and Tim Williams who were both at the scene and whose friend and youth pastor Brian "BJ" Williams died in the crash. Together they discuss processing the horrors of the scene, that dubious probation only sentence, the role of Couch's parents in the tragedy and why Tim decided to meet with Couch in jail. Also interviewed are investigative journalist Mark Ebner discussing the public outcry surrounding the case and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Eric Bender who discusses the "affluenza" defense from a clinical perspective. The Friends Speak is produced by Kinetic Content and Pyramid Productions.
Scott Peterson: The Friends Speak premieres on Sunday, January 9 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. Scott Peterson met Laci while frequenting a local diner and it was love at first sight. But their storybook love quickly wilted behind the scenes with Scott's multiple affairs none of which Laci knew about. With his pro-golf career ambitions gone Scott set about creating a new life with Laci in the suburbs of Modesto California and start their idyllic family story. But for him the dream was more of a nightmare and he wanted out. On Christmas Day in 2002 pregnant 27-year-old Laci disappeared from their home. The investigation into her disappearance turned into a major media spectacle and later spawned countless magazine cover stories, TV movies and books. A few months later the bodies of Laci and her unborn son were found washed ashore in an area Scott said he went fishing the day Laci went missing. All signs pointed to Scott who was sentenced to death and is now serving life in prison despite his continuous pleas of innocence. Now in Scott Peterson: The Friends Speak six people involved with the story share their experiences including Laci's friends Debbie Wolski and Mika Anderson, Scott's college coach Hugh Gerhardt, reporter Julia Prodis Sulek who covered the story and Modesto Detective Jon Buehler and FBI Dive Team leader Bobby Chacon who both worked on the Peterson case. The Friends Speak is produced by Kinetic Content and Pyramid Productions.
The Chicago Mob: Deadly Associates premieres on Saturday, January 29 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. On September 27, 1974 federal informant and businessman Danny Seifert was gunned down in broad daylight. The crime wasn't so surprising at the time since, after all, this was life in the mob circles of Chicago and Seifert was in deep with the organized crime outfit that controlled the city. What was surprising was that the gunmen left two living witnesses in Danny's wife Emma and their young son Joey. Together, Emma and Joey began a 30-year quest for justice that stretched from the mean streets of Chicago to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. As Joey grew older he began to ask questions. Who killed his father? Why was no one ever brought to justice? Is anyone still looking for the killers? These questions consumed him. By day Joey was a loving father and hardworking family man but like his father he led a double life. If nobody was going to bring his father's killers to justice Joey was prepared to take the law into his own hands. This is a story of ambition, betrayal and revenge but most of all it's the story of how one family did the impossible in helping to bring down the venerable Chicago mob. The Chicago Mob: Deadly Associates is produced by Octane Rich Films and FlashRock Films.
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"Friends Speak", REELZ's top-rated original of the last year, ordered to series from powerhouse producer Kinetic Content and Pyramid Productions
Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak set ratings records, quadrupling the network average on REELZ
Jodi Arias: The Friends Speak, the first instalment in the new series, to premiere December 8 on REELZ
LOS ANGELES, December 03, 2019: Following the high-rating performance of true crime documentary special Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak, REELZ has ordered new series Friends Speak from Kinetic Content and Pyramid Productions. The initial four episode order premieres with Jodi Arias: The Friends Speak, on December 8th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.
Friends Speak is a dramatic new factual series from the unique perspective of those who were friends with notorious criminals or their victims, featuring first-hand accounts of the days leading up to, and the days following, the crimes.
Kinetic Content, which produces Lifetime's three highest-rated series - Married at First Sight, Little Women: Atlanta, and Little Women: LA, and Pyramid Productions produced the Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak documentary which sparked the series commission. The special premiered last December on REELZ, and became the single highest rated original in the past year on the channel among key Adults, Women and Men. Compared to REELZ's original program average, Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak quadrupled the network's average in A18-49 (+420%), W18-49 (+408%), M18-49 (+440%) and tripled the network's average Total Viewers (+312% with 602K). The documentary also attracted a slightly younger audience to the network, with a median age of 54.5 years old, which is roughly 3 years younger than the network's average.
In Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak, viewers witnessed for the first time a group of Casey's closest friends meeting to review the circumstances of her daughter Caylee's death - including a childhood friend of Anthony's rumored to be Caylee's father; a former roommate, who made an emotional visit to the site where Caylee's body was found; the tattoo artist who inked Casey two weeks after her daughter went missing; and a friend who experienced first-hand the media circus days after the story of Caylee's disappearance broke.
Friends Speak is produced by Kinetic Content, a Red Arrow Studios company, and Pyramid Productions. Executive Producers include Chris Coelen and Karrie Wolfe for Kinetic Content, and Buddy Day for Pyramid Productions.
Red Arrow Studios International is distributing Friends Speak worldwide.
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