Spike Lee's Michael Jackson Bad:25 documentary in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the King of Pop's iconic album earned raves from critics. Time Magazine, for example, called it “an intimate view of a performer at his peak in the intense splendor of creativity.” The only problem: No one watched it. Well, some did, but just enough to put the documentary neck-and-neck with the Charlie Brown Christmas special as the lowest rated program in the 18-49 demographic. The film's airing was deliberately timed with the re-release of Bad, but perhaps it should have been scheduled not to coincide with football games, which evidently beat even the King of Pop when it comes to America's Thanksgiving television preferences.
From Popular Critic:
Critics praised Spike Lee’s Michael Jackson documentary that celebrated the 25 anniversary of the King of Pop’s BAD album and tour…
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the documentary “restores the reputation of Jackson as a multi-hyphenate musician of peerless discipline, professionalism and perfectionism – not to mention a pioneering influence in dance and fashion.”
The success of the documentary came as no surprise as Spike Lee has been known for producing Emmy Award winning documentaries, but perhaps airing the special on Thanksgiving Day wasn’t the best move.
Despite exclusive interviews with A-list celebs such as Kanye West, Sheryl Crow, Wesley Snipes, and Mariah Carey, Sunday Night Football on NBC stole almost every Thanksgiving viewer.
As New England geared up to play New York, more than 16 million viewers tuned in to watch the game as they enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinners.
Read more at Popular Critic.