Michael Jackson: The Verdict Season 1 Review : Unpacks the most controversial chapter in Michael Jackson's life

Story: This docu-series revisits Michael Jackson's 2005 criminal trial through the eyes of those who witnessed it from inside the courtroom.

Review: Michael Jackson's trial on charges of child molestation in 2005 lasted for 60 days, with 85 witnesses and 32 hours of deliberation over 7 days before the highly anticipated verdict finally came out. As the global megastar was acquitted on all 10 charges, we see Sheree, a diehard fan who quit her job as a preschool teacher to be able to attend the trial in person, collapse. Michael Jackson's larger than life persona, the media circus and his fervent fan following were as much a part of the trial as the trial itself. And nearly twenty years after his death, the world is still divided into two - theories and perceptions surrounding his controversial life and the enigma surrounding the biggest pop icon of the century almost reside side by side.

The starting point of perhaps the most covered and most controversial trial in history was Martin Bashir's 2003 BBC documentary, Living with Michael Jackson. 'Michael Jackson: The Verdict' uses archival footage from Bashir's documentary which got exclusive access inside Neverland and was filmed over several months. Bashir's background of securing the explosive interview with Princess Diana in 1995 using forged documents, was unknown to Michael when he agreed to be part of this documentary, which he believed would be good for his image. Back in 1993, the popstar was accused of child sexual abuse by 13-year-old, Jordan Chandler. The civil lawsuit was settled out of court by Jackson for an estimated US$23 million to avoid a lengthy court trial. Michael is said to have gone against the advice of his managers and publicists to do this interview, which showcased his bizarre, flamboyant lifestyle in Neverland that housed a zoo with giraffes and elephants, a fairground with carousels and ferris wheels, and conspicuous home decor. And in the course of the documentary, Michael introduces 12-year-old Gavin Arvizo, a cancer survivor, while admitting that the two sometimes slept on the same bed together and strongly asserting that there was nothing sexual about it. In the months following the telecast of this interview, Michael Jackson was charged with child molestation and intoxicating a minor with alcohol.

As 'Michael Jackson: The Verdict' sets out to present the 2005 trial which was not filmed, it relies on accounts of those who were present in the courtroom. Journalists, analysts, the prosecution team, his defence attorneys, members of the jury, his committed fans who managed to attend - weigh in on the happenings of the next few months. The witnesses who showed up, the ones who changed their statements in court, testimonies by Gavin Arvizo and his older brother in court, the way the defence cross examination led by Tom Meserau played out, the setbacks for the prosecution. The film also gives an inside to the Sheriff's footage which was shot during the raid at Neverland Ranch - the dolls, the bedroom, a room filled with tapes, a painting of The Last Supper depicting Jackson in place of Christ. And particularly unsettling footage of Gavin speaking at the Sherrif's station about two instances of sexual abuse by Jackson and how he used to offer the kids, what he called Jesus Juice - soda spiked with alcohol. However, the Arvizo family had also featured in a video right after Bashir's documentary was telecast, coming together in support of Jackson.

The series constantly plays the two sides out - leaving the viewers to decide for themselves. It is intriguing to hear a jury member recount how the courthouse was swayed and tapping away to MJ's music when it was played in court as part of Bashir's documentary. Then the overwhelming support that the musical genius received from his plethora of fans, who showed up outside the courthouse, followed his car, incessantly rallying for his innocence. The grey past of the Arvizo family that is revealed in court to Debbie Row changing her position stance at the witness box, the discomfort of knowing the Arvizo brothers had to testify disturbing details in court as minors. The testimonies of Macaulay Culkin, Brett Barnes and Wade Robson versus the testimonies of ex-employees who worked at Neverland (Robson later changed his stance in the 2019 documentary, Leaving Neverland, accusing Jackson of sexual abuse). The claim that Jackson and a close associate (Frank Tyson, who had lived with him since the age of 5 and was then a personal assistant to the musician) had a phase of ordering video tapes with images of child pornography. Michael Jackson landing up in court, dazed and in pyjamas, on the verge of getting arrested. The constant media presence and speculation. Headlines that slid from 'King of Pop' to 'Wacko Jacko' and 'Peter Pan to Pervert' overnight.

There is a lot to unpack from the series, especially if one is rusty on the details of the trial that took place 21 years ago or for a generation that has been enthralled by Michael Jackson's music, after his time.

Was Michael Jackson a victim of conspiracy theories as his staunch supporters believe or was there really a criminal, dark chapter in his life that the jury failed to pin? Inconsistent witness testimonies, accusations of financial extortion, contradictory witnesses, lack of physical evidence were some of the reasons behind his acquittal. Jackson passed away four years after this verdict.

This docu-series comes close on heels of the Michael biopic that just been released at the movies - severely panned by critics for ignoring the controversies surrounding the global icon and at the same time, fans ensuring whopping box-office numbers for the film. A dichotomy much like the musician's life itself, almost 20 years after his death, the conversations surrounding the verdict haven't died down while his music still tops the charts, decades later. 'Michael Jackson - The Verdict' adds to the series of documentaries that have come out on the superstar's complex, controversial life and makes for an engrossing, unsettling watch.