Surviving R. Kelly

Smart, moving and deeply researched.

It is a staggering, stomach-churning narrative work--especially for those who have experienced similar traumas.

Raw and arresting docuseries. ... Vital. It's not only a familiar #MeToo narrative about how show business exploits young women; it's also a gutting testament to how society has allowed a monster to thrive simply because his victims are young black women.

[Executive producer dream] hampton keeps things simple, to the point of starkness, but that matter-of-fact approach makes “Surviving R. Kelly” all the more heartbreaking. The series relies largely on talking-head interviews, with many participants shot against a plain black background. It’s not the most innovative format, but it ensures we never lose focus on what’s being said. ... It is brutal viewing. But it’s so good to know it exists.

The makers of Surviving R. Kelly seem keenly aware of the scrutiny these women will face as they fight for justice; each interview is conducted as carefully as a deposition, and every survivor comes across as poised, intelligent and reflective. ... Racial issues permeate every facet of this tragedy, and a team led by executive producer dream hampton (a veteran cultural critic best known for her work on the documentary Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life and JAY-Z’s bestselling book Decoded) dissects them in all their complexity.

By the end of the series, as the producers follow families desperate to loosen their daughters from Kelly’s grip, it’s impossible to come to terms with the fact that this is not an overly dramatized saga you’d normally find on Lifetime, but the very real story of a person the subjects say is a “predator.”