Leaving Neverland is finally going to air, and it has the potential to dramatically alter the way you see the King of Pop.
The controversial two-part, four-hour documentary, produced by Frontline‘s David Reed and presented by Oprah Winfrey, recounts the harrowing stories of James Safechuck and Wade Robson, two men who met Michael Jackson as children in 1980s and claim he sexually abused them. Robson met Jackson at age 5, after winning a dance contest, and Safechuck appeared in a 1986 Pepsi commercial with the pop star. Both recount in disturbing detail patterns of manipulation and abuse.
“It’s not a feat of investigative journalism so much as an act of bearing witness,” the New York Times wrote in its review. “‘Leaving Neverland’ is about one man’s possible contribution to the ruin of two families and the anguish that still disturbs them and, in some way, how that ruin and anguish should disturb us.”
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Many have been quick to compare Leaving Neverland to Surviving R. Kelly, the Lifetime docuseries that helped bring about new charges against the R&B singer. But there are key differences: For one, Leaving Neverland focuses almost exclusively on Safechuck and Robson’s allegations, failing to interview anyone who could have complicated the narrative, and it leaves out important context, as recounted in Forbes. Jackson’s estate has already filed a lawsuit against HBO.
But as with Michael Jackson’s child molestation charges in 2005 (and subsequent acquittal), Leaving Neverland will undoubtedly dominate the national conversation, and it will force the public to reckon with Jackson’s complicated legacy.
Here’s how to watch Leaving Neverland online for free.
What channel is Leaving Neverland on?
Leaving Nevermind will be available exclusively on HBO.
When does Leaving Neverland premiere?
Leaving Neverland premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 25, 2019. Part 1 will premiere on HBO on Sunday, March 3 at 8pm EST. Part 2 will follow on Monday, March 4 at 8pm EST.
How to watch Leaving Neverland online for free
The Michael Jackson documentary will only be available on HBO. But there are plenty of options to access the premium cable channel for free… at least for a week, anyway.
1) Amazon Prime Video with HBO
- Cost: $14.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial) for HBO | $119 per year for Prime
- Devices: Amazon Fire Stick, Fire TV, Fire tablets, and Fire phone; Roku, Google TV, TiVo, Nvidia Shield, PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii
HBO is one of the best standalone channels available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video. If you’re a Prime Video subscriber, it’s a convenient place to keep your HBO subscription, and costs the usual $14.99 a month.
2) HBO Now
- Cost: $14.99 per month (after 7-day free trial)
- Devices: Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Cube, Android TV, Apple TV, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
If all you want is HBO, its proprietary on-demand service HBO Now will give you instant access to the channel’s entire history of his shows, movies, and documentaries, along with the ability to live stream new shows and specials.
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3) Hulu and Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $7.99-$11.99 for Hulu or $40 per month (after a 7-day free trial) for Hulu with Live TV | $14.99 per month for HBO
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Adding HBO to your Hulu account is easy as pie. If you’re looking for an online cable package that comes with all that great Hulu on-demand content, Hulu With Live TV is a great offer at a great price. You’ll have almost 60 channels to flip through, including HGTV, a full suite of ESPN channels, Cartoon Network, FX, and even deep cuts like Nat Geo Wild and Syfy. Whichever Hulu package you choose, adding HBO will cost $14.99 a month, after your free trial expires. (Here’s the complete list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
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4) PlayStation Vue
- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial) | $14.99 per month for HBO
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- Local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
If you have a PS4 and want your gaming and streaming needs met in the same place, PlayStation Vue is for you. Jumping from your favorite game to your favorite show is seamless, and controlling it is as intuitive as playing an actual game. You don’t need a PS4 to enjoy this service, though. You can also use a Roku, Amazon Fire devices, and Kodi. Plus, you’ll get channels like AMC, BBC America, and Bravo in PlayStation Vue’s entry-level package. One subscription works with up to five devices, all with unlimited cloud DVR storage making it one of the most binge-friendly solutions. (Here are all of PlayStation Vue channels.)
5) DirecTV Now
- Cost: $40 to $75 per month (after a 7-day free trial) | $5 per month for HBO
- DirecTV Now devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Amazon Fire Stick
- Local channels: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check local availability)
Cable giant DirecTV offers its own online streaming solution with DirecTV Now. For those who need a pile of channels, DirecTV Now offers upwards of 125 channels in its most expensive package, in case you want to relive the days of endless surfing. However, its basic Live a Little Plan will cover most of your live-streaming needs, including the lowest price for HBO at only $5 a month. (You can find the full list of DirecTV Now channels here.)
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