Lifetime Movies & Controversial Biopics

Lifetime is an American television channel that is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a branch of Arts & Entertainment (A&E), which is jointly owned by the Hearst Cooperation and The Walt Disney Company. The channel features programming that is focused towards women or features women in lead roles. Television shows featured on Lifetime focused toward women in leading roles include Dance Moms, Project Runway, Little Women: Atlanta/LA/New York, and Bring IT.

For many people, Lifetime is the channel network to go to on a lazy weekend to indulge in an addictive captivating movie. Some Lifetime movie favorites include Cleveland Abduction, A Mother’s Nightmare, Flowers in the Attic, and Stalked by My Neighbor. The movies tend to be melodramas and thrillers that women, and even some men, seem to love. The films may relate so well with women due to the fact that most men in Lifetime movies are not to be trusted. Nevertheless, most people can say they enjoy a Lifetime melodrama or thriller from time to time.

On the other hand, Lifetime biopics do not always resonate well with the fans. The most recent Lifetime biography named Britney Ever After is based on the life of pop star Britney Spears portrayed by star Natasha Bassett. Britney Spears is an American pop singer, dancer, and actor, but has been recently known for her personal struggles. The biopic follows Spears through her early years and her rise to stardom, while also reminding fans of her painful breakdown and highlighting her climb back up to success. There are some confusing aspects to this biopic, including that most Spears fans are already familiar with her story because they have seen it unfold, so why tell her life story when she is still living it and it is at an exciting place in her career? The two-hour movie was produced by Asylum Entertainment and premiered Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.

Spears made it clear she was against the making of the movie and does not authorize it as a proper biography. Time Magazine reported her management saying, “Britney Spears will not be contributing in any way, shape, or form to the Lifetime biopic nor does it have her blessing.”

Britney Ever After is not the first time Lifetime has been proven to be shady when it comes to biopics. The Aaliyah, Brittany Murphy, and Whitney Houston Lifetime biopics have had the same controversial issues concerning authorization and how the stars were depicted in the films.

Unfortunately, Britney Ever After will probably not be the last controversial biopic the Lifetime channel releases. Lifetime is known its notorious biographies and it seems to not have a conscience about airing them without authorization from the portrayed stars or their families. The channel is good for watching melodramas and thrillers, but when it comes to biographies, Lifetime has some work to do.