Why so much hype?

Best movie ever!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The Jacksons had been given a summer show, and when that ended, the network felt there was enough interest to produce a regular season prime time show. The brothers brought on other family members who hadn't been in front of the cameras much, with the exception of Janet, who was a child actress. However, when this show began, the group was no longer with Motown, and their popularity was beginning to slip. Add that to high production values that are typical for variety show, and you have the formula for why this didn't last beyond one season.