The Chrisley family is making a highly anticipated return to television with their new reality series, “The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.” This marks their first on-screen appearance in two years, following the conclusion of “Chrisley Knows Best,” which ended after Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced for tax evasion and bank fraud. Now, having received a high-profile presidential pardon from Donald Trump in May 2025, the family is ready to share their story with the world, offering an intimate look at their lives post-incarceration.

The new docuseries is set to premiere as a two-night television event on Lifetime, beginning Monday, September 1, and continuing on Tuesday, September 2. Each night will feature a two-hour episode starting at 8/7c. Following the premiere, back-to-back episodes will air on Tuesday, September 9, with the season finale scheduled for Tuesday, September 16.

Many familiar faces will be featured in “The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.” Todd and Julie Chrisley will lead the series, joined by their children Savannah, Chase, Grayson, and adopted granddaughter Chloe. Fan-favorite Nanny Faye also returns, promising her signature wit. For the first time, Julie’s parents, Harvey and Pam, will appear on the show. However, Todd’s older children from a previous relationship, Lindsie and Kyle Chrisley, are notably absent and are not participating in the new project.

A five-minute trailer released by Lifetime on July 31 offered an emotional glimpse into the family’s current dynamic. The trailer opens with a phone call between Savannah and her father, Todd, who was still incarcerated at the time. Todd assures Savannah, “We will get through this. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but at some point, the truth is going to come out.” Savannah reflects on the family’s struggles, stating, “With my parents gone, our household is completely divided. I told my parents, I don’t know if it can ever be repaired, honestly.” Chase also shares his perspective on the impact of “Chrisley Knows Best,” noting, “I don’t think people really understood how big Chrisley Knows Best was. My dad’s this insane human. I think it definitely made good TV.” He added, “We were filming one thing that was this happy life. Cameras go down, and we’re also fighting a fed case.”

Todd and Julie Chrisley were initially sentenced in November 2022 to a combined 19 years in prison for multiple charges, including bank and wire fraud and tax evasion. Their sentences were reduced in 2023 during ongoing appeals. The turning point arrived on May 27, 2025, when President Donald Trump officially announced their pardons during a phone call with their children, later shared on X. Trump stated, “It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean. I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good luck.”

Upon their release, Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, shared on their “Chrisley Confessions 2.0” podcast that returning to normal life has presented unexpected challenges. Julie mentioned that a common consensus among formerly incarcerated women she spoke with is that “life is rougher than prison life.” Todd elaborated, acknowledging the horrific physical conditions of prison but asserting that “from an emotional and psychological standpoint, it is harder dealing with day to day” life outside. Julie explained that in prison, there was a sense of mental simplicity, and one became more removed from the outside world. She also spoke about the heartbreak of being away from their children but noted that survival instincts eventually kicked in, leading to a routine where she focused on her own well-being. Having been “thrown right back into the real world” without a halfway house or probation officer, adjusting has been a crash course in reality.

The family’s new reality series also delves into personal struggles. Savannah Chrisley, 28, recounted on her “Unlocked” podcast how one experience drinking with her brother Chase, 29, at age 19 or 20, led her to vow never to drink with him again. Julie Chrisley, also on the podcast, hinted at Chase’s public struggles, likely referencing his January arrest in Atlanta for allegedly slapping a bar manager. While the bar employee ultimately chose not to press charges, the incident is revisited in “The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.” Chase admitted on the show that he didn’t “remember a lot” from that night and insisted he “wouldn’t slap somebody.” He acknowledged hitting “rock bottom” and drinking heavily after his parents’ imprisonment, reflecting on taking “Chrisley Knows Best” for granted and lacking boundaries in his life without his parents there to guide him. The arrests and convictions of Todd and Julie led to the cancellation of “Chrisley Knows Best” and its spinoff, “Growing Up Chrisley.”