Several years after the cancellation of Chrisley Knows Best at USA Network, the eponymous family is returning to the reality genre amid the 2025 TV schedule. Lifetime officially ordered the Chrisleys’ new project to series, and the show is currently in production. There’s been a major change in production, however, given Todd and Julie Chrisley being pardoned from their prison sentences. Now that they’re back in the fold, a PR expert is weighing in on how the celebrity couple should proceed as they move forward after their legal woes.
Based on what Todd Chrisley – as well as his daughter, Savannah, – has shared since his release, he and Julie are pleased to be out of prison and in the position to resume their lives. Public relations veteran Eric Schiffer believes they should tread lightly as they return to the TV business, though. Schiffer, who serves as the CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, tells Fox News that the Chrisleys shouldn’t expect to charm their way back into the public’s good graces. In the exec’s eyes, they’ll have to take a different approach:
Redemption is a grind, not a headline. If you want the crown back, start by crawling –because no celebrity gets to skip the hard part. You can’t Netflix your way out of disgrace. Substance beats spectacle. A strong comeback is built on humility, not headlines. Redemption doesn’t come from a camera crew but the grind when nobody’s looking.
In 2022, Julie and Todd Chrisley were found guilty by a jury on charges of tax evasion, bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Ultimately, Todd was handed a 12-year prison sentence, while Julie was ordered to serve seven years. Both reported to their respective facilities in early 2023 and, since then, their children spoke up on their behalf. By early February 2025, it was reported that Todd was seeking a pardon from U.S. President Trump. That clemency ultimately came to pass in May, with Savannah confirming the news.
Eric Schiffer argues that the formerly incarcerated couple shouldn’t try hard to separate themselves from the legal controversies that have surrounded them for years now. He punctuated his viewpoint with the following thought:
Don’t try to outshine your scandal — outwork it.
The initial logline shared for the untitled Chrisley TV project detailed how the show would revolve around Savannah and her siblings – Chase, Grayson and Chloe – as they navigate their personal lives. Todd and Julie’s absences and how the kids were dealing with them was also said to be a major part of the show. Considering that the two parents are now out of prison, it goes without saying that the show could look much different.
As of this writing, Lifetime hasn’t released an official statement on how the Chrisley parents’ presence may change up the series. One insider, however, did claim that the show was “evolving rapidly” in order to compensate for the pardon situation. Interestingly enough, the source even name-dropped Wendy Williams, specifically using her 2024 docuseries to illustrate the fluid nature of the Chrisleys’ latest production.
Todd and Julie Chrisey have received more than a little advice since exiting prison. “Presidential pardon czar” Alice Marie Johnson suggested they take a beat before they jump back into their usual business. When it comes to the thoughts shared by Eric Schiffer, it remains to be seen whether the Chrisleys will heed the advice and exercise humility as they produce their new reality TV series.
