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Chrisley Knows Best alums Todd and Julie Chrisley walked out of prison in May 2025 after President Trump granted them a pardon and soon, Lifetime fans saw them appear in Season 1 of The Chrisleys: Back to Reality.
Will there be a second season? Read on to find out.
The New Show
The Chrisley family didn’t waste any time. Instead of laying low, they went straight back to TV. Savannah Chrisley teased a show while her mom and dad were still serving time for tax and fraud-related crimes.
She occasionally talked about finding a network. Then things happened in a hurry.
Their new docuseries debuted on Lifetime in September last year, and it looked nothing like their old USA Network show. The glossy, structured comedy was gone. Instead, it was a raw look at a family trying to piece their life back together.
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According to data from TV End Dates, the first season provided closure on their prison stint, but the franchise now stands at a crossroads.
Whether the series continues now depends on one thing: a renewal from Lifetime. It’s not clear if The Chrisleys: Back to Reality lies in the future. Maybe the family will switch to a brand-new business venture in South Carolina.
Season 1 Recap
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The first season of The Chrisleys: Back to Reality swapped out scripted quips for real family struggles. Camera crews followed the legal fallout, Savannah’s time as a guardian, and the family’s prison reunion.
Viewers met Julie’s parents, Harvey and Pam Hughes, who made their reality TV debut. Their estranged daughter, Lindsie Chrisley Campbell, stayed completely away from the cameras. But that wasn’t unexpected.
The different format didn’t scare viewers away. The season finale brought in roughly 364,000 viewers, per TV End Dates. Critics gave the series mixed reviews. But Chrisley Knows Best fans still tuned in to watch the drama.
The Renewal Possibilities
As of July 2026, Lifetime hasn’t renewed the show. Naturally, that sort of silence brings plenty of speculation about the way forward for Todd Chrisley, Julie, and the rest of the original cast.
Todd remains confident. Back in September last year, Todd spoke confidently about the show’s future on The Tamron Hall Show. He insisted that the series has a future.
“It will continue, it’s going to get picked back up,” Todd said.
He also shared that crews only filmed two episodes of footage after their release from prison.
In a separate interview with US Weekly, Todd hinted at a second season and noted that their television return was “not for money.”
He said he wanted a brief continuation to show their daily adjustment rather than a decade-long reality run.
Not everyone shares his optimism. By October, stories emerged that a cancellation seemed inevitable. TV Season Spoilers suggested Lifetime might scrap the show due to family infighting and issues with Savannah.
The network never confirmed those claims.
A New Show Concept
Network greenlight or not, the family is already tracking a backup plan. Reportedly, Todd and his immediate family hope for a different reality show centered on a move from Nashville to Charleston, South Carolina.
According to The Post and Courier, the couple plans to buy a historic mansion in Charleston. The project might involve converting it into a boutique hotel.
If the rumored show ever happens, perhaps folks can expect to see the renovation process. Then it could move into the day-to-day stress of running a hospitality business.
It seems like an ambitious move for Todd and Julie after their exit from the federal penal system.
Changing Cast Dynamics
A hotel-based series would naturally change who’s in front of the cameras. The hotel project would likely focus on Todd, Julie, Savannah, and Grayson. Some family members might find themselves left out.
Chase Chrisley’s involvement seems uncertain based on current family dynamics. He still works hard at staying sober.
Meanwhile, Todd’s oldest son, Kyle Chrisley, was kept out of the first season entirely. Folks suspect it’s because of his fractured relationship with his dad.
A December 2025 arrest for alleged assault and public intoxication keeps Kyle in the headlines.
Celebrating The Soaps suggested his ongoing legal issues could either start a family reconciliation or create a whole new on-camera conflict for a second season.
Lindsie Chrisley will definitely not be checking into the new hotel show. Savannah made the family stance very clear, declaring that her half-sister is “no longer family” after she cooperated with federal investigators.
Lindsie has plenty going on away from the rest of the family, including her own recent traffic-related legal issues.
Uncertainty vs. Ambition
For now, nobody knows whether Lifetime will order another season. That leaves Todd and Julie in an unusual position. They have a TV series waiting for a decision while they’re already talking about an entirely different reality show.
Whether viewers see them again may depend on what happens first. Lifetime could renew the series, or the family’s proposed Charleston hotel project could become the basis for an entirely new show.
For now, the future of The Chrisleys: Back to Reality remains uncertain. Lifetime hasn’t announced another season, but Todd has made it clear he expects the cameras to keep rolling.
If that doesn’t happen, the family’s Charleston hotel project could become the focus of a completely different reality series.
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