Investigation Discovery is going inside Vanity Fair once again. This week, the network announced that season two of its docu-series Vanity Fair Confidential begins on January 4th.
The show offers an inside look into the journalists and cases that Vanity Fair has covered over the course of its long and storied run.
Season two will feature more behind-the-scenes looks at some of the magazine’s most noteworthy stories. The 12-episode season will cover writer Buzz Bissinger’s 1995 article about a series of killings in Texas and Beverly Johnson’s first-hand account of Bill Cosby’s history of sexual assault in addition to many other stories.
Here’s the official announcement:
(Silver Spring, Md.) -Throughout the years, Vanity Fair has covered some of the most fascinating crimes and dramas of our age, investigating everything from salacious sex scandals to cold-blooded murder at the cross section of power, wealth and celebrity. Investigation Discovery (ID) announced today the premiere of the sophomore season of its hit original series, VANITY FAIR CONFIDENTIAL (12×60), created by Emmy Award-winning True Entertainment in partnership with Condé Nast Entertainment. Offering unprecedented access to the magazine’s award-winning writers and editors, combined with exclusive use of archival images and research from the magazine’s legendary vault of source material, the new season of VANITY FAIR CONFIDENTAL premieres on Monday, January 4 at 9/8c, with all-new stories including a first-hand account from Beverly Johnson and others about Bill Cosby, Robert Sam Anson’s look into the murder of Tupac Shakur, and Clara Bingham’s exposé on accusations of sexual misconduct at the United States Air Force Academy.
“The real stars of VANITY FAIR CONFIDENTIAL are truly the journalists,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America. “From Buzz Bissinger to Bryan Burrough to Mark Seal, we are thrilled to partner with these exceptional writers to provide our viewers insight into the tenacity with which they conducted investigations – all of which culminate, after weeks, months and sometimes more in stories that entertain, inform and inspire.”
In a joint statement, executive producers for True Entertainment, Glenda Hersh and Steven Weinstock, said, “The stories in this series reflect Vanity Fair’s dedication to the truth and to quality storytelling – something that also aligns with True’s mission and values. These are some of the most intriguing, unimaginable and captivating tales of our time; we’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with ID and Condé Nast to bring viewers more compelling real-life dramas this season.”
The first stories featured in season two of VANITY FAIR CONFIDENTIAL include:
NIGHTMARE ON ELWOOD AVENUE by Bryan Burrough (originally published: June 2004) Premieres Monday, January 26 at 9/8c A headless torso washes ashore in Galveston, Texas. A mob boss’s daughter is executed – mob style – in Beverly Hills. A millionaire’s young wife goes missing without a trace from her Upper East Side apartment in New York. For more than twenty years, authorities struggle to figure out how all three crimes are connected. Only one man knows with certainty exactly what happened to all three victims. In this episode, Vanity Fair writer Ned Zeman uncovers the tale of “the fugitive heir.”
BURIED ALIVE by Buzz Bissinger Premieres: Monday, January 11 at 9/8c In this never before told true-crime drama, fear blankets a small town when a daughter discovers a gruesome scene in the home she grew up in, and, in a neighboring community, a father and son also come face to face with their killers. With hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from both locations, only one man will live to tell the tale – after being buried alive.
THE KILLING TRAIL by Buzz Bissinger (originally published: February 1995) Premieres: Monday, January 18 at 9/8c When two young women are shot execution style, some see the shootings as acts of revenge; to others, they are acts of hate. But to police, they are all too familiar – a “killing trail” eerily similar to 30 murders uncovered in Texas two decades ago.
CODE OF DISHONOR by Clara Bingham (originally published: December 2003) Premieres: Monday, January 25 at 9/8c One young woman lives in constant, debilitating fear; another receives death threats. And more than one thousand others also live with a terror that haunts them. They are all members of the American Air Force, and victims of a covert war against women. These American soldiers are determined to take public one of the country’s best-kept military secrets, no matter the consequences.
THE PERFECTLY SINISTER MR. ROCKEFELLER by Mark Seal (originally published: January 2009) Premieres: Monday, February 1 at 9/8c The victim of a grisly murder has his skull and jaw shattered into 25 pieces. A seven-year-old girl from one of the country’s wealthiest and most distinguished families is abducted. Both crimes lead to an international manhunt for an exchange student with a dark past. It’s the secret, sordid tale of “The Perfectly Sinister Mr. Rockefeller.”
DAYS OF RAGE by Bryan Burrough (originally published as “Meet the Weather Underground’s Bomb Guru”: March 2015) Premieres: Monday, February 8 at 9/8c A townhouse goes up in flames on a quiet Greenwich Village block with evidence pointing to a band of revolutionaries that want to kill people – specifically, the police. A nationwide manhunt begins as investigators track an underground group that will stop at nothing to get what they want. Meanwhile, police wonder how many will have to die before justice is served.
BILL COSBY DRUGGED ME. THIS IS MY STORY. by Beverly Johnson (originally published December 2014) Premieres: Monday, February 15 at 9/8c Beverly Johnson became the first black model to grace the cover of Vogue magazine in 1974, catapulting her to celebrity status. In the mid-80s, Beverly receives a call from her agent that Bill Cosby wants her to audition for a role on the The Cosby Show. Encouraging Beverly to come to his house to read for the part, Cosby indicates he wanted to see how she handles various scenes, even suggesting that Beverly pretend to be drunk. As Beverly readies herself to be the best drunk she could be, Cosby offers her a cappuccino from his espresso machine. Reluctantly tasting the cappuccino, Beverly’s head becomes woozy, her speech becomes slurred, and the room begins to spin nonstop. As Cosby places his hands around her waist, Beverly feels her body go completely limp, while her brain switches into automatic-survival mode to make sure Cosby understands that she knew exactly what was happening at that very moment.”
What do you think? Have you seen Vanity Fair Confidential? Will you watch season two?
