“Leaving Neverland,” the HBO documentary detailing an investigation into child sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson, generated an array of emotions for viewers after it debuted Sunday. The film centers around Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who say Jackson repeatedly molested them when they were children. The first half that aired Sunday detailed their experiences, including perspectives from relatives who knew Jackson at the time and described him as a harmless, childish pop star. Robson and Safechuck were separately brought into Jackson’s inner circle as children under the guise of mentorship. The men allege that the pop star introduced them to kissing, pornography, masturbation, oral sex and more while they were kids. They said they only realized in their 30s that their alleged respective experiences with Jackson amounted to assault. Many, including activists and celebrities, tweeted their support for the alleged victims.

As a former child actress, I can’t help but watch this documentary and think about how wrong it is for children to be put in the position of performing for the soul purpose of pleasing adults. It’s such a slippery, dangerous, often abusive slope. #LeavingNeverland — Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) March 4, 2019

who would leave a seven - yes 7 - year old boy with a grown man - makes no sense to me as a mom - — ROSIE (@Rosie) March 4, 2019

Other viewers were more critical of the documentary and its subjects. Some even used hashtags such as #MJInnocent and #MuteHBO to express their discontent.

Do not watch that bullshit about Michael Jackson.. play his music instead. — Paul Mooney (@PaulEalyMooney) March 3, 2019

from a storytelling standpoint #LeavingNeverland is a very bad documentary. I’m up to listen the stories of survivors of any abuse. I’m on their side always, but this being about the greatest megastar in the world and a dead person, I expected a lot more of facts and research. — Gabriel Torrelles (@gabetorrelles) March 4, 2019

In 1993, Michael Jackson gave HBO and Oprah their biggest ratings ever.



He solidified them as household names and boosted their companies profits.



Now 25 years later, they are working together to destroy his legacy and lynch him in death.



Despicable. #LeavingNeverland — 🌴 (@BBonTheBrain) February 27, 2019

The family of Jackson, who died in 2009, has called the film “a public lynching.” In a statement, the Jackson estate called the movie “a one-sided marathon of unvetted propaganda to shamelessly exploit an innocent man no longer here to defend himself.”

What do you want to say about your brother as #LeavingNeverland is about to hit the country?



"I want them to understand and know that this documentary is not telling the truth. There has not been not one piece of evidence that corroborates their story." -- Marlon Jackson pic.twitter.com/O73o19flry — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 26, 2019

Oprah Winfrey, who taped “After Neverland,” an interview with Robson and Safechuck that will air on HBO Monday, anticipated the backlash. “We’re all gonna get it, I’m gonna get it, we’re all gonna get it,” she told press during the taping of the special, referring to potential anger from Jackson fans. Still, Winfrey and others felt it was important that people see the documentary that shed light on the pop star’s alleged dark past. “I know people all over the world are gonna be in an uproar and debating whether or not Michael Jackson did these things or not, did he do it or not do it, whether these two men are lying or not lying,” she said. “But for me, this moment transcends Michael Jackson. It is much bigger than any one person. This is a moment in time that allows us to see this societal corruption. It’s like a scourge on humanity and it’s happening right now. It’s happening in families.” The strong reactions to the film come not long after the film’s premiere at January’s Sundance Film Festival, where it also left attendees shellshocked. As HuffPost reported, the festival’s director, John Cooper, introduced the documentary with a trigger warning and told attendees that mental health professionals would be available to speak to them in the lobby.

Feel sick to my stomach after watching Part 1 of #LeavingNeverland doc. Michael Jackson witnesses/sex abuse victims coming off very credible. It’s so sexually explicit that counselors are in the lobby. #SundanceFilmFestival2019 — Mara Reinstein (@MaraReinstein) January 25, 2019