Variety show “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris,” sitcom “Undateable” and special musical event “The Wiz Live!” were all created with a specific audience in mind.
“I’m a live junkie,” stated
NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt at the Television Critics Association
press tour in August.
“I think it’s one of the tools that we have available to us
to try to compel the audience to watch something when we program it, which, of
course, is the great challenge we all have now, because you can time-shift and
watch shows whenever you want them,” Greenblatt continued. “Our business really
depends on people watching in a certain time period. So live can be a real aid
to that.”
Here’s how the network is exploring live TV.
Here’s how the network is exploring live TV.
Undateable
Currently in its third season, “Undateable” executive producer Bill Lawrence and creator Adam Sztykiel decided to take the show from pre-taped to live last spring, making it the first show to be produced in this way in over two decades.The show revolves around friends and coworkers at a Detroit bar who routinely experience difficulties with romance.
Stand-up comedians make up the principal cast members – Chris D’Elia, Ron Funches, Rick Glassman and Brent Morin – and it was determined that their knack for ad libbing could be beneficial.
“In front of a live audience, they go off and improv and
roll with it to an extent that we could never really capture once we went
through the editing process and streamlined the show,” Lawrence told
the Wall Street Journal.
Lawrence went on to discuss the format’s appeal.
“I really enjoy two things about it — the live experience
and the feeling that it’s dangerous and anything can go wrong,” Lawrence said.
“If I could have tweeted or Instagrammed or Periscoped or talked to my favorite
actors and actresses and showrunners when I was a kid, I would have never left
my room.”
An added benefit is that the show’s characters can discuss
events and situations that recently appeared in the news.
“Part of the value of being live is that you know what
happened that day before you shoot it,” Sztykiel told Vulture. “It reminds you
that you’re watching something that’s happening at that exact moment in time.”
Additionally, the live aspect provides opportunities for
actors to break or flub their lines.
“My favorite thing is when I see someone start to laugh and
lose their mind,” said Lawrence. “We always try to turn someone. I like to get
Bianca [Kajlich, ‘Leslie’] laughing because it makes me laugh that when she starts
laughing, she can’t stop.”
And on October 23, the show elected to do an additional live
episode for the west coast, instead of re-airing the east coast antics.
“There’s an unspoken definition around here between the two shows,” says Glassman, who portrays Adam Burski. “The East Coast feed is the show and the West Coast feed is for us. It’s play time. It’s like after the East Coast feed we got into college, and now it’s just time to party.”
“There’s an unspoken definition around here between the two shows,” says Glassman, who portrays Adam Burski. “The East Coast feed is the show and the West Coast feed is for us. It’s play time. It’s like after the East Coast feed we got into college, and now it’s just time to party.”
Best Time Ever
From mid-September through early November, NBC aired an
eight-episode season of “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris.” The live variety
show featured a celebrity guest announcer, pranks on audience members, musical
performances, a trivia contest and more.
“For me, experiential entertainment is where it’s at,” Harris explained. “When you’re watching something as it’s happening and you’re overwhelmed by it, you can legitimately leave troubles
“For me, experiential entertainment is where it’s at,” Harris explained. “When you’re watching something as it’s happening and you’re overwhelmed by it, you can legitimately leave troubles
behind and have community with people
experiencing the same thing. I love all that.”
When asked if “Best Time Ever” would work in a non-live
format, Harris demurred.
“I’ve only considered it an option as being live,” Harris
said. “That’s why you want to watch it, because you’re never sure how it’s
going to go. If that was pre-taped, you’d just assume that there has been a lot
of editing… I don’t know that NBC feels the same way I do, because they understandably
want to make sure it’s very view-able television.”
At present, NBC has not yet announced whether or not it will renew the show.
At present, NBC has not yet announced whether or not it will renew the show.
The Wiz Live!
Tonight, at 8 p.m. EST, “The Wiz Live!” premieres on NBC.
The special will be an adaptation of the 1975 Broadway musical, featuring Shanice
Williams (Dorothy), Elijah Kelley (Scarecrow), Ne-Yo (Tin Man) and David Alan
Grier (Cowardly Lion), amongst others.
The event continues a recent network practice of developing live musicals during the winter time; previously “The Sound of Music Live!” and “Peter Pan Live!” were produced.
“The Sound of Music” drew in 18.6 million viewers in 2013, but 2014’s “Peter Pan” had only 9.21 million, and thus the intensity is being felt by executive producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan.
"We love the tradition of a live holiday musical every year," Meron told the AP, "and the only way that's going to continue is if the numbers are up this year. So the pressure is on for this show."
The event continues a recent network practice of developing live musicals during the winter time; previously “The Sound of Music Live!” and “Peter Pan Live!” were produced.
“The Sound of Music” drew in 18.6 million viewers in 2013, but 2014’s “Peter Pan” had only 9.21 million, and thus the intensity is being felt by executive producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan.
"We love the tradition of a live holiday musical every year," Meron told the AP, "and the only way that's going to continue is if the numbers are up this year. So the pressure is on for this show."
Provided the numbers are strong, Zadan claims “we're assured
that NBC will want to do it again next year.”
Dan Lovinger, EVP, entertainment advertising sales for
NBCUniversal informed Adweek that live
programming is considered important to
their clients.
"We know based on research that live television programming boosts brand recall, message recall and ad likability,” Lovinger said. “So from a pure sale-ability perspective, these live shows are things that our advertisers really, really crave.”
Considering the excitement surrounding “The Wiz,” NBC is seemingly hoping for a successful broadcast.
"We know based on research that live television programming boosts brand recall, message recall and ad likability,” Lovinger said. “So from a pure sale-ability perspective, these live shows are things that our advertisers really, really crave.”
Considering the excitement surrounding “The Wiz,” NBC is seemingly hoping for a successful broadcast.
Author: Brian Cameron
Follow @FYITV
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