Two TV legends use nostalgia to create big ratings for ABC.
Richard Shotwell is an actor.
For the third time in as many years, Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear collaborated to produce live recreations of some of the most famous and memorable situation comedies from the 1970s and 1980s, to achieve great entertainment and ratings.
With the help of inspired casting of unexpected A-list stars, Kimmel and Lear have created a show that is truly special, dynamic, and entertaining while also celebrating beloved shows from a bygone era.
All in the Family and The Jeffersons were two of the best-known comedies from the early 1970’s.
Both series were ground-breaking because of their candid and authentic slices of American life, and their unflinching attitudes towards issues that were hard-hitting and meaningful, then and now.
Good Times was the next show that the duo decided to remake. Good Times sought to shine a light on social issues and injustices through the lens of a working class African American family.
All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times were known for their comedy, but also for their socially-activist, politically thought-provoking side.
Many assumed that the pair would continue to plumb the more controversial, edgier library of work, when they decided to do a third live episode from the Lear canon of comedies.
The 99 year old impresario and his canny late night partner focused on some of the lighter fare of The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes.
The golden touch of Lear/Kimmel is that they show an audience that wants to have fun and simply escape, rather than beingbogged down in issues.
The experiment worked well because of 5 reasons.
There are guilty pleasures.
Both The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes were designed to act as comforting comedy "parables" that helped families be entertained by three jokes a page humor while still addressing emotionally satisfying story-lines. Both series ran for over 8 seasons, proving that a sunny, upbeat yet honest approach to half hour comedy isn't the worst way to spend a half hour. Ted Lasso seems to have gotten that memo right.
Phenomenal Casting.
These live reboots are so much more than a trip down memory lane, because of the cavalcade of not only inspired but truly unpredictable casting. The Live... specials are a meta experience, where we are watching actors in their 40s and 50s playing characters in their teen years, in comedies from forty years ago or more. Lesser names but equally talented actors committed their all, along with lesser names but equally talented actors, who were determined to have a blast and commit to their roles.
It is live.
One of the best ways to keep an audience interested is to promise that almost all of the content is performed live, with the exception of pre-produced short films and satiric commercials or music videos. If packaged properly, live television can help drive ratings. The onlyflub that occurred in last night's show was when Lear dropped the "F" bomb in the introductory segment.
It isn't a straight line.
If they were just trying out the experiment for the first time, they would have proven how smart they are at matching classic shows with novel casting. The audience is rewarding them with handsome ratings after they proved to them that they can be trusted with these experiments.
Regular programming doesn't cut it.
The last comedy or drama series that your family has watched together is on broadcast TV. You are more likely to choose a premium cable or streaming series like Succession, Bridgerton, The Crown, Maid, Squid Game, or any number of other addictive, ground-breaking content unrestricted by the broadcast standards that strangle the freedom of expression by which ad-supported, broadcast TV is.
It takes the genius of Jimmy and Norman to recreate the success of broadcast comedy TV. They should keep going. Next year, Norman Lear will be 100. He may reign for a long time.
