NBC's future?


Growing up, NBC was "Must-See TV" on Thursday nights. Since "ER" went off the air in 2009 — and arguably for a while before that final ending — Thursdays were no longer the domain and province of NBC.

That changed on December 5 with "The Sound of Music Live." The show drew more than 18 million viewers and a 4.6 in the coveted 18-49 demographic, making it the most successful non-sports event for the network in years.

So what does it mean? The reviews of the show have been mixed. Some suggested the lack of a live audience hurt the efficacy of the show. Some suggested that Carrie Underwood wasn't the right choice to play Maria. Some questioned the show overall.

Having watched the whole thing, I think a live audience could have helped. That being said, with the number of complex sets you have to wonder if they needed a large sound stage that wouldn't accommodate a live audience. Also, I think because the special was on TV some people were expecting something different. This wasn't a re-make of the movie. It wasn't a TV movie. It was live theater. The performances and style of theater is different that TV. For my part, I didn't find Carrie Underwood amazing, but I thought she handled the role well and did a great job singing some tough songs. And all of it was performed live in a vacuum.

What's more interesting is the long-term implications. A TV Critic I like, Andy Greenwald, has long suggested that the advantage the networks have over the cable channels eating their ratings is event TV. "The Sound of Music Live" was event TV, and it proved that there is a mass audience for something like this.

With a floundering slate of dramas and comedies, NBC had already turned large portions of its schedule over to reality shows and holiday specials. "The Sound of Music Live" shows that big event productions could be the path to redemption for NBC. If they're done as well as "The Sound of Music," that could be something for everyone to look forward to.

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