A TV Show Musical Episode???

[dhiraj86]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:32am

I was talking to a friend and was wondering if an all musical TV show would ever work on Network TV. Then we talked about TV shows that featured a musical (singing and dancing) episode. Our favorites were Buffy "Once more with feeling, and " MTV's Daria in "Daria!" What are some other good ones and would a Musical TV show (where all the characters express their true feeling and interactions throughs sond and even dance) ever work?
Updated On: 2/28/06 at 12:32 AM

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:34am

I once saw an English/American co-production a bit like that. There were about 2 pop songs an episode sung by characters which had something to do with the story. Can't remember what it was called now.

[Lavinia]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:37am

There was this show called Cop Rock in the early 90's. It only lasted about 10 episodes, and okay, I completely watched all ten of them. Anyway, the police would sing and so would the criminals. It was weird, but kind of neat at the same time.

Updated On: 2/28/06 at 12:37 AM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:51am

Even Stevens (Christy Carlson Romano of Broadway... fame...) had a musical episode called "Influenza."

Thats So Raven did one too... it was the episode with Undercover Superstars.

Those were the first two that popped into my head. I do not think a show that is completely musical would last on a network station with all the reality stuff out there today... but maybe on a lesser channel?

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:13am

I often fantasize about the fabulosity of a Law & Order musical episode starring Jesse L. Martin and Jerry Orbach... =( It would have been beyond words!

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:15am

Cyco, that's exactly what I was thinking when I read this. I remember I was in 6th or 7th grade when it came out, and everybody stayed home from the Halloween Dance because they all wanted to watch "Influenza" instead!!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:24am

We did the same thing! It was the talk of the school a couple weeks before it aired.

Shame the show got cancelled and ended with the movie.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:33am

The Moonlighting Episode with Sandahl Bergman "Big Man on Mulberry Street" was great.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:33am

There was another ABC TV musical series on ABC (before "Cop Rock") in 1968 with Robert Morse ("How to Succeed in Business") and E.J. Peaker (Minnie in the "Hello, Dolly!" film). It was called, "That's Life" but did not last past one season.

From TV.com:


That's Life was an attempt to blend situation and musical comedy into an hour long weekly format. The show followed the lives of a couple (Robert and Gloria) as they met, got married, bought a house, had a baby, etc. set in the mythical town of Ridgeville. Robert was played by Broadway and film star Robert Morse, and E.J. Peaker was chosen, out of 3000 actresses seen according to ABC, to play Gloria.

Along the way were many guest stars, often in cameo appearances, and lots of song and dance. The music was a combination of new material (by Elliot Lawrence and Martin Charnin) and existing songs, often standards or show tunes. The show was well received, nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Musical or Variety series in fact, but was not a ratings hit and lasted only one season. Robert Morse remarked later, "I was hurt when it only lasted one season because I liked it and believed in it."

Shelley Berman and Kay Medford appeared occasionally as Gloria's parents. Stan Harris was the program's director, Elliot Lawrence was the musical director and The Tony Mordente Dancers were the resident dance corps. The show was taped in New York City in front of a live audience.

That's Life Episode Guide

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:39am

Another musical TV series was the revival of "The Honeymooners".

From TV.com:

This would start what would be known as the "Color Honeymooners" for the next 4 seasons. From 1966 to 1970, the majority of these episodes were Jerry Bresler & Lyn Duddy mini-musicals, now known as the "Color Honeymooners". Sheila MacRea would portray Alice and Jane Kean as Trixie. And from 1976 to 1978, the last 4 "Honeymooners" were filmed in Miami and Atlantic City (see season 11). These holiday themed specials that aired on ABC would see the return of Audrey Meadows as Alice and Jane Kean as Trixie.




The Honeymooners

Updated On: 2/28/06 at 01:39 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:40am

I really enjoyed the Disney Channel show musical episodes.

"They went to the moon in 1969, not 1968 but a year later"- Gotta love the brillance of CCR

[jimnysf]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:43am

Last month, the TV soap "Passions" aired a Bollywood song and dance sequence. Link to the video below.

Also, last week on "Boston Legal", Tom Selleck and his fiance were brought together by their love of musical theatre. There was a song from "Mamma Mia" and Tom Selleck and his bride sang "Something Good" from "The Sound of Music".
Passions Goes Bollywood

[WigInABox]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:47am

Ally McBeal episode: "The Musical, Almost." LOVE IT.
(not to mention the countless broadway songs incorporated into other random episodes)

The musical episode didn't feature original songs but included Randy Newman's "Relax enjoy yourself" and Madonna's "Hanky Panky."

Ally not being released on DVD is torture.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:51am

If anyone watches Passions, one time they had the character of Theresa preganet and she was about to give birth and suddenly they go "breath in breath out" and she falls forward then it turns into the 3 actors singing the theme song. So hilarious.

[dhiraj86]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 3:07am

I forgot to mention my favorite cartoon musical episodes....
FAMILY GUY and SIMPSONS (1-8 Season)
I love Planet of the Apes and Sharie Bobbins ones.
My fair lady is classic too!

[Quasi]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 3:10am

In Xena Warrior Princess were two nice musical episodes. One with new songs and one with existing songs from different composers.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 4:59am

I love The Simpsons take-off on Evita. Especially the disclaimer they ran at the end:

"Our lawyers have instructed us to say that we know nothing about a musical based on the life of Eva Peron."

[jasobres]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 7:41am

They also had a cheesy clip show entitled "All Singing! All Dancing!" It was a lot of songs from the show intertwined with new animation. Check it out
here

[jasobres]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 7:48am

""They went to the moon in 1969, not 1968 but a year later"- Gotta love the brillance of CCR"

Creedance Clearwater Revival?? lol!!

[peach]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 10:59am

Let's not forget KIDS Incorporated from the 80s...(loved that!)

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:03am

let's also not forget the many musical scenes from "the drew carey show". my favorite one was the episode when they did "brotherhood of man". I believe it was even choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.

also, on ally mcbeal once they did the finale from Pippin (think about your life, pippin) it was great.

[jasobres]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:04am

Also, the "Cleaveland Rocks" theme song was choreographed by Keith Young.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:19am

"let's also not forget the many musical scenes from "the drew carey show". my favorite one was the episode when they did "brotherhood of man". I believe it was even choreographed by Jerry Mitchell."

I had almost forgotten about that episode! That is one of my favorite Drew Carey episodes. Thanks for reminding me about it Pippin.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:19pm

"One Life to Live" did a musical episode a few years back, it was an all-female (save one male cast member who appeared in a photograph) show, and they sang songs like "All That Jazz" and "Easy to be Hard."

Also, "General Hospital" used (*tear*) to do a yearly episode surrounding the Nurse's Ball, an on- and off-screen AIDS fundraiser. The entire cast would participate, performing various musical numbers (Russ Tamblyn appeared one year; his daughter Amber was a regular cast member) and ending the show every year with "One."

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:35pm

COP ROCK was amazingly odd. Best Moment: Woman singing about selling her daughter for crack.