'Sound of Music' ratings soar: NBC's biggest Thursday in 4 years

Entertainment Weekly ^ | 12/06/2013 | James Hibberd

[bigtoona]

If one of the networks starting showing clean, family oriented shows they would kill all of the other networks combined.

[C19fan]

In terms of having Audra McDonald, a very talented singer and performer, in the show. Then I guess we should not have a Canadian playing Captian Von Trapp and a Brit playing an Austrian nun turned governess.

[Obama_Is_Sabotaging_America]

I agree about Underwood. If this truly was a 'live' performance, give that woman an award. Why did they choose a lead man who sounds like Robin Williams though? Argh!

Another nice touch would've been to replace the swastikas with 0bama logos because that's where we're headed.

Overall, I enjoyed the show and I hope NBC is just as shocked by their ratings as CNN is going to be after 6pm PST / 9pm EST TONIGHT (S.E. Cupp with Glenn Beck!).

[Political Junkie Too]

Audry Hepburn ain’t Julie Andrews either (subtle reference to MY FAIR LADY.) But she did the part real well!

Two words: Marni Nixon.

-PJ

[dfwgator]

Two words: Marni Nixon.

Any relation to Mojo?

[ExTxMarine]

It made me long for the days when quality network shows were common.

I remember when I was younger, watching the Carol Burnett show - a LIVE performance. And Flip Wilson - many LIVE performances. And then the musical shows like Glenn Campbell's show and a few others. Then there were the "special" live performance concerts like Tom Jones and Marty Robins and when I was at my grandmothers, it was The Lawrence Welk.

These were good shows, they didn't preach (much) and they were good, fun, family-oriented shows. Last night, while we ALL sat at the dinner table eating dinner and discussing our day at work or school, my youngest daughter told us that one of her teachers did a little impromptu survey of her students and only five percent - 5% - (10 out of about 195 students) stated that their family sits down to dinner each night and talks or discusses their day.

Families don't sit down and watch TV together either, because after 7PM, there is very little that I want my 3yo grandson to be watching! Heck, there is very little that I want my 17yo to be watching! You drive people away from the TV with your drivel and then you complain that people don't watch TV like they used to - you think?

[Political Junkie Too]

Although I love Audra McDonald ( A wonderful Broadway performer ), I just cannot help but wonder... would Austria in the 1930’s really have a BLACK Mother Abbes?

Since this has been mentioned several times now, let me just say...

When it comes to musical theater, there already comes a certain expectation of "willful suspension of disbelief," if only that people do not break out into song and dance in the middle of a serious conversation in real life.

Given that we already agree to suspend belief at the theater door, what's wrong with looking past the race of the actor for the character, too, and just enjoy the talented performance?

Why suspend the belief of choreographed interactions, but not anything else?

-PJ

[GOP_Party_Animal]

It was a musical, not a TV “gay” musical...a REAL musical. Where was the stunt?

You just answered your own question.

[fullchroma]

Thanks for that link. Those songs always make me a little weepy. Don’t know why. What an amazing production!

[tumblindice]

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
AKs and ARs and big Viking kittens,
Ted Cruz and Sarah, and metal that rings,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Gunny Mary Poppins
“Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice, and Merry Christmas.” Maria

[Political Junkie Too]

Never heard of him. Had to look it up. Not his real name.

-PJ

[Thorliveshere]

Carrie did okay as an actress, wonderful with the music. Overall, a nice production. There were nice little nuances that I appreciated.

[CedarDave]

Free link to “The making of ‘The Sound of Music’”:

http://www.nbc.com/sound-of-music/video/the-making-of-the-sound-of-music-live/n43826/

[xander]

This thread is worthless without pictures!

[CedarDave]

Free link to “The making of ‘The Sound of Music’”:

http://www.nbc.com/sound-of-music/video/the-making-of-the-sound-of-music-live/n43826/

[Hotlanta Mike]

It was my mother’s favorite musical. In 1988 while I was still living in Switzerland my mother flew in from California and we drove out to Salzburg and spent 2 days there (also visited the family home), then drove over the Alps to Bled in Slovenia (was still part of Yugoslavia at the time)which has an alpine lake and a medieval castle. Spent a few days there and then drove 13 hours down the Adriatic Coast to Dubrovnik, spent 4 days there and then drove all the way back up the coast to Venice. Spent 3 days there and then returned to Switzerland

[grania]

You think TV programmers will get the message? That would be that most people, and not just families with children, want decency and quality in TV.

[Blackyce]

“Why did it have to be remade? Seriously?”

Remade? Dude, it’s a musical. It started on Broadway. It was televised performance of the musical, not a re-shoot of the movie.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“(hoping I dont need the /sarc tag, but just in case ...)”

You just never know!!

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks CedarDave. I should have thought of that.

I appreciate you providing the link.

I had hoped to find the whole production there, and failing that didn’t think to look at NBC.