(Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless)
TV Musical Adaptations by Tomatometer
If we’ve learned anything from networks’ recent fixation on televised musicals, high ratings do not always equal standing ovations; in fact, only a handful of musical productions from the past few years received Fresh scores on Rotten Tomato’s Tomatometer: Fox’s Grease: Live! and NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, The Wiz Live!, and Hairspray Live! And no, the exclamation mark doesn’t make a difference — Fox’s A Christmas Story Live! and NBC’s Peter Pan Live! and The Sound of Music Live! are all on the Rotten end of this list.
ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live! continues the downward trend, unfortunately, joining Fox’s Rent below the Fresh threshold.
Check out where The Little Mermaid Live! lands among TV’s recent musicals, both live and taped (like Rocky Horror Picture Show and Dirty Dancing).
#12
Critics Consensus: Clever casting can't save Dirty Dancing, a hollow remake that trips over its own good intentions.
Synopsis: Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance
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#11
Critics Consensus: A strange hybrid that's more confusing than charming, The Little Mermaid Live! flounders under the weight of its own lofty ambitions.
Synopsis: An adventure under the sea with live musical performances by an all-star cast interwoven into the original film.
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#10
Critics Consensus: Despite the show's earnest intentions, Rent Live's clumsy production and pre-recorded broadcast render it an underwhelming "live" musical event.
#9
Critics Consensus: Laverne Cox's fabulous portrayal of Frank N. Furter leads a strong ensemble effort, but the stars can't infuse this reimagining with enough energy, creativity, and quirk to make TRHPS: Let's Do the Time Warp Again a worthwhile endeavor.
#8
Critics Consensus: Overlong and perhaps a little too faithful, A Christmas Story Live! can't quite capture the holiday spirit of its source material.
#7
Critics Consensus: The Sound of Music is definitely there, but without the necessary feeling to make it feel truly alive.
#6
Critics Consensus: Allison Williams and company do their best, but no amount of clapping or pixie dust can keep Peter Pan Live! afloat.
#5
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#4
Critics Consensus: Hairspray Live! shimmers with outstanding performances, an engaging story, and songs that let its stars shine.
Synopsis: In 1960s Baltimore, a teenage dance-loving girl dreams of getting a spot on a popular television show.
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#3
Critics Consensus: The Wiz Live! is several notches above NBC's other musical broadcasts thanks to bold performances and large-scale production pieces.
#2
Critics Consensus: Grease: Live took the pressure and threw away conventionality -- it belongs to yesterday. There was a chance that it could make it so far; we started believin' we can be who we are. Grease: Live is the word.
Synopsis: A live adaptation of the classic musical details Danny and Sandy's summer romance and what happens to their relationship when
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#1
Critics Consensus: Shaking up traditional religious and musical iconography, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert is a sight to be heard, superbly infiltrating the classic source material with originality, rock legend star power, and soulful depth.
19%
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