The word on “Grease: Live”: It’s electrifying.
Fox’s live TV musical overcame technical glitches, a rare Los Angeles rainstorm and the death of a key cast member’s father to score rave reviews on social media and elsewhere.
“This production wasn’t about hitting notes or taking breath, but rather about making things breathtaking. And time after time, ‘Grease: Live’ succeeded,” wrote Daniel Fienberg in The Hollywood Reporter.
“In this moment overrun with must-see TV events, ‘Grease’ wasn’t just live. It was alive,” gushed Entertainment Weekly’s Darren Franich.
Some other critics were less kind, citing the sometimes-clunky acting between the big musical numbers. But in the court of popular opinion — Facebook and Twitter — the show was a worthy successor to the classic John Travolta-Olivia Newton-John movie.
Audio glitches interrupted co-star Julianne Hough’s big solo number, “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” and viewers in Atlanta were jolted when the “Hand Jive” number cut out partway through and was abruptly replaced with a repeat of the “Greased Lightning” scene from earlier in the broadcast.
A Southern California downpour also forced cast members to carry umbrellas during some outdoor scenes, filmed on a Warner Brothers backlot.
Still, the ambitious three-hour production will almost certainly score high ratings for Fox and encourage networks to develop more musicals for live television. Here’s what worked, and what didn’t.
Hit: Staging
From the moment singer Jessie J burst into the title song and the camera followed her as she snaked her way backstage, past cheering extras and out onto the street, you knew “Grease: Live” was not a typical musical.
The show made full use of its two soundstages, 21 sets and live audience to break down theater’s fourth wall in creative ways.
“It took less than five minutes into Fox’s Grease: Live for director Thomas Kail to throw down the gauntlet, kick it out the door and slam the door shut on just about any future live musicals when it comes to sheer technical dexterity,” said The Hollywood Reporter’s Fienberg.
Miss: Non-musical sequences
From “Greased Lightning” to “You’re the One That I Want,” the show’s big musical numbers bristled with energy. The scenes inbetween, not so much.
“Grease” is not known for its sparkling repartee, and the dialogue in “Grease: Live” — some of it delivered by cast members who are better singers than actors — often fell flat.
One notable exception was a touching scene in which new Frenchy (Carly Rae Jepsen) gets career advice from old Frenchy (Didi Conn, from the 1978 movie, playing a waitress this time).
Hit: Vanessa Hudgens
The “High School Musical” veteran drew raves for her brave performance as the tough-talking Rizzo, going on live TV only hours after her father, Greg Hudgens, died of cancer. The actress dedicated her performance to her dad, and Fox paid tribute to him during the closing credits.
Some fans admitted to getting a little teary during Rizzo’s wistful solo number, “There Are Worse Things I Could Do,” which Hudgens handled with presence and class.
She even impressed Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the Broadway smash “Hamilton.”
“Imagine you had Vanessa Hudgens’ day, and doing that. What a superhero. In total awe,” he tweeted.
Miss: That Thunder Road scene
OK, so it’s pretty much impossible to race real cars on a soundstage. But couldn’t they have at least made those hot rods look like they were moving?
Wrote TV Guide’s Megan Vick: “It was a nice effort, but didn’t quite cross the finish line.”
