Worth Watching: ‘Good Times’ Joins ‘Family’ in Front of a Studio Audience, ‘Survivor’ Finale, a Special ‘Mandalorian’
A selective critical checklist of notable Wednesday TV:
Live in Front of a Studio Audience (8/7c, ABC): They don’t make them like this anymore — except when they recreate them. Reprising the experiment that drew a huge TV (let alone live studio) audience in May, starry casts gather to revive classic episodes of Norman Lear’s iconic sitcom masterpieces. Once again, All in the Family leads the way, with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei as Archie and Edith Bunker — I felt Woody was terribly miscast, but maybe he’ll grow into the role? — and Ike Barinholtz and Ellie Kemper lending support as Meathead and Gloria. Guesting in the episode will be Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg and (star of the acclaimed reinvention of Lear’s One Day at a Time) Justina Machado. Joining Family this year is a new version of the great Good Times with an astonishing cast including Andre Braugher and Viola Davis as James and Florida Evans (the roles immortalized by John Amos and Esther Rolle), featuring SNL vet Jay Pharoah as dy-no-mite JJ, rising star Asante Blackk (This Is Us, When They See Us) as Michael, Corinne Foxx as Thelma and Tiffany Haddish as scene-stealing Willona. If this group can’t orchestrate a good time out of a vintage script, no one can.
Survivor (8/7c, CBS): Well, this should be a reunion special for the record books, regardless of who ends up winning the million dollars in the extended season finale. Last week’s shocker ended with Jeff Probst abruptly announcing that controversial contestant Dan Spilo had been removed from the game following an off-camera “incident” — after the flap earlier in the season when he was accused and cautioned against inappropriate touching, during which period his accuser Kellee was ejected in one of the show’s all-time low points. Survivor has been rightly criticized for how this situation was handled, then summarily dismissed as the game churned on as if the Dan situation never happened. (He was even rewarded with time with his son during the family-visit episode.) Will there be a reckoning in the post-show cast discussion? That’s reason enough to watch. (And a final point: If they knew they were going to eject Dan, why did they wait until after the wonderful Elaine was voted off?) Rooting for den mother Janet, but there are always plenty of twists on the way to the final tribal council.
The Mandalorian (streaming on Disney+): An alert for those who are expecting a new episode on Friday: Disney has moved the schedule up a few days, with a fresh episode airing two days early — the better to prime the pump with a “sneak peek” promo of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, out Friday. Otherwise, the episode features Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul) as an old rival of the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) who extends an invitation to make peace. But in this corner of the Star Wars universe, can anyone truly be trusted?
Inside Wednesday TV: Musical romantics will want to check out the new Netflix series Soundtrack, which tells 10 different love stories set in Los Angeles, each featuring elaborate production numbers in which the characters break into song and dance in lip-synced music videos. Think Modern Love meets Pennies from Heaven, with a playlist ranging from modern classics (Ray Charles, Etta James) to contemporary favorites (Kelly Clarkson, Whitney Houston)… Robert Downey Jr. hosts the eight-part YouTube Originals docu-series The Age of A.I., which takes a deep dive into technology that could change the way we look at life… A&E’s Emmy-winning reality series about young men and women with Down syndrome ends its run with A Very Born This Way Christmas (9/8c), doubling as a series finale and holiday special. The show’s cast — Elena, John, Megan, Rachel, Sean, Steven, Cristina and Angel — and their families look back over four seasons of personal development as they celebrate the holidays… A special edition of TBS’s Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (10:30/9:30c) includes two field segments in which the host and her crew travel to the front lines of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong… For those with a taste for international mystery, Sundance Now premieres the 10-part hit Norwegian thriller Wisting, starring Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) as an FBI agent who heads to Norway and teams with a recently widowed detective (Sven Nordin) to hunt for a relocated American serial killer.
Conversation15 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
G
Still deciding if I should watch the sequel live specials. Wasn't impressed with first one tbh. Jamie Foxx is no Sherman Hemsley but he was the only one who felt like he was in character. Marla Gibbs was the highlight too. Now from what I hear John Amos and Jimmie Walker, Janet Dubois and Bernadette Stanis sound like the bright spots of this one. I rather watch the actual episodes.
-
A
HIghlights of "In Front of a Studio Audience": John Amos-original James Evans on "Good Times"-playing incumbent councilman current James and J.J. are voting for while the rest of the Evans' (and Winona) are voting for his young opponent, then Kimmel introing the other surviving cast of Janet Du'Bois, Bern Nadette Stanis (I think that's how her last name is spelled), and Jimmy Walker, Martin Short singing "The Facts of Life" theme before being cut off by Kimmel, and the "All in the Family" ep shown in which the Bunkers have two guests-a draft dodging friend of Mike's who returns from Canada and a friend of Archie's who son was killed in Vietnam. Despite me still thinking Woody Harrelson is miscast in a role Carroll O'Connor made perfect for him, the final dramatic part of this particular ep is still touching concerning his role.
-
G
Love Woody but such a miscast lol Billy Gardell would've been more believable. But the fact that they thought that they could outdo Carroll O'Connor is insulting and crazy lol. Carroll WAS Archie.
-
A
Agree there on the last two sentences!
1
-
-
-
R
Was "Good Times" ever considered a "great" show? Popular, yes.
To answer the "Survivor" question: because the incident reportedly happened after Tribal, on the way back to camp.
-
A
It probably Jumped the Shark when they wrote the death of patriarch James Evans, then went even more high after Florida was then initially written off...
-
-
J
BY THE WAY, in what universe is Gloria Bunker Stivic a brunette? She has to be blonde, preferably curly blond, in order to be Gloria.
-
A
And what universe was George Jefferson tall when Jamie Foxx played him? He was definitely short as lines to that effect emphasized when they weren't changed during that performance of "The Jeffersons" last May.
-
J
Yeah. Actually I'm a little surprised that this show got another episode at all, after the mostly negative-or-meh response to the first one.
2
-
-
-
G
All in the Family and Good Times!!!
-
G
I'm Fred btw. My avatar keeps changing and I logged in multiple times with my name.
2
-
J
I wondered where you've been. I guess we lost DonMI, but it's good to see you back.
BTW, your name is reflective of your avatar, but who knows if the avatar can change. I was a bug at first, but now I'm a wrench. (Or wench, depending on who you ask, hahaha!)
1
-
G
I've been trying to post for 2 weeks, but all my comments have been deleted right after I post!
I complained to the technical staff but no responses.
You see my name I just see Green Basket Ball. I used to be a cool Red Boomerang then a gross Green Pizza , then an Olive Beer, than a horseshoe, and more that I forgot.
Yea I miss Don , his posts were usually very noteworthy.
1
-
-
-
-
J
Nothing new tonight, so I can watch some Stargate.
BTW, anyone who didn't see SNL last weekend missed a great skit about a Hallmark dating show, "A Winter Boyfriend for Holiday Christmas." Because as we all know, the only reason the holiday exists is so that young women can get themselves married. 😛
1 1
-
T
Nothing on till next Wednesday that isn't a new Christmas movie, so I won't be in this thread much for a couple weeks.
Last Night's NCIS: SPECTACULAR!!
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services