Looking for a Good Time: Neil Patrick Harris Returns to TV
by EG
After decades of TV schedules dominated by reality TV and competition programs, what American audiences have been yearning for is the return of the old-fashioned variety show. That's what Neil Patrick Harris and NBC are hoping, anyway. Harris' Best Time Ever debuted on Tuesday night this week, promising to bring a touch of old-school, razzle-dazzle entertainment back to network TV.
The show featured comedy bits, a smattering of live content mixed in with prefab sketches, and celebrity guest stars - this time it was Reese Witherspoon - and some singing and dancing, just like the variety shows of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The format is banking on Harris' star power and his proven track record in series TV to draw viewers in big numbers to a format that's been unconventional for decades.
The reviews and numbers for the series' debut episode seem to suggest that the network might have overestimated Harris' ability to sell the concept to audiences. Reaction to the show was decidely lukewarm, with most commentators concluding that, as an entertainment extravaganza, the episode was adequate but uneven. Audiences seem to agree; ratings for the episode - 6.6 million total viewers - were enough to beat the competition - a rerun of NCIS: New Orleans - but they were hardly breathtaking. As the show faces competition from first-run programming in the coming weeks, things could get tougher.