'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Goes Mainstream on Fox

This week Fox continues the popular trend of staging musical versions of classic stories for a TV audience. Fox's last entry in the genre was January's Grease: Live, a production that was widely praised by critics. This time around the staging of The Rocky Horror Picture Show isn't live, and it isn't getting nearly as much love from critics who've previewed the production.

This new version of the cult classic film stars Ryan McCartan as Brad and Victoria Justice as his girlfriend Janet. The pair stumble upon the creepy abode of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Laverne Cox) and her creepy household staff (Christina Milian, Reeve Carney, Annaleigh Ashford). Adam Lambert and Staz Nair also play key roles.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show film, a low-budget campfest, slowly built a devoted following after its 1975, and midnight showings of the film became excuses for audiences to don costumes and interact via elaborate rituals surrounding the ludicrous plot and performances of the tongue-in-cheek movie.

Critics in general say that the Fox production, in its slick and streamlined production, is devoid of the subversive fun of the original film. It is perhaps not surprising that a production helmed by the director of High School Musical would stray from Rocky Horror's original sly, adult-oriented approach, and critics say, in particular, that the bland, commercial sheen of the production wears thin in the second half.