I'm going to make this quick. I think it was an extremely brave move for NBC to even consider going through with this idea – as the announcer proclaimed, something like this hasn't been done in over 50 years – but not only did they go through with it, they executed it with enough panache and technical grace to actually pull it off! The Sound of Music is a very touchy property to handle. The film version is beloved by millions, many probably reference it as their favorite movie of all time, and the stage production is equally adored albeit not as widely known. Getting fans on board for a new adaptation is hard, having that adaptation feature a country superstar and the lead from HBO's True Blood in the starring roles is even harder. Personally, I found the three-hour telecast to be pretty delightful. Was it perfect? No. Were all the performances groundbreaking? No. But did NBC just dedicate an entire evening of broadcast to a wholesome, classic, family musical featuring a country singer, TV star and other genre-bending performers? You bet they did, and it made for one cozy, feel good night of television.
In what world did anyone expect to see Carrie Underwood take on the role of Maria Rainer? I bet I could count on maybe three fingers any other popular musical artists who would be brave enough to do what Ms. Underwood accomplished last night. Yes, she wasn't perfect. Her vocals far outweighed her dramatic (or lack thereof) performance. But the fact of the matter is, NBC needed a star to headline this thing and I can't think of a better moment of "stunt casting." What mattered most was her genuine enthusiasm for the project was front and center and very evident throughout the night. Who is anyone to rain on the parade of someone who was courageous enough to step into a role all the while knowing she would probably receive nothing but hate and snark? My hat is off to Ms. Underwood.
Stephen Moyer as Captain Von Trapp was stronger in the acting department, for obvious reasons, and was rather impressive vocally as well. Though his performance was hindered a tad when forced to play the dramatic scenes across from Underwood. Filling out the cast was the flawless Audra McDonald as Mother Abbess, who commanded attention and blew minds with "Climb Every Mountain." Seriously, that was some serious television magic. Christian Borle (Smash) and Laura Benanti (Gypsy) as Max and Baroness Elsa Schraeder, respectively, brought a showbiz confidence to their roles, allowing viewers to take a breath amongst the near constant fear that something was about to go horribly wrong. This was LIVE television, after-all. But surprisingly, nothing technical really did go wrong. It was a tad dark at times, and yes, I'll agree that HD cameras and TVs certainly strip a layer of cinematic grandeur away from the product but it was still a mighty impressive feat of television production. It was exciting, risky and bold but also warm and friendly. It was evident that a lot of love and care went into it, which I admired. Broadcast TV has felt so manufactured and distanced lately, it's great to see something that takes you back to a simpler time, when enjoying something was acceptable.
Which sadly brings me to this confession: I'm so tired of internet snark, Twitter being the main offender in this case. Look, I'm guilty of a fun hate-watch every now and again but I try to only sink to that level when it's really appropriate – or at least when I think it's appropriate. To me, why would anyone feel the need to "live snark" this special? Like I said above, it was an insanely daring move for a network to make and it was refreshing and different. What do you get out of spending three hours watching something, just to rip apart every. single. detail.? I think it's safe to assume that everyone who was tweeting up a hate-watching storm last night – often without a shred of knowledge of musical theater or television production – are the same people who continuously claim to be "bored" with broadcast networks and Hollywood for not taking risks. Well look here, THIS was a risk! And look, you're still complaining! Honestly, these people must be exhausting to know in real life. Can anyone just be happy with something anymore? My bad, positivity and happiness probably doesn't lead to any new Twitter followers.
On the flip-side, words can't describe my elation when I woke up this morning to see the mega ratings this thing brought in for NBC. Throughout its three-hour telecast, The Sound of Music Live! averaged 18.6 million viewers and a 4.6 rating in the key demo. I'm thrilled for so many reasons, one being that (like I said) this was a big risk that actually paid off for its network. This success shows other networks that risks should be taken because – if done in the right way – could definitely pay off. The Wrap broke down the ratings utilizing previous television milestones and it's pretty spectacular.
I really hope NBC makes this an annual tradition – and given those ratings – I feel like our chances are very good that they will. Next year, I hope everyone can take a breath, put down their phones and simply enjoy it. Enjoy it with their family, friends, or by themselves, it doesn't really matter. The Sound of Music Live! reminded me that the latest tweet, status update or email isn't as important as celebrating a time when a great story and a little music was all you needed to bring people together to celebrate one of their favorite things.
UPDATED: On January 19, 2014, NBC announced they will produce another live-action musical in December '14 in the form of Peter Pan. Yaaaassss.
