
The hottest TV event of the night wasn’t Thursday Night Football. (Let’s face it, it never is.) No, the show that had everyone talking tonight was The Wiz! NBC’s been putting together live productions of classic musicals every December since 2013. Despite the mixed reviews of the last two, there’s a lot to be excited about tonight’s show. Other than the general awesomeness of the musical itself look at that cast.
Folks on Twitter wasted no time registering their excitement and #thewiz was trending all day.
When you think #TheWiz can't get any better, than your realize @elijah_kelley is playing the Scarecrow. #thatVoice pic.twitter.com/UXGEsfSKnv
— LaLa (@marriedtomytv) December 3, 2015
Even members of the cast could barely contain themselves.
http://theblogofeternalstench.tumblr.com/post/134053577890
Though it’s making some lament their decision to cut the cord and forego a television.
#TheWiz is on tonight….and I don't have tv… pic.twitter.com/4IFlHdrEUb
— its my voice in a box 🎤 (@subunitA) December 3, 2015
There were a couple of hiccups in all the excitement though. First CNN posted an article titled “The Wiz Live!: You need to watch with Black Twitter.” A lot of people really didn’t appreciate a major news organization using them a spectacle.
https://twitter.com/HIFTBABG/status/672544585093160960
Others took issue with the articles use of the phrase “da bomb” in the year TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN.
(Via KnowYourMeme)
https://twitter.com/____PantheR/status/672410488043532288
…they said we will determine if The Wiz is "da bomb". I'm about to get my Compaq out of the attic and install AOL so I can live tweet it
— kiyo-boi (@kiyo_boi) December 3, 2015
But the biggest, and oddest, controversy of the day came about when a number of white people expressed frustration about The Wiz having an all-black cast. Yes, that really happened.
The outrage about the "all-black" cast for #TheWiz. X________X pic.twitter.com/uDNUQsVOme
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) December 3, 2015
What do you even say to that?
"But if they did an all-white version of #TheWiz y'all would be mad!" pic.twitter.com/IvzotT2BQK
— Mia McKenzie (@miamckenzie) December 3, 2015
https://twitter.com/_maleficentt/status/672443179635838977
Oh and just so we’re all clear.
https://twitter.com/JChiron18/status/672075661549445121
But enough of all that, how was the show? Well, it wasn’t without its awkward bits. Particularly the fact that there’s no studio audience. Really weird for a live musical.
https://twitter.com/rachelzarrell/status/672581749940084737
But that was easy to overcome
https://twitter.com/TimMurray7/status/672581947764416512
There were also some really weird camera angles.
http://cazcay.tumblr.com/post/134497099527/theres-the-camera-in-the-frame
And at least one tweeter made this observation about the opening shot of the musical.
https://twitter.com/ira/status/672581801852968960
There were also some awkward attempts to update the musical.
Retweeted xoNecole (@xonecole):
Did she pull out an ipad?! #TheWiz in 2015 people!!! pic.twitter.com/ih7CeTUnIF https://t.co/XCs0efzuai
— Joe Clair (@JoeClair) December 4, 2015
Including some jokes about celebrities that seemed out of place.
Wait! They get cable in OZ? They know Eddie Murphy #TheWiz
— Will Smith Slapped Me (@AshleyShyMiller) December 4, 2015
Also, one important character was strangely absent.
Has #toto been cut from #TheWiz due to budget cuts?!!! #freetoto #TheWizLive pic.twitter.com/KKcpMKiUtt
— Mack Burnett III (@mackburnett) December 4, 2015
After a brief scene at the beginning, Toto mysteriously disappeared. That became a sore point for a lot of people.
https://twitter.com/JamesMurphy/status/672617625290166273
We ain't seen Toto 🐶 since the beginning. He got the seem treatment like Judy from Family Matters. Seen once and never again #TheWiz
— VINCENT (@Vince_Aries) December 4, 2015
And it’s really weird to have a stage musical be constantly interrupted by commercials.
How you gone have commercials on a live show?! #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/x7eIypUCVn
— Janet Jackass (@shutupshorin_) December 4, 2015
Though there may be a good reason for them. (Other than, you know, the money)
https://twitter.com/BlackCreatives/status/672586577542062080
Another plausible theory:
People complaining about commercials. They need 'em to find Toto. Meanwhile, Toto's found the lunch table #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/8Y9uLlkVN0
— Erin Branham (@IMErinBranham) December 4, 2015
Still, they could really be a buzzkill.
https://twitter.com/H_Deneyl/status/672592749292593152
But none of that mattered. The performances made it hard to notice anything else.
https://twitter.com/StayPressed/status/672583325555556352
These Vocals!
I'm watching my tv like this… #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/ayA5hDWydN
— 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬,𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜. (@StevieDerrick_) December 4, 2015
An early highlight was Amber Riley as the good witch of the north.
https://twitter.com/GoodFellaMedia/status/672586175425740800
Oh yeah. Chills.
And Ne-Yo killed it as the Tin Man.
OK @NeYoCompound we see you! #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/tXH8aNfyfS
— theGrio.com (@theGrio) December 4, 2015
And the nature of his song got everyone thinking a little dirty.
https://twitter.com/MzBOOMbastick/status/672592945254674433
When he sang “What Would I Do if I Could Feel,” everyone got the feels.
Me watching @NeYoCompound on the #TheWiz. pic.twitter.com/OQjVsFL13x
— Wesley Oliver (@wesleyjoliver) December 4, 2015
His voice wasn’t the only thing that stole the show, either.
http://the-last-exotic-wildflower.tumblr.com/post/134498949424/dab-on-em
The Tin Man just dabbed! ✌🏾️ #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/veeHNySfQP
— ANTHONY ADAMS (@spiceadams) December 4, 2015
And we can’t forget David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion.
Oh yeah, he’s still got it.
YAAAAS LION. #TheWiz #TheWizLive https://t.co/eZ64bus3IY
— Dave Quinn (@NineDaves) December 4, 2015
Queen Latifah was, of course, fabulous as The Wiz.
http://jan-paul-beukema.tumblr.com/post/134500897741/pow-queen-latifah-the-wiz-the-wiz-live
Both in terms of performance and style.
Damn you @IAMQUEENLATIFAH! Every Black hairstylist gonna get requests for that damn green and white hair look tomorrow! #TheWiz
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) December 4, 2015
Most importantly, Shanice Williams made a phenomenal Dorothy.
Everytime @LuvbeingShanice sings, I get goosebumps. So much emotion #TheWiz
— Naptural85 (@Nap85) December 4, 2015
Seriously, she was so good, Twitter ran out of jokes.
https://twitter.com/ScottySin/status/672598432645840896
Or when Common showed up looking like… this.
https://twitter.com/Namastaywoke/status/672600544997953536
Or when Dorothy’s entire Emerald City squad flaked out on her before she set out to kill the Wicked Witch.
https://twitter.com/kynotkye/status/672607067891499008
One person imagined a certain presidential candidate’s interpretation of the show.
"The Emerald City was originally designed to store grain…" #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/8qXlkPLF2l
— TrivWorks (@TrivWorks) December 4, 2015
Not even Queen Latifah was safe.
https://twitter.com/Diane_7A/status/672606406261022720
Some went as far as to suggest a new name just for her just for this role.
http://emily-virgine.tumblr.com/post/134508636134/therestlessintrovert-i-am-overjoyed
And with Mary J. Blige as the Wicked Witch of the West, expectations were obviously high.
https://twitter.com/ITSTHEKEONSHOW/status/672609296019013633
She did not disappoint.
Mary J. is me waking up every morning #TheWiz https://t.co/HqOJvwsusW
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) December 4, 2015
Once Mary took the stage, she was all anyone could talk about.
Twitter to Mary J Blige after that number #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/OwWPjFgQeh
— Nathaniel Rogers (@nathanielr) December 4, 2015
Until “Brand New Day,” of course.
Can't you feel a brand new day? #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/B3pUrajWNx
— Barbara Howard (@allthatjazz13) December 4, 2015
Though there was some disappointment that the actors didn’t strip like they did in the original.
Was NBC afraid of this level of bare black body ody ody? What's with these torn yellow sheet fits? #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/qEioZAr5lc
— kuntniss_Everdeen (@treasureredmond) December 4, 2015
All was forgiven though, when the musical gave us the most badass quote of all time from Dorothy.
"And what's wrong with being a woman? Nothing that's right. I don't know where y'all learned y'all manners." you better preach #TheWiz
— Oreo Fun Barbie 🇵🇸 (@MyArtisMylife) December 4, 2015
And everybody could sympathize with Dorothy not wanting to join The Wiz in her hot air balloon.
https://twitter.com/MrPaulWinkler/status/672619060308385792
Finally, there was Uzo Aduba as Glinda. One of the most anticipated performances of the night. And that’s saying something.
https://twitter.com/Regine__Hunter/status/672619736891527168
And did she ever.
ME RIGHT NOW WITH UDO'S VOICE #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/3Pd3NPmIpL
— Liza Sabater 🇵🇷👸🏾🌹 (@blogdiva) December 4, 2015
Oh, and Toto came back too.
https://twitter.com/JovelRoystan/status/672621968961748992
Though some people thought it was weird that Dorothy didn’t even mention him once after arriving in Oz.
https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/672621954948403200
So how was the show?
https://twitter.com/buckhollywood/status/672614799855845376
OK, that may be technically true, but it’s more than a little reductive. The Wiz Live! is the best musical NBC’s done so far. It puts last year’s Peter Pan and 2013’s The Sound of Music to shame.
https://twitter.com/allisonkilkenny/status/672583268022243329
Yes it was seriously that good. Let’s hope NBC gives us more of this kind of thing next year. Whatever they do, it can’t be worse than…
Never forget. #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/ZO2iBvPgva
— Tara Gordon (@ihatefloss) December 4, 2015
Now let’s never speak of that again.