Back in the early days of television, it wasn't uncommon for the casts of comedies and dramas to perform episodes live. For several decades, though, the practice has been reserved for very special episodes and the occasional musical extravaganza. Well, one of those very special episodes is coming up tomorrow night, when the cast and crew of The Conners will put on a live show for viewers that promises to be just as topical as any the show has ever done. So, with the pressure now on, how is Laurie Metcalf handling the count down to her first live show as Jackie? The answer might surprise you.
Laurie Metcalf has been performing for quite some time, and it would be fair to call her a seasoned professional. In fact, Metcalf hasn't just lent her talents to TV shows like Roseanne, The Big Bang Theory and The Conners, but she's also appeared in movies and on stage. And, Metcalf is no slouch at stage work, which, of course, always happens live. She's done many plays, and has even won two Tony Awards, and been nominated an additional four times.
So, it would be pretty easy to assume that someone who's as used to performing live as Laurie Metcalf is wouldn't be troubled by the idea of doing a live episode of The Conners, but it turns out that that's not quite the case. When asked if her extensive background in the theater would be of help during the episode, Metcalf replied:
No! God no! It’s terrifying any way you slice it.
Like I said earlier, surprising! But, it is good to know that, even with all her time spent doing theater, Laurie Metcalf still gets the normal jitters that most of us would get at the thought of performing in front of a live audience, not to mention the millions of people who will be at home tuning in. Laurie Metcalf, ladies and gentlemen; she's just like you and me!
While Metcalf is clearly nervous, it's also nice to know that she's, obviously, good at overcoming her fears to turn in top-notch performances, and tomorrow's episode will need that as much as any episode of The Conners. The live presentation will feature real-time ABC News coverage of the New Hampshire primary, and show Mark watching the primary for a school project with Harris.
The elder cousin is convinced that the electoral process is corrupted by money and power, meaning that real change isn't possible. Other family members will share why they think voting is important, even if you're only able to vote for someone who will simply "screw you the least." Meanwhile, the family will also get involved in Dan's relationship with Louise, which will cause some tensions between him, Becky and Darlene, which is really nothing new with these folks.
In her chat with People, Laurie Metcalf also revealed one particular aspect of doing this live performance of The Conners that's really got her on edge:
I’m scared to death of the improv, but there might be a little bit in there.
Well, fans will clearly have lots to look forward to in the live showing of The Conners on ABC, Tuesday, which might boost the chances of Season 3 happening. There will be two performances, one for the East coast, as well as one for the West coast. If you want to see what else is airing in the coming weeks, check out our 2020 winter / spring premiere guide!
