“It’s live,” Jamie Foxx reminded a suddenly alert America after flubbing a line during ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons.
“Everyone at home just thought their TV messed up,” joked the Oscar-winning actor, breaking character as George Jefferson. Fellow cast members like Woody Harrelson (Archie Bunker), Ellie Kemper, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, and Marisa Tomei (Edith Bunker) laughed in the background.
In that moment, as the tension released, these seasoned performers truly came to life, taking viewers back to classic TV reborn.
The 90-minute special had its highs and a few forgivable dips, but Jamie Foxx’s brilliance, Jennifer Hudson’s powerful rendition of the “Movin’ On Up” theme song, and the performances by Wanda Sykes and Marisa Tomei stood out. The surprise appearance of Marla Gibbs, reprising her role as Florence Johnston, was a heartwarming highlight, bridging the decades without a word. As the last surviving member of the original core cast, Gibbs’ presence paid loving homage to her late co-stars Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Michael Evans, Roxie Roker, and Franklin Cover.
This special was clearly a passion project for the enthusiastic Jimmy Kimmel, who called All in the Family and The Jeffersons “two of my all-time favorite shows” at a rehearsal I attended. The re-staging, while mostly faithful, occasionally bumped up against differences in decades, particularly with fashion and race-related language.
The show opened with a pre-taped introduction from a bell-bottomed Norman Lear, sitting in a replica of Archie Bunker’s iconic chair (the real one is in the Smithsonian). Lear took a PSA tone to remind 2019 viewers that “the language and themes from almost 50 years ago can still be jarring today, and we are still grappling with many of those issues.”
The issues remained in the scripts, as potent now as they were decades ago. However, the ABC censors had to bleep out several instances of the N-word during The Jeffersons portion of the night, a stark reminder of the show’s impact then and now.
The night began on the soundstage with Lear and Kimmel in a moveable balcony, resembling a live-action version of The Muppets’ Statler and Waldorf. Their commentary, though informative, sometimes slowed the pace before Jennifer Hudson’s commanding performance of one of the greatest TV theme songs of all time.
With The Jeffersons’ apartment on the left and the Bunkers’ living room on the right, it felt like stepping back to the early 1970s. Harrelson’s hug with Tomei after their rendition of “Those Were The Days” was a release of anticipation. While Tomei shone in her role as Edith, Harrelson took a while to settle into Archie, his accent occasionally distracting.
The special began with the All in the Family episode “Henry’s Farewell” from October 1973, followed by The Jeffersons pilot from January 1975. The decision to highlight these specific episodes reflected the context of today’s America.
Despite Harrelson’s uneven start, the night was stolen by Marisa Tomei, who infused Edith Bunker with both anxiety and playfulness, particularly in scenes with Wanda Sykes’ Weezy. Their chemistry hinted at future collaborations, should Netflix decide to explore.
As the evening progressed, The Jeffersons truly hit its stride. Foxx and Sykes, alongside Jovan Adepo as Lionel, delivered stellar performances. The arrival of Kerry Washington and Will Ferrell as Helen and Tom Willis, one of TV’s first mixed-race couples, elevated the show further. While it might have been clever to cast Scandal’s Tony Goldwyn as Tom, Ferrell’s comedic flair was undeniable.
Part Dreamgirls reunion, part 227 reunion, and a nostalgic delight, The Jeffersons pilot re-staging was so captivating that it felt like stepping back in time. The group hug near the end, initiated by Washington, brought a contemporary touch to the Gerald Ford-era setting.
Norman Lear’s comment to Kimmel, “I sit in a chair in an audience and I was had!” encapsulated the night’s success.
If the ratings hold strong against NBC’s Chicago Med and Chicago Fire finales, can we have more? And let’s hear that iconic theme song one more time!