With its star-studded cast featuring the likes of Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo, rapper Common, David Allen Grier, and ‘Orange is the New Black‘s Uzo Aduba, NBC’s highly anticipated live remake of the 70s classic ‘The Wiz’ whizzed right on by all of the competition to top Nielsen’s ratings last night.
Matching its critical acclaim with blockbuster numbers, the soulful musical – the third of NBC’s live remakes – has given the broadcast network its highest Thursday night ratings in 2 years!
Curious to know how many tuned in to watch Dorothy and her crew ease on down the road? We thought you’d be. Ease on down under the jump and get the numbers:
Viewers Tuned In: 11.5 Million
(Note: These are only preliminary figures. This information will be updated later today once the final numbers are revealed).
We can’t say we expected any less, but it’s certainly refreshing on so many levels to see casts comprised predominantly of actors/singers of color continue to do so well in a market that still (even in 2015) lacks diversity in palette. And, its also a nod to how well family-friendly programming could fare on primetime again if it’s marketed and packaged right!
All in all, we hope to see more from the showing’s newest face Shanice Williams and, of course, more quality productions from NBC like this in the future!
Bravo????????
Great show THEY SLAYYED AND CAME THROUGH! A positive and revamped story brought back to life! What a great experience it was to watch and sing and dance along! ??????
The show was great on soo many levels. The actors’ performances were all great! I think they’ve successfully made a star of Shanice Williams. The costumes and choreography was exceptional!! That Emerald City scene gave me all kinds of LIFE!! It was great to see so many people of color represented on primetime tv and these ratings show that this is something that people want to see and will watch when given the chance. I loved it! Neyo was really good as the Tin Man and David Alan Grier surprised me with his stellar performace as the Cowardly Lion. Mary J Blige was sooo in character and even gave us the Mary shuffle! It was funny and crazy well done! Kudos NBC and The Wiz cast!! The entrance of Uzo Aduba as the Good Witch with Dorothy saying “Shes so beautiful” was a great moment as well. Black is beautiful and we showed out last night on that stage! Loved IT!!
The Emerald seen was straight boss, like one said it was like straight out of a club..women get in free before 11 pm!!!
Yassssss Emerald City was CUNTLY!!! I lived
Its was EXCELLENT!!
**gum smack** Cheaaaa! Fatima Robinson did that!! They served hot breast and ass in Emerald city, had me holding on to my ankles for dear life!! **pops bubblicious**
Why TF Are You So Corny? Please, Cut It Out.
Thanks,
-Management
u gotta watch this hilarious interview with one of the voices that stole the show last night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMIGa1aldFk
I Enjoyed it, missed MJ as lion but it was still great, watched Broadway live.
Clearly youve never seen it cause MJ was the damn scarecrow child
got eeem !
I am old school. The television version of the Wiz is what it was.
If you did not see the Tony Award winning 1975 version of the Broadway play The Wiz. Then you could not understand my disappointment in the television version.
Superb !