Top 5 TV: Have Yourself a Murray Little Xmas

2. Nobody beats The Wiz  (NBC)
For two straight years, NBC has scored big ratings with live broadcasts of classic Broadway shows, although judging by the Twitter responses, about half of the viewers tuned in to hate-watch. Then something unexpected and wondrous happened this past week: The network aired a musical that people actually liked. Maybe the poppy energy of The Wiz is better suited to the small screen than the heavy-footedness of The Sound Of Music and Peter Pan. Or maybe it’s that the producers hired talented singers and dancers like Shanice Williams, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Queen Latifah, and Ne-Yo, and didn’t put any obstacles in the way of them being amazing.

Whatever the reasons, this energetic production Wiz was a wonder, and drew so many eyeballs that NBC is planning to run the show again on Saturday the 19th. (And maybe with fewer commercials this time? That’d be awesome.) From the special “acrobatic effects” by Cirque du Soleil — who together made one heck of a tornado — to the exultant performances of “Ease on Down the Road” and “Everybody Rejoice/A Brand New Day,” this show was a treat to watch. Please, NBC: remember to keep making them this good.