ABC to Revive "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" in Live Special

[brooklynite]

ABC's late-night host Jimmy Kimmel will present a live, 90-minute prime-time event in tribute to classic Norman Lear sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons." Titled "Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons'," the special will recreate an original episode from each from the two comedies. "All in the Family" originally aired one CBS from 1971 to 1979 and spin-off "The Jeffersons" from 1975 to 1985.

The special, airing live on Wednesday, May 22 (from 8-9:3a p.m. ET), will be hosted by Lear and Kimmel, and directed by 10-time Emmy winner James Burrows. Woody Harrelson will play the role of Archie Bunker, alongside Marisa Tomei as his "dingbat" wife Edith, with Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes playing George and Louise Jefferson. Ellie Kemper will play Gloria Stivic; Will Ferrell will appear as Tom Willis, and Justina Machado is set to play Florence Johnston. Additional casting will be announced at a later time.

"We are so honored to partner with our brilliant friend Jimmy Kimmel and trailblazer Norman Lear to bring some of the most iconic sitcoms ever made back to television," said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. "These revered shows are as culturally relevant today as they've ever been, and the talent they have gathered makes this the can't-miss television event of the year ... make that decade."

https://programminginsider.com/abc-to-revive-all-in-the-family-and-the-jeffersons-in-a-one-night-special/

[targetpractice]

1. Nope.

[DontBooVote]

2. Calendar marked and alert set. K & R!

[Jimbo S]

3. I'm not one for remakes

But I'm curious. I'll watch, if I'm home. Can the director re-create the chemistry between the cast members?

[LanternWaste]

4. Yeah... Hamlet and Henry V have been done to death.

And how may times does Death of a Salesman need to be staged?

One and done!!!

[Submariner]

5. If Wanda Sykes is in I have to watch

[NurseJackie]

19. Wanda Sykes rocks!

[Archae]

6. I know what episode of All In The Family should be done...

Where Archie gets locked in the basement and gets drunk.

[misanthrope]

7. Hmm

Are they going to set them in their original time period? I ask because that was a HUGE factor in both shows, to the point I have difficulty seeing them set in a contemporary world. Archie's entire worldview was formed from growing up in the Great Depression, being a WWII vet, being a union member (in a time when unions were far stronger) and witnessing the Civil Rights era as a blue-collar white man.

[Locrian]

11. yeah I agree

If it's "modern" it will (should) be completely unrecognizable because of the factors you mentioned
If it's the "past" - the cast doesn't fit the time.

Don't have high expectations for this...

[misanthrope]

12. I have a hard time seeing Harrelson playing a NYC dockworker from Queens

Although Jamie Foxx is certainly well cast as a cocksure jackass.

[thesquanderer]

20. re: "If it's the "past" - the cast doesn't fit the time. "

They could certainly set it in the 1970s, the cast could play that. I was going to say there's little point (other than ratings) to re-do an original episode without changing the script or the setting, we can just watch the original. But as has been pointed out, we see different interpretations of Shakespeare all the time, with no changes to script or setting, yet the performances and direction still make for a unique experience.

[Trumpocalypse]

8. Rob Reiner should reprise his role

as Mike Stivic. That would be cool.

[sdfernando]

9. Reviving All in the Family??/

too many dumbf*@ks would think its a reality show!

[MiniMe]

10. Most of the main characters have passed away

Not watching because it won't be the same thing without Archie and Edith

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I feel the same way - I catch the originals of both shows whenever they're on

And they are still on - they're actually a welcome respite from the exhausting news that we're enduring every day.

[Raine]

14. I'll pass

I'd rather watch the repeats that one of the retro networks has been showing.

[JI7]

15. i'm guessing this is just a one time special and they aren't actually bringing back the show

regularly . so i think that's ok. it looks like it's just a tribute to norman lear.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

16. Well, May is a tv ratings "sweeps" month.

[llmart]

17. As someone else posted, I'll watch out of curiosity but I think I'll be disappointed.

I love the reruns on MeTV. I still laugh out loud at scenes that I've seen over and over again. I think some shows should just remain the originals. Remakes are generally underwhelming.

[bluedigger]

18. ABC?

Why not give us The Six Million Dollar Man again?

[RhodeIslandOne]

21. If it is as raw as those shows were in 1978, America won't be able to handle it

Social media will be outdoing itself that night.