The Wiz Live!
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 3, 2015
User Score
6.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 4 out of 16

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User Reviews

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  1. rappleby51
    Dec 20, 2015
    2
    I watched the WIZ live and I did not like it.
    I love all the stars in it but not is production
    I saw the original Wiz on Broadway with Stephanie Mills on Broadway and the original Wizard of Oz movie many times In my opinion there will only two people who can do the role of Dorothy. Judy Garland in the movies and the spectacular Stephanie Mills in the broadway production. Again I    I watched the WIZ live and I did not like it.
    I love all the stars in it but not is production
    I saw the original Wiz on Broadway with Stephanie Mills on Broadway
    and the original Wizard of Oz movie many times
    In my opinion there will only two people who can do the role
    of Dorothy. Judy Garland in the movies and the spectacular
    Stephanie Mills in the broadway production. Again I love all the stars in
    the WIZ live but not in these roles    … Expand
  2. cindii
    Dec 20, 2015
    9
    I watch The Wiz both nights and I loved it! I went in with low expectations because I did not like the one with Donna Ross and Michael Jackson. I saw small clips of it when it first aired some 40 yrs ago and I did not like what I saw. I guess I just didn't care for the ghetto theme and setting.Also I thought Diana Ross was waaaay too old to be playing Dorothy. However the Wiz live with theI watch The Wiz both nights and I loved it! I went in with low expectations because I did not like the one with Donna Ross and Michael Jackson. I saw small clips of it when it first aired some 40 yrs ago and I did not like what I saw. I guess I just didn't care for the ghetto theme and setting.Also I thought Diana Ross was waaaay too old to be playing Dorothy. However the Wiz live with the new cast was entertaining and fun. What was missing was the warm claps of appreciation from a live audience after each spectacular performance. Kudos to the girl who played Dorothy who held her own surrounded by the mega talent on that stage. I look forward to seeing more of her in the near future.Of course it wasn't a perfect show with few obvious things to nitpick about but why when IMO, the fun out weighed the bad. :)… Expand
  3. nahtan1244
    Dec 23, 2016
    5
    While wayyy better than grease live this musical is not one of my favorites. Shanice Williams was pretty good and so was her supporting cast. No one stood out particularly other than Stephanie mills as auntie em Mary J blidge as the wicked witch of the west. This is one of the first live musicals that really stood out to critics and audiences and I can see why. There were actors who seemedWhile wayyy better than grease live this musical is not one of my favorites. Shanice Williams was pretty good and so was her supporting cast. No one stood out particularly other than Stephanie mills as auntie em Mary J blidge as the wicked witch of the west. This is one of the first live musicals that really stood out to critics and audiences and I can see why. There were actors who seemed to be giving it their all and the sets were magnificent and I don't think many people were thinking Shanice Williams would do as good as she did. Their was not much competition considering NBC's last two live musicals were pretty mediocre at best. Unlike grease this had a decent story with likable characters, for the most part the actors all around were pretty good. Their was a good moral message at the end too. However I don't really care for the updated wizard of oz story as the original is pretty close to my hart and the only song that I really enjoyed form the soundtrack was ease on down the road. While I may get hate for it This presentation had more hits than misses mostly because the actors all around supporting and main were great the energy was just as good. The only thing grease has better is a better soundtrack and even though the actors were good some of the actors were a little better in grease mostly from the supporting cast, and better energy. In conclusion I don't hate the musical it is not one of my favorites It was an impressive effort considering NBC's last two efforts… Expand

Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best TV Season of 2015
61
#61 Most Shared TV Season of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Kevin Fallon
    Dec 11, 2015
    50
    The Wiz Live! was certainly not transcendent, or even anything that I’d ever want to watch again. But it was Citizen Kane compared to the twin rancid garbage pile that were Sound of Music and Peter Pan.
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  2. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: Samantha White
    Dec 9, 2015
    80
    While it may not be enough to renew every musical-lover’s faith in live-to-TV performances, The Wiz Live! certainly proves that musicals have a place on television right now – and not just in late-night monologue jokes.
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  3. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    Dec 8, 2015
    70
    The costumes, sets, choreography and makeup were incredible. And newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy? Outstanding. The only problem? The show was so packed with commercials the actors barely sang a song and it was time to cut to five or six ads. As a result, the story (what little there was) was impossible to track.
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