Live in Front of a Studio Audience

All in the Family is about a working-class white family living in Queens, New York. Its patriarch is Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor), an outspoken, narrow-minded man. Archie's wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) is sweet and understanding, though somewhat naïve and uneducated; her husband sometimes disparagingly calls her "dingbat." Their only child, daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers), is generally kind and good-natured like her mother, but displays traces of her father's stubbornness and temper; unlike them, however, she is a feminist. Gloria is married to college student Michael Stivic (Rob Reiner){{snd}}referred to as "Meathead" by Archie{{snd}}whose values are likewise influenced and shaped by the counterculture of the 1960s. The two couples represent the real-life clash of values between the Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers. For much of the series, the Stivics live in the Bunkers' home to save money, providing abundant opportunity for them to irritate each other. – The show is set in the Astoria section of Queens, with the vast majority of scenes taking place in the Bunkers' home at 704 Hauser Street. Occasional scenes take place in other locations, especially during later seasons, such as Kelsey's Bar, a neighborhood tavern where Archie spends a good deal of time and which he eventually purchases, and the Stivics' home after Mike and Gloria move to the house next door. The house seen in the opening is at 89-70 Cooper Avenue near the junction of the Glendale, Forest Hills, and Rego Park sections of Queens.{{Cite web |title=ZIP Code Lookup |url=https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupResultsAction!input.action?resultMode=0&companyName=&address1=89-70+COOPER+AV&address2=&city=QUEENS&state=NY&urbanCode=&postalCode=&zip= |access-date=May 22, 2019 |website=USPS |publisher=U. S. Government |location=Washington, D.C.}} Supporting characters represent the demographics of the neighborhood, especially the Jeffersons, a black family, who live in the house next door in the early seasons.

The Jeffersons focuses on George and Louise Jefferson, an African-American couple who have been able to move from a working-class Queens neighborhood to a luxury apartment building on the East Side of Manhattan owing to the success of George's dry-cleaner chain. The show was launched as the second spin-off of All in the Family, on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker.{{Cite news |last=Adams |first=Val |date=January 18, 1975 |title='The Jeffersons' premiere on CBS in 1975 |work=New York Daily News |location=New York City |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/jeffersons-premiere-cbs-1975-article-1.2066272 |access-date=May 22, 2019}}{{Cite magazine |last=Robinson |first=Louie |date=January 1976 |title=The Jeffersons: A look at life on black America's new 'Striver's Row' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xtMDAAAAMBAJ&q=+jeffersons&pg=PA112 |magazine=Ebony |location=Chicago |access-date=May 22, 2019}} The show was the creation of Norman Lear.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=The Jeffersons |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Television |publisher=Museum of Broadcast Communications |location=Chicago |url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/jeffersonst.htm |access-date=May 22, 2019 |last=Deane |first=Pam}} The Jeffersons eventually evolved into more of a traditional sitcom but did reference such issues as alcoholism, racism, suicide, gun control, being transgender, and adult illiteracy. The epithets "nigger" and "honky" were used occasionally, especially during the earlier seasons.{{Cite book |last1=Leonard |first1=David J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oarWAQAAQBAJ&q=jeffersons&pg=PA58 |title=African Americans on Television: Race-ing for Ratings |last2=Guerrero |first2=Lisa |publisher=Praeger Publishers |year=2013 |isbn=978-0275995157 |location=Santa Barbara, California}}{{Cite news |last=Cadet |first=Danielle |date=July 25, 2012 |title='The Jeffersons': How Sherman Hemsley And The Sitcom Changed The Landscape Of American Television |work=HuffPost |publisher=AOL |location=New York City |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-jeffersons-show-legacy_n_1701026 |access-date=May 22, 2019}}

Good Times focuses on James and Florida Evans and their three children living in a housing project in inner-city Chicago with their exuberant neighbor and Florida's best friend Willona Woods. The series was a spin-off of Maude (which was itself a spin-off of All in the Family). Florida was employed as Maude Findlay's housekeeper in Tuckahoe, New York, and James (named "Henry") was employed as a New York City firefighter. When Florida and Henry moved to Good Times, the producers decided to change the characters' history to fit a new series that was well into development rather than start from scratch to create a consistent starring vehicle. Henry's name was changed to James, and there was no mention of anything connected to Maude. Good Times was set in a traditional sitcom format, but dealt with serious issues of poverty, social class, racism, addiction, alcoholism, gang violence, gun violence, child abuse, homelessness, and politics. Controversially, in later seasons the show increasingly focused on the popular character of J.J., the Evans' oldest son, whom some critics, including the actors who played his parents, considered a negative stereotype of African-Americans.

The Facts of Life is a spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes in which the Drummonds' housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett, moves to Peekskill, New York to work as the housemother of a dormitory at Eastland, an all-girls boarding school. Unusually for a spin-off, it premiered less than a year after the series that spawned it. Owing to its setting in a dormitory, the first season features a large cast of students, but in the second season, the cast was streamlined substantially and for the majority of the show's run, it focuses on Mrs. Garrett and four core girls: spoiled Blair, naive Natalie, gossipy Tootie, and tough Jo. The show's school-based setting combined with its long run necessitated a thematic shift in season five in which Mrs. Garrett leaves Eastland to open a gourmet food shop in Peekskill, and the four core girls come to live with her behind the shop as they attend different schools and work for Mrs. Garrett.

Diff'rent Strokes is about a pair of working-class African-American children from Harlem, New York, Arnold and Willis Jackson, who are taken in and eventually adopted by wealthy white industrialist Philip Drummond upon the death of their mother, Mr. Drummond's housekeeper. Other members of the Drummond household include Mr. Drummond's teenage daughter, Kimberly, and his new housekeeper, Edna Garrett; Mrs. Garrett departed for her own series midway through the second season and was succeeded by two other housekeepers. Early episodes deal with the culture shock of two children of limited means suddenly being vaulted into high society, but these themes were largely dropped in later seasons as the Jackson brothers became used to their privileged life on Park Avenue and began referring to Mr. Drummond as "Dad." Nonetheless, the sitcom continued to address serious issues such as drug abuse, child sexual abuse, disabilities and eating disorders. In doing so, it became one of the era's best-known purveyors of the very special episode.

Co-hosts

• Norman Lear
• Jimmy Kimmel

Guest stars

• Martin Short as Himself – performing the theme song from The Facts of Life in the second special{{Cite news |last=Stuever |first=Hank |date=December 19, 2019 |title=Review - ABC's live 'Good Times' and 'All in the Family' try again to rekindle the magic of yesterday's sitcoms |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/abcs-live-good-times-and-all-in-the-family-try-again-to-rekindle-the-magic-of-yesterdays-sitcoms/2019/12/19/a5dd164e-21dd-11ea-bed5-880264cc91a9_story.html |access-date=December 23, 2019}}
• Ja'Net DuBois, Jimmie Walker, and Bern Nadette Stanis as Themselves – cast members on the original series of Good Times{{Cite web |title=Original Stars Reunite for GOOD TIMES Special |url=https://www.get.tv/gettv-blog/original-stars-reunite-good-times-special |access-date=September 20, 2020 |website=www.get.tv |language=en}}
• Todd Bridges – original cast member of Diff'rent Strokes
• Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn and Kim Fields – original cast members of The Facts of Life

{{col-begin}}

{{col-5}}

All in the Family

• Woody Harrelson as Archie Bunker (also performing the theme song, "Those Were the Days")
• Marisa Tomei as Edith Bunker (also performing the theme song, "Those Were the Days")
• Ellie Kemper as Gloria Stivic
• Ike Barinholtz as Mike "Meathead" Stivic
• Anthony Anderson as Henry Jefferson (for "Henry's Farewell")
• Jamie Foxx as George Jefferson (for "Henry's Farewell")
• Sean Hayes as Frank Lorenzo (for "Henry's Farewell")
• Kevin Bacon as Pinky Peterson (for "The Draft Dodger")
• Jesse Eisenberg as David Brewster (for "The Draft Dodger")
• Justina Machado as Teresa Betancourt (for "The Draft Dodger")

{{col-5}}

The Jeffersons

• Jamie Foxx as George Jefferson
• Wanda Sykes as Louise Jefferson
• Kerry Washington as Helen Willis
• Will Ferrell as Tom Willis
• Marla Gibbs as Florence Johnston
• Fran Bennett as Mother Olivia Jefferson
• Jovan Adepo as Lionel Jefferson
• Amber Stevens West as Jenny Willis Jefferson
• Stephen Tobolowsky as Harry Bentley
• Jackée Harry as Diane Stockwell
• Jennifer Hudson as Herself (performing the theme song, "Movin' On Up")

{{col-5}}

Good Times

• Andre Braugher as James Evans Sr.
• Viola Davis as Florida Evans
• Tiffany Haddish as Willona Woods
• Jay Pharoah as James "J.J." Evans Jr.
• Corinne Foxx as Thelma Evans
• Asante Blackk as Michael Evans
• John Amos as Fred Davis
• Jharrel Jerome as Jimmy Pierson
• Anthony Anderson as Himself and Patti LaBelle as Herself (performing the self-titled theme song)

{{col-5}}

The Facts of Life

• Ann Dowd as Edna Garrett
• Jennifer Aniston as Blair Warner
• Gabrielle Union as Tootie Ramsey
• Allison Tolman as Natalie Green
• Kathryn Hahn as Jo Polniaczek
• Will Arnett as Dink Lockwood
• Jason Bateman as Tim Holifield
• Jon Stewart as Carl “Rocky” Price
• Noah Lapook
• Lisa Whelchel as Herself (performing the self-titled theme song)

{{col-5}}

Diff'rent Strokes

• John Lithgow as Mr. Philip Drummond
• Kevin Hart as Arnold Jackson
• Damon Wayans as Willis Jackson
• Ann Dowd as Edna Garrett
• Snoop Dogg as Vernon
• Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris (from Boyz II Men) as Themselves (performing the self-titled theme song)

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{{Episode table |background=#47265b |overall=10 |overallT=Series |title= |director= |writer=35 |airdate= |Aux4=10 |Aux4T=Original
episode no. |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=All in the Family

|Title= Henry's Farewell

|DirectedBy= Bob LaHendro and John Rich

|WrittenBy= Don Nicholl

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1973|10|20}}

|Aux4=Season 4
Episode 6

|ShortSummary= The Bunkers and the Jeffersons have a farewell party for Henry, where Archie incites another argument.

|LineColor= 47265b

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=The Jeffersons

|Title= A Friend in Need

|DirectedBy= Jack Shea

|WrittenBy= {{StoryTeleplay|t=Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernie West, Barry Harman & Harve Brosten|s=Barry Harman & Harve Brosten}}

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1975|1|18}}

|Aux4=Season 1
Episode 1

|ShortSummary= When they experience growing pains in their posh new digs, George demands that Louise hire her friend as their maid. However, when the couple ends up hiring sassy maid Florence instead, George and Weezy learn you can "move on up" without looking down upon others.

|LineColor=47265b

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=Good Times

| Title = The Politicians

| DirectedBy = Herbert Kenwith

| WrittenBy = Jack Elinson & Norman Paul

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1975|11|04}}

|Aux4=Season 3
Episode 9

| ShortSummary = A feud erupts in the Evans' household when James and J.J. take the side of Alderman Fred Davis during his attempt at re-election while Florida, Thelma and Willona take the side of his young opponent. It seems Davis is a shyster who gets nothing done in the neighborhood, which is why she cannot believe James would back such a loser.

| LineColor = 47265b

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=All in the Family

|Title= The Draft Dodger

|DirectedBy= Paul Bogart

|WrittenBy= Jay Moriarty and Mike Milligan

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1976|12|25}}

|ShortSummary= The Bunkers have Christmas dinner with a friend of Archie's whose son died in the Vietnam war and a friend of Mike's who's a draft dodger.

|Aux4=Season 7
Episode 15

| LineColor = 47265b

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=The Facts of Life

|Title= Kids Can Be Cruel

|DirectedBy= Asaad Kelada

|WrittenBy= Jerry Mayer

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1982|03|17}}

|ShortSummary= A vengeful Natalie is determined to get even with insensitive Blair, but she unwittingly entangles an innocent victim in her scheme.

|Aux4=Season 3
Episode 20

| LineColor = 47265b

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=Diff'rent Strokes

|Title= Willis' Privacy

|DirectedBy= Herbert Kenwith

|WrittenBy= Alan Rosen & Fred Rubin

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1979|02|23}}

|ShortSummary= Willis is tired of having Arnold hang around him all the time, so he goes back to Harlem to get away from him - possibly for good.

|Aux4=Season 1
Episode 17

| LineColor = 47265b

}}

}}

The first special was announced on April 19, 2019 (which aired May 22). Jimmy Kimmel deemed All in the Family and The Jeffersons as his favorite TV series of all time,{{Cite news |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=May 23, 2019 |title='All in the Family' & 'The Jeffersons' Live Shines With Jamie Foxx's Flub, Surprise Guest & More Than Nostalgia |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/all-in-the-family-the-jeffersons-spoilers-recap-review-jamie-foxx-masia-tomei-wanda-sykes-norman-lear-jimmy-kimmel-abc-1202620902/ |access-date=May 23, 2019}} and stated: "the fact that a group of Oscar winners eagerly agreed to play these iconic characters is a testament to the greatness of these shows and their creator, Norman Lear."{{Cite magazine |last=Lenker |first=Maureen Lee |date=April 19, 2019 |title=Jimmy Kimmel, all-star cast to recreate All in the Family, The Jeffersons episodes in live special |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/19/jimmy-kimmel-all-in-the-family-the-jeffersons-live-special/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=May 22, 2019}} On May 10, 2019, it was announced that Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, and Sean Hayes would be part of the cast.{{Cite magazine |last=Lenker |first=Maureen Lee |date=May 10, 2019 |title=ABC's live sitcom event adds Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, Sean Hayes, and more to cast |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/05/10/abcs-live-sitcom-event-adds-anthony-anderson-ike-barinholtz-sean-hayes-more-cast/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=May 22, 2019}}

Live in Front of a Studio Audience was broadcast from the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, California.{{Cite magazine |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=May 21, 2019 |title=Inside Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' Live Remake Special |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/jimmy-kimmel-norman-lear-live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-jeffersons-all-in-the-family-1203223214/ |magazine=Variety |access-date=May 22, 2019}} Many of the details regarding the special, including which episodes would be performed, guest stars, and other aspects, were kept as surprises to encourage viewership. Lear remarked that "the whole thing was Jimmy's idea", and that the two shows' relevance remained the same in the current political climate, explaining that "seriously, the most amazing thing is listening to these two shows where we agreed word for word — we would not change a word, and nothing has been changed". Lear also hoped that the special could become a larger franchise in its own right.{{Cite news |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=May 22, 2019 |title=Norman Lear & Producer Brent Miller On 'All In The Family' & 'The Jeffersons' Live Redux Tonight & A Potential Franchise |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/norman-lear-interview-all-the-family-jeffersons-live-show-franchise-plans-1202620746/ |access-date=May 22, 2019}}

Justina Machado was originally announced as playing Florence Johnston; however, during the live broadcast, original The Jeffersons cast member Marla Gibbs made a surprise appearance to reprise her role as Florence.{{Cite magazine |last=Lenker |first=Maureen Lee |date=May 22, 2019 |title=Original Jeffersons cast member made surprise cameo on Live in Front of a Studio Audience |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/05/22/original-jeffersons-cast-member-made-surprise-cameo-live-studio-audience/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=May 22, 2019}}{{Cite news |last=Roots |first=Kimberly |date=May 22, 2019 |title=The Jeffersons' Marla Gibbs Reprises Role of Florence in Surprise Live Appearance — Watch Video |work=TVLine |url=https://tvline.com/2019/05/22/the-jeffersons-live-marla-gibbs-florence-revival-video-watch/ |access-date=May 23, 2019}} Veteran actress Fran Bennett portrayed Mother Jefferson.{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Charlie |date=May 22, 2019 |title=The Jeffersons Live Recap: Did the Cast Make It Look Weezy… Er, Easy? |work=TVLine |url=https://tvline.com/2019/05/22/the-jeffersons-live-recap-jamie-foxx-wanda-sykes-abc/ |access-date=May 23, 2019}} The original episodes aired between 1973 and 1976 on CBS, respectively.{{Cite news |last=Keveney |first=Bill |date=May 23, 2019 |title=Famous cast sticks live-TV landing in Norman Lear's 'All in the Family,' 'The Jeffersons' |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/05/23/jimmy-kimmel-norman-lear-team-classic-live-sitcom-special/1199000001/ |access-date=May 24, 2019}}

A second special was announced on November 5, 2019 (which aired December 18), featuring episodes of All in the Family and Good Times.{{Cite web |last=Nemetz |first=Dave |date=November 5, 2019 |title=Live in Front of a Studio Audience to Return to ABC With Holiday Episodes of All in the Family and Good Times |url=https://tvline.com/2019/11/05/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-holiday-all-in-the-family-good-times-abc/ |website=TVLine}} On December 11, 2019, it was announced that Harrelson, Tomei, Kemper, and Barinholtz would reprise their All in the Family roles, and would be joined by Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg, and the previously announced Machado in yet to be revealed roles. It was also revealed that Anderson, who previously played Henry Jefferson in the first special, and Patti LaBelle would sing the Good Times theme song.{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Meredith |date=December 11, 2019 |title=Patti LaBelle & Anthony Anderson to Perform 'Good Times' Theme Song on 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience' |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/839580/anthony-anderson-patti-labelle-good-times-theme-song-live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience/ |access-date=December 11, 2019 |website=TV Insider}} The following day, the special's Good Times cast was announced: Viola Davis as Florida Evans, with Andre Braugher as James Evans, Jay Pharaoh as J.J. Evans, Asante Blackk as Michael Evans, Corinne Foxx as Thelma Evans, Tiffany Haddish as Willona Woods, and Jharrel Jerome in another yet-to-be revealed role.{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Ryan |date=December 12, 2019 |title=Live Good Times Cast: Viola Davis, Andre Braugher, Tiffany Haddish, Jharrel Jerome and 3 Others |url=https://tvline.com/2019/12/12/good-times-live-cast-viola-davis-andre-braugher-florida-james-evans/ |website=TVLine}}{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=December 12, 2019 |title=Tiffany Haddish, Viola Davis, Andre Braugher, Jay Pharoah, Asante Blackk, Corinne Foxx & Jharrel Jerome Set For ABC's 'Good Times' Live Special |url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/tiffany-haddish-viola-davis-andre-braugher-jay-pharoah-asante-blackk-corinne-foxx-abc-good-times-live-special-norman-le-1202807764/ |access-date=December 12, 2019 |website=Deadline}} ABC also announced that it would air special "retro" promos for its current programming during the broadcast, which were modeled upon ABC's on-air presentation from the mid-1970s and early to mid 80s. Several ABC stations similarly planned to air their own throwback promos for local newscasts during the special, such as network owned-and-operated stations WTVD-TV{{Citation |title=ABC11 WTVD - THROWBACK WEDNESDAY? ABC11 will be... |url=https://www.facebook.com/ABC11/videos/2186035961700788/ |language=en |access-date=December 19, 2019}} and WLS-TV.{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=December 16, 2019 |title=ABC Promos Go 1970s Retro In Honor of 'Live In Front of a Studio Audience' (WATCH) |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-norman-lear-abc-promos-stumptown-rookie-1203439622/ |access-date=December 18, 2019 |website=Variety |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Robservations: Sun-Times experiments with Spanish-language 'La Voz' |url=https://www.robertfeder.com/2019/12/17/robservations-sun-times-experiments-spanish-language-la-voz/ |access-date=December 18, 2019 |website=www.robertfeder.com}} The original broadcast was occasionally interrupted by ABC News special reports of updates on the impeachment of Donald Trump. Nevertheless, the final half hour tied with the Survivor season finale for the number 2 spot, losing to only the season finale of The Masked Singer.{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2019 |title=RATINGS: LIVE IN FRONT OF A STUDIO AUDIENCE Draws ABC's Biggest Audience on Wednesday Before Christmas in 10 Years |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/RATINGS-LIVE-IN-FRONT-OF-A-STUDIO-AUDIENCE-Draws-ABCs-Biggest-Audience-on-Wednesday-Before-Christmas-in-10-Years-20191219 |access-date=December 21, 2019 |website=Broadway World}}

A third special was announced on November 18, 2021, for the principal cast of the Diff'rent Strokes reenactment,{{Cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=November 18, 2021 |title='Facts Of Life' & 'Diff'rent Strokes' Next Up For ABC's 'Live In Front Of A Studio Audience'; First Stars, Premiere Date Set |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-facts-of-life-diffrent-strokes-kevin-hart-damon-wayans-john-lithgow-1234877285/ |publisher=Deadline}} and the cast of The Facts of Life reenactment was announced on November 29.{{Cite web |last=Cordero |first=Rosy |date=November 29, 2021 |title=Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, Kathryn Hahn, & Allison Tolman Join 'Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Facts Of Life' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/jennifer-aniston-gabrielle-union-kathryn-hahn-allison-tolman-live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-facts-of-life-1234881847/ |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} It aired December 7.{{Cite web |title=Watch Live in Front of a Studio Audience TV Show |url=https://abc.com/shows/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=ABC}}

On January 11, 2022, ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich confirmed that there would be more installments of Live in Front of a Studio Audience.{{Cite news |last=Mitovich |first=Matt Webb |date=January 11, 2022 |title=ABC Boss Addresses Oscars Host Plan, Status of Primetime All My Children, Grey's, Millionaire and Live Sitcoms |work=TVLine |url=https://tvline.com/2022/01/11/oscars-host-2022-academy-awards-abc-greys-anatomy-season-20/ |access-date=January 11, 2022}}

Film critic Caroline Framke of Variety felt that "with meticulous attention to set detail and wig shapes, ABC's live staging of 'Henry's Farewell' and 'A Friend in Need' managed to feel both like an artifact of a nostalgic past and the urgent present", noting that Archie had "retained his notoriously ugly streaks of sexism and racism", while the word "nigger" had to be censored from the Jeffersons episode due to current broadcast standards. Framke similarly noted that "some of the punchlines reveal[ed] their age, but as Lear warned us ahead of time, far more hit close to home" (especially if one were to, for example, "swap out every Nixon mention for Trump"), and that "the deja vu does tend to create an extra depressing level to the proceedings." She felt that most of the starring roles were trying to "impersonate" their original actors with mixed results (also noting that Jamie Foxx had broken character to point out his flubbed line, blurting out that "[everyone's] sitting at home thinking their TV is messed up"),{{Cite web |last=Nemetz |first=Dave |date=May 23, 2019 |title=All in the Family: Jamie Foxx Flubs Line, Breaks Character on Live TV — Watch |url=https://tvline.com/2019/05/22/all-in-the-family-live-jamie-foxx-mistake-flubs-line-george-jefferson-video/ |access-date=May 23, 2019 |website=TVLine}} but that Marisa Tomei "stole just about every scene", and that they were backed by a supporting cast that "more often than not, have had ample experience on their own comedies borne of the Lear tradition". She concluded that "TV could frankly do a whole lot worse than gathering talented performers to tackle smart, topical comedy with such visceral joy that they're practically vibrating off the screen. That the material remains so stubbornly timely is a bonus — and a warning."{{Cite magazine |last=Framke |first=Caroline |date=May 22, 2019 |title=TV Review: ABC's Live 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/abc-all-in-the-family-jeffersons-live-review-1203224131/ |magazine=Variety |access-date=May 22, 2019}}

The first special was seen by 10.4 million viewers, with a 1.8 rating among viewers 18–49, making it the most-watched program of the night. It ranked #2 for the week in viewers, and #1 for the week in the 18-49 demographic. The live special was followed by a half-hour retrospective on the two shows, All About All in the Family & The Jeffersons (seen by 7.9 million), and the series finale{{Cite web |date=May 24, 2019 |title='Whiskey Cavalier' Not Being Revived By ABC, Showrunner Says |url=https://www.thewrap.com/whiskey-cavalier-not-being-revived-by-abc-showrunner-says/ |access-date=May 24, 2019 |website=The Wrap}} of Whiskey Cavalier (3.64 million).{{Cite news |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 23, 2019 |title='Whiskey Cavalier': ABC Explores Bringing Back Canceled Series For Season 2 |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/whiskey-cavalier-abc-talks-season-2-renewal-uncancellation-canceled-series-1202621423/ |access-date=May 23, 2019}}{{Cite magazine |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=May 23, 2019 |title=TV Ratings: ABC's 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience' Easily Tops Wednesday |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-abc-ratings-1203224560/ |magazine=Variety |access-date=May 23, 2019}} The special also gave ABC its most watched season-closing Wednesday since 2007.{{Cite web |last=Mitovich |first=Matt Webb |date=May 23, 2019 |title=Ratings: Live Sitcoms Dominate, Lead ABC to a 12-Year Audience High; Whiskey Cavalier Ends on 11-Week High |url=https://tvline.com/2019/05/23/all-in-the-family-live-jeffersons-ratings-abc/ |access-date=December 12, 2019 |website=TVLine}}{{Cite web |last=de Moraes |first=Lisa |date=May 23, 2019 |title='All In The Family', 'The Jeffersons' Restage Snags ABC's Best Season Wrap Wednesday In 12 Years |url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/jimmy-kimmel-all-in-family-jeffersons-restage-norman-lear-wins-tv-ratings-1202621202/ |access-date=December 12, 2019 |website=Deadline}}

An encore presentation of the special and retrospective were aired on May 25, 2019, with a 0.4/2 rating/share and 2.49 million viewers.{{Cite web |last=Welch |first=Alex |date=May 26, 2019 |title=TV Ratings Saturday: 'Ransom' season finale stays steady |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/tv-ratings-saturday-may-25-2019/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526231721/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/tv-ratings-saturday-may-25-2019/ |archive-date=May 26, 2019 |access-date=May 31, 2019 |website=TV by the Numbers}}{{Cite news |last=de Moraes |first=Lisa |date=May 23, 2019 |title=ABC To Repeat Performance Of Norman Lear Sitcoms 'All In The Family,' 'The Jeffersons' |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/all-in-family-jeffersons-repeat-norman-lear-jimmy-kimmel-1202621596/ |access-date=May 30, 2019}}

The second special was seen by 5.8 million viewers, with a 1.1 share among viewers 18–49. Despite the massive drop in viewership, the special scored ABC's biggest audience on the Wednesday before Christmas since 2009.{{Cite news |date=December 19, 2019 |title='Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: 'All In The Family' And 'Good Times' ' Delivers ABC's Biggest Audience To The Time Slot The Wednesday Before Christmas In 10 Years |publisher=Walt Disney Television |url=https://www.wdtvpress.com/abc/pressrelease/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-all-in-the-family-and-good-times-delivers-abcs-biggest-audience-to-the-time-slot-the-wednesday-before/ |access-date=December 21, 2019}}

The third special was seen by 4.8 million viewers, with a .96 share among viewers 18–49.{{Cite web |last=Metcalf |first=Mitch |date=December 8, 2021 |title=SHOWBUZZDAILY's Tuesday 12.7.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals and Network Finals |url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-tuesday-12-7-2021-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html |access-date=December 8, 2021 |publisher=ShowbuzzDaily}} Despite the decline in viewership,{{Cite news |last1=Maglio |first1=Tony |last2=Mass |first2=Jennifer |date=December 8, 2021 |title=Ratings: ABC's 'Facts of Life'/'Diff'rent Strokes' Sheds 1 Million Viewers From Last 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience' |publisher=The Wrap |url=https://www.thewrap.com/live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-ratings-facts-of-life-diffrent-strokes/ |access-date=December 8, 2021}} the special scored the best ratings of the evening.{{Cite news |last=Del Rosaria |first=Alexandra |date=December 8, 2021 |title=ABC's 'Live In Front Of A Studio Audience' Scores Tuesday's Highest Demo; 'Our Kind Of People' Sinks To New Lows |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/abcs-live-in-front-of-a-studio-audience-tuesdays-highest-demo-the-voice-peoples-choice-awards-1234887242/ |access-date=December 8, 2021}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|10313336}}

{{All in the Family}}

{{The Jeffersons}}

{{Till Death Us Do Part}}

{{The Facts of Life}}

{{Norman Lear}}

{{Johnny Speight}}

{{EmmyAward VarietySpecial (Live)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Live in Front of a Studio Audience}}

Category:2010s American television specials

Category:2019 television specials

Category:All in the Family

Category:American Broadcasting Company television specials

Category:American live television shows

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:The Jeffersons

Category:Mass media portrayals of the working class

Category:Television remakes

Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television

Category:Television series created by Norman Lear

Category:Jimmy Kimmel