"Up All Night" to switch to multi-cam format for the rest of its second season

[BillBrasky]

According to Deadline Hollywood , NBC has decided to convert its family comedy "Up All Night", which has been struggling in the ratings this season, from a single-camera to a multi-camera format. Episode 11, which wraps production next week, will be the last episode of the show in the single-camera format. Production will then shut down for a three-month hiatus to convert the stage and set to multi-cam tapings in front of a live audience, during which time the show’s writers will work on scripts. "Up All Night"‘s new showrunner this season, Tucker Cawley, comes from a very strong multi-camera background as one of the top writer-producers on CBS’s "Everybody Loves Raymond', as does "Up All Night" creator/executive producer Emily Spivey, a "Saturday Night Live" veteran.

"Up All Night' will go back into production in February on 5 multi-camera episodes. That will bring the total for the show’s second season to 16 episodes, up from the original 13 ordered in May. "Up All Night' will remain on the air until December, when all of the 11 single-camera episodes will have aired. The show will make its multi-camera debut in April/May.

The idea for the conversion came from "Up All Night" executive producer, SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, who had been looking for a way to infuse the show with more energy. Another single-camera NBC comedy he executive produces, "30 Rock", has done successful live multi-camera episodes. “We know what the multi-camera audience does for the live episodes of 30 Rock, plus after seeing both Maya and Christina do SNL within the past few months, we knew we had the kind of performers — Will Arnett included — who love the reaction from a live audience,” said NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt. “We think we can make a seamless tradition to the new format. Also, we’re committed to the multi-camera form and this will give us another show to consider for next season in this new format.” The network has two multi-cam shows on the air right now, freshman "Guys With Kids" and sophomore "Whitney".

[AstroChicken]

Just as the Mayans predicted.

[BillBrasky]

I have to say, this is one of the strangest ideas I've ever heard. With "30 Rock", it sort of made sense to do live episodes, because the show deals with an SNL-like live sketch comedy show. But a domestic sitcom like "Up All Night", which is realistic and film-like....suddenly switching to a multi-camera format is going to seem really odd and jarring. It will almost be like some kind of a David Lynchian fever dream, like the characters are imagining their life if they were trapped inside a crappy CBS-like multicam sitcom.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anything like this has ever been done before. Has a show ever switched formats like this mid-way though their run? I know that the show "Roc" started out as a traditional multi-cam sitcom and then switched to doing live episodes, but that's not really the same thing. It's definitely going to be interesting- just think of how weird it was to see the "30 Rock" sets and characters suddenly all brightly lit and live TV-like, and now multiply that by about twenty, that's how weird this is going to be.

Edit: Also, this sentence bothers me: "We’re committed to the multi-camera form and this will give us another show to consider for next season in this new format." I really don't think we need any more shows like "Guys with Kids" and "Whitney" on NBC. I hope this doesn't mean that this is the direction NBC is planning to go in for next season- on the one hand they seem to be buying lots of shows produced by Greg Daniels and starring ex-"Office" cast members, but on the other hand they're making mystifying decisions like this.

[punkdc]

I think it's going to flop. As somebody who watches every week, seeing this will ruin the whole vibe for me. Should have just canceled it when they had the chance. #bringbackcommunitymaybe?

[Jouster]

I got two words for you: Watching Ellie.

(Alternate two words: Who cares?)

[BillBrasky]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anything like this has ever been done before. Has a show ever switched formats like this mid-way though their run?.

According to the newly edited Deadline article:

While changing the format of a comedy from single- to multi-camera and vice versa is not unusual during the development process and even after the pilot — most recently ABC orered a single-camera version of CBS’ multi-cam pilot Super Fun Night — a switch during a series’ run is extremely rare. Happy Days did it after Season 2. (The series always used a laugh track but switched from single-camera type filming to multi-cam tapings in front of a live audience in Season 3.)

That's really not the same thing, Happy Days always had the "vibe" of being a live audience type show even if they didn't actually film in front of a live audience. There hasn't been a show that has entirely changed aesthetics like this before I don't think.

Edit: Oh, Jouster is right- I forgot about "Watching Ellie" (like most people). Neither version of that show worked very well, it got cancelled very quickly.

[drieux]

I look forward to the announcement that will come after the Season 2 finale, in which NBC execs let us know they're very excited to have cast Kevin James in the place of Will Arnett, and there will be even more new characters such as the talking wise-cracking cat Fartzy, the womanizing (but loveable) helicopter pilot Chest Burlington and new wacky neighbor Shin Chan, the Kung-Fu teacher who always has a rap ready to go! Applegate's character will also now be a stewardess from New Jersey with plenty of attitude, aww-naw-you-didn't!

Seriously, they are ridiculously determined to try anything to get people to watch. I realize Lorne Michaels is the Exec producer but I can't remember any time in which a network was willing to keep giving a show so many chances. I liked the first season, not so fond of the 2nd and imagine it will get worse with these changes.

[Gluehead]

I love the cast, I love Emily Spivey, I love a lot of the people writing for it, but maybe they should just admit defeat and bow out gracefully. This change into multicam is going to completely alter the tone of the show so if you're willing to do something so drastic, you should probably realize the lack of a distinct style or voice is the problem here and one that probably won't be fixed by slapping a new coat of paint on it.

[pixel revolt]

They should go to NBC and say "Take me out, coach. I don't have my A game today" and trot off the mound as AST cheers them on for all they've done for the city in their career. "Now THAT'S how it's done," we'll tell our children. And on that day Will Arnett will consider himself the luckiest man alive.

God bless America.

[mattmanser]

I've been lukewarm on this show so far, so who knows? Maybe this will help. No harm in trying.

[BillBrasky]

It just occurred to me....has Will Arnett ever really done anything that could be construed as working in front of a live audience? Christina Applegate did Married with Children of course, and has hosted SNL. Maya is very used to working with a live audience. But the only shows Arnett has done have been single-camera shows. I guess you could consider his appearances on "Conan" as working in front of a live audience.

[Don Luzman]

I dunno. A quick google-search produced plenty of UCB appearances, and I really mean quick. I'm sure he's been plenty busy in that department, they usually all are.

[Junk]

So are they finally gonna lose the daughter, or age her up to 13?

[beewcar]

...And so was the downfall of "Up All Night"...

[mueXog]

Linda Wallem, the co-creator of Nurse Jackie is taking over as "Up All Night" new showrunner.