NBC Switches UP ALL NIGHT to Multi-Cam Format
Deadline just broke the news that Up All Night — the NBC comedy starring Maya Rudolph, Christina Applegate and Will Arnett — will be switching to a multi-camera format after its extended winter hiatus. This means the show will either feature a laugh track or will be taped in front of a live studio audience. If you’re scratching your head at this news (or are just finding out that Up All Night is in fact still on the air) you are not alone. Lorne Michaels, a producer on the sitcom, said that he had been looking for a way to juice up the energy level on the show for quite some time and that both Maya and Christina’s hosting gigs on SNL helped inspire this decision.
I am one of the people who still watch Up All Night. After it debuted to decent ratings last September, NBC decided to make it part of its ratings disaster Thursday night line-up, resulting in the loss of almost half the show’s original viewership. Whether people couldn’t find it or they just didn’t care, this self-starter of a show just lost all of its momentum when it moved to a new night. I’ve still remained pretty loyal to show, if only for Maya Rudolph, and I do believe there is a bigger audience for it out there but I don’t think they’ll achieve it by switching to this new format.
The show works extremely well with The Office style single-cam approach it started off using, and its dialogue is so quick and manic that I feel as though it might get watered down with a live audience or laugh track. With that said, this show sometimes loses focus and is a bit childish for my tastes, so maybe this addition might help it evolve and find itself.
While I still believe Up All Night should be partnered with Parenthood/The New Normal, as it fits the family style line-up of that night perfectly, NBC has been on a winning streak all season long and has been making some pretty smart decisions so hopefully this one turns out for the best as well.