In the early days of television, film was expensive and recording technology was limited, so many TV programs were aired live. By the 1990s, however, most sitcoms were recorded in advance — often in front of a studio audience — and edited before broadcast, giving actors, producers, and crew more room for error. One show, however, took a retro approach for its second season. Several cast members of “Roc” had stage experience, and an experimental live episode in Season 1 proved to be a ratings juggernaut. Producers decided that the entire second season would be presented live, and the Season 2 premiere drew over a third more viewers than the first season’s kickoff episode.
Director Stan Lathan acknowledged that doing the show live was stressful, but he was pleased with the result. After the Season 2 premiere in 1992, he told the Los Angeles Times, “We knew the first one would be the toughest, but it turned out really great. It’s a very organic experience. When you’re in the middle of the show, everything is really moving.”
Charles S. Dutton preferred live performances to taped TV
Series star Charles S. Dutton saw the live broadcasts as a welcome challenge he was well-suited for. “Roc” was actually his first starring TV role after a successful stage career, and he found the pre-broadcast taping process tedious. “There was no more challenge for me to do that,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “But with this, it’s like doing a small play every week.”
Ella Joyce also brought an extensive background in theater to her role as Roc’s wife Eleanor, and shared similar feelings about the experience. “We’re all more focused than we would be in a filmed show, just like theater,” Joyce said. Stan Lathan noted how things looked a little different from the director’s chair, going into a full season of live performances. “It will take a lot more precision and energy for us to be prepared,” he explained. “Last season, filming the show gave us a net, the liberty to relax. No more.”
Curious viewers can purchase “Roc” Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video, complete with the occasional line flub and a few other small gaffes. While live broadcasts have hardly become mainstream, “Undateable” and “30 Rock” are among several shows that have aired episodes live in the past couple of decades.