Live Television - Live Television Episodes

Live Television Episodes

Although all programs were once live, the use of video tape means that very few television programs in the modern era have ever attempted such a feat. In the U.S., soap operas including As the World Turns and The Edge of Night were broadcast live until 1975. The most recent scripted series to do so on a regular basis was the Charles S. Dutton series Roc in the 1992-93 season.

However, on occasion, scripted series will do an episode live to attract ratings. In the U.S. and Canada, the episode is occasionally performed twice: once for the east coast which is composed of the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone and again three hours later for the west coast which is composed of the Mountain Time Zone and the Pacific Time Zone. Notable examples of shows that have had a live episode include:

• Gimme a Break! (1985)
• Roc (The entire second season, 1993)
• ER (1997)
• Coronation Street (for its 40th anniversary in 2000 & its 50th anniversary in 2010)
• The Drew Carey Show (1999, 2000, & 2001)
• One Life to Live (Went live for an entire week of episodes in May 2002)
• The Bill (2003 & 2005)
• The Daily Show (2004, 2008, 2009)
• Blue Heelers (2004)
• Will & Grace (2005 & 2006)
• Air Farce Live (All episodes from October 2007 - December 2008)
• The West Wing (2005) - An episode ("The Debate") was presented as a live debate between presidential candidates
• Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2008)
• EastEnders (for its 25th anniversary in 2010)
• 30 Rock: season five, "Live Show" (2010) and season six, "Live from Studio 6H" (2012)
• WWE Raw
• WWE SmackDown (occasional live specials)

In recent years, there have been a number of special films broadcast live as well. These include the remakes of Fail Safe (2000) and The Quatermass Experiment (2005).

A live television advertisement was shown for the first time in 40 years to celebrate the arrival of the new Honda Accord in the United Kingdom. It was broadcast on Channel Four on 29 May 2008 at 20:10 during a special episode of 'Come Dine With Me'. The ad featured skydivers forming the letters of the word Honda over Spain.