7 Scripted TV Shows That Went Live!

Drew Carey's history with improvisation went a long way as he steered his cast through three performances of the same episode (Eastern/Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones).

The critically acclaimed show went the extra mile by serving up an episode that had a ton of guest stars, a character who dies, and a live ending. Unfortunately, it still didn't make that much of a splash.

The cast opened season 8 with this live episode that went off without a hitch, save for Debra Messing and Sean Hayes' fit of giggles.

The first live episode they performed was so well received that the cast of Charles S. Dutton's working-man comedy got to do all 22 episodes of the following season live. They did it so well, it became kind of pro forma.

George Clooney produced and starred in this live 90-minute remake of the 1964 nuclear-war thriller Fail Safe, the rare drama to air live in prime time. But it was no match for the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire juggernaut.

Vinick vs. Santos: It was the fictional showdown we were all waiting for, and the concept behind the live taping made sense. But the presidential debate took most of the episode to ramp up to the level of excitement most viewers were hoping for.

The then-extremely-popular show opened its fourth season with a live episode that only served to heighten its buzz.