The Highs, Lows, and Whoas of Wicked: One Wonderful Night

Just two weeks before the premiere of Wicked: For Good, Universal cleverly used NBC to create a big televised event celebrating the franchise. This special honored the previous Wicked movie (released last year) and gave fans a sneak peek at the new one. It’s rare for a blockbuster to essentially host its own awards show! Wicked: One Wonderful Night perfectly captures the enthusiastic, sometimes over-the-top, but ultimately enjoyable experience of being a fan of this beloved story. It also demonstrates both the excitement and potential pitfalls of a musical becoming a major part of popular culture. The event was full of hype, and while I couldn’t watch it live—I was at another Stephen Schwartz/Kristin Chenoweth musical—I recently watched it on Peacock and have some thoughts. (It was actually filmed on September 24th, but it felt like a live TV special.) Because it was structured like an awards show, I’m going to review it as one.

WHOA: They moved into the Dolby four months early.

The opening credits of Wicked: One Wonderful Night immediately show it was filmed at the Dolby Theatre – the same venue as the Oscars! This is a striking choice, especially since the film is clearly aiming for awards this year. It almost creates the impression of a world where there’s an annual Oscars ceremony dedicated solely to Wicked. As a reminder, the first Wicked movie received ten Oscar nominations and won two awards last year. I see this as the beginning of a high-profile awards campaign to surpass that success this time around.

LOW: Sexiest Man Alive MIA.

Jonathan Bailey was the only main cast member unable to attend the taping, which was a bit of a letdown considering he’s having a particularly busy week. We did see him in some pre-recorded scenes of the cast relaxing and chatting, but those felt like extra content you might find on a DVD and weren’t essential to the show.

HIGH: Girl, the budget!

Okay, let me tell you, this production goes big. We’re talking a massive orchestra, endless costume changes, and a stage absolutely packed with dancers. But honestly? It feels like they’ve just recreated the entire soundtrack from the first film, with a few minor tweaks to the arrangements. It’s visually spectacular, sure, but a little… redundant. They definitely spared no expense, but I was hoping for something more than just a rehash.

WHOA: Sketch comedy.

Similar to many awards shows today, Wicked: One Wonderful Night includes several pre-recorded segments that are hit or miss. The highlight was a funny mockumentary featuring Jeff Goldblum and a giant bust of his head – which he jokingly claims to have taken from the show’s set. It’s as amusing as a Progressive Auto Insurance commercial, and Ariana Grande delivers the humor with a perfectly straight face.

HIGH: “The Wizard and I” as jazz standard.

Jeff Goldblum’s piano accompaniment beautifully highlights Cynthia Erivo’s singing in this simple rendition of ‘The Wizard and I.’ However, the song quickly expands with the full orchestra and a lively dance performance.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Oe0O2WaSPSY

LOW: Breakdance + musical theater = corny.

This special features a lot of new choreography by Christopher Scott, but I’m not always convinced it pairs well with the music of Pippin composer Stephen Schwartz, especially given the fast-paced editing style of a Jon M. Chu film. Basically, it feels a little mismatched.

WHOA: Ariana Grande stage-doored Jeff Goldblum at The Pillowman when she was 11.

And there is a selfie to prove it!

HIGH: Jonathan Bailey’s self-taped Wicked audition.

Bailey submitted an audition tape for the role of Fiyero, and a clip of him singing “Dancing Through Life” is really endearing. He’s performing in a small dressing room in London’s West End when an announcement comes over the intercom giving him just five minutes left. That perfectly captures the unpredictable nature of show business.

WHOA: Michelle Yeoh “Dear Old Shiz” dance break.

Honestly, I’ll even watch Michelle Yeoh dance to one of the less memorable songs on the soundtrack.

WHOA: “A Sentimental Man” tap solo?

It’s much better not hearing it as a song. It seems like they’re determined to include absolutely every song from the original movie, even the lesser-known ones, whenever possible.

LOW: Or not! Dillamond silenced!

Interestingly, the song “Something Bad,” performed by Doctor Dillamond and detailing his troubles as a goat, is completely absent from everything. Even more notably, Peter Dinklage, the actor who voiced the character, isn’t included or even mentioned. There’s no sign of any animals at all – they aren’t seen or heard anywhere.

WHOA: Cynthia Erivo crowd work.

One of the night’s most unusual moments happened when Cynthia Erivo, acting as a host, went into the audience for some playful interaction. She encountered a man who claimed to have painted his entire body green. After confirming he meant everything green, Erivo continued, seemingly unfazed by the potentially inappropriate imagery introduced on what appeared to be a family-friendly broadcast.

HIGH: Fan montage.

Okay, full disclosure: the opening montage of Wicked fans absolutely wrecked me. Seeing so many young, queer kids dressed as the witches just hit different. It got me thinking about how lucky today’s fans are – they’re getting two movies! My childhood was fueled by a single CD, a Playbill I treasured, and honestly, a novel I probably wasn’t old enough to fully understand. It’s a beautiful thing to see this fandom thriving with so much more to offer a new generation.

HIGH: Popular!

During the performance, Ariana Grande brought a young boy named Remington – just four years old! – onstage to playfully act opposite her as Elphaba in a sweet version of the song “Popular.” Everyone was charmed by how naturally talented he was, and according to Variety, the whole scene was filmed in a single take. Ari was especially thrilled with how adorable he was!

HIGH: Family reunion.

Okay, so this was a really special moment! Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Idina Menzel, and Kristin Chenoweth all came together to sing “For Good,” and Stephen Schwartz was actually playing piano with them. They filmed it at the Gershwin Theatre, right under that amazing Time Dragon Clock. Apparently, Stephen even tweaked the lyrics of the bridge for Idina and Kristin so they didn’t have to focus on assigning blame or needing forgiveness – which is kind of funny, honestly! But seriously, everyone sounded incredible. It was just a beautiful, heartwarming performance.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=jBwr03wG5g0&pp=ygUkZGVmeWluZyBncmF2aXR5ICBvbmUgd29uZGVyZnVsIG5pZ2h0

WHOA: Bloopers!

Michelle Yeoh shared a funny story about accidentally startling Ariana Grande on set so much that Grande’s contact lens came loose. They then showed the clip of it happening, and Grande jokingly called it the “best moment of my life.”

HIGH: Richard Kind as Elphaba.

A comedic video compiling clips of celebrities playfully auditioning for the musical Wicked includes a quick scene of Richard Kind demonstrating his signature battle cry.

HIGH: Ethan Slater, actually.

Slater is truly exceptional. Seeing him perform alongside Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode in “Dancing Through Life” brought to mind just how incredible his performance in SpongeBob SquarePants was – it’s one of the most physically impressive musical performances of the last ten years. When will they revive that show?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=aKMs6kQAkTE

HIGH: Thank Goodness she sang “Thank Goodness.”

The marketing for the Wicked sequel has focused on songs like “For Good” and “No Good Deed,” but I personally love Glinda’s part in “Thank Goodness” from Act Two. It’s wonderful to hear Ariana Grande’s interpretation of the line about the unexpected bridges we cross, and I’m really enjoying it.

LOW: New song snippets.

Honestly, the little snippets I’ve heard of the new songs for the movie haven’t really grabbed me. I’m not super thrilled with what I’ve heard so far.

LOW: Marissa Bode censored!

As a huge fan, I was really moved when Marissa Bode introduced “Defying Gravity” during the taping. She explained it was a celebration of being true to yourself and believing in your own strength, even when things get tough. What struck me even more was what she said after that, which didn’t make the broadcast. She connected that message to overcoming everything from school bullies to, and this is where it got interesting, even oppressive leaders. Variety reported that line actually earned a 30-second standing ovation! Knowing that NBC and the producers decided to edit that out for viewers at home… well, it just adds another layer to the whole situation. It feels a bit like something straight out of the Hunger Games, with the powerful trying to control the message.

HIGH: Cynthia Erivo on a wire.

She soared through the air! While singing “Defying Gravity,” she was lifted above the audience by cables, bringing the performance right to those in the back. It was a completely over-the-top, yet wonderful, moment – exactly the kind of magic you expect from the musical Wicked.

HIGH: Channeling their foremothers.

The special ends with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande singing a lovely, close-harmony duet of “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again,” reminiscent of Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. This performance is a fitting conclusion to the show’s energetic presentation, and evokes the musical variety specials that were popular on television in the 1960s. Wicked: One Wonderful Night demonstrates how well—or how poorly—that classic format translates to modern television.

LOW: This was way too long.

The show was way too long – over two hours! It felt longer than many Broadway performances. They could have made it more concise by removing a few of the weaker songs or some of the pre-recorded segments and interviews. At times, it felt like being forced to endure a drawn-out performance of Wicked after just a brief taste of something else.

2025-11-07 22:58