Both versions of Footloose are on TV tonight—which one will you be watching?

Christina Izzo
·2 min read
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Footloose (1984).
Footloose (1984).

What's better than one Footloose? Both of them! But you're going to have to choose which version of the classic "conservative small town bans dancing" story you're going to be tuning in to tonight, whether you prefer the 1984 original or the 2011 remake.

The O.G. Footloose—which famously starred Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack, a rebellious Chicago teenager who is shocked to discover that the small Midwestern town he has moved to with his mother has outlawed dancing and rock music—turns the big 4-0 this year. And to celebrate, you can tune into the beloved musical drama on Freeform tonight, March 2, at 8:50pm Eastern.

Freeform is available with most cable packages, so if you currently have cable, you probably already have Freeform. If you've cut the cord, you can find Freeform in the channel lineup for several live-TV streaming services like FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Along with Bacon, the original Footloose cast includes Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn and a young Sarah Jessica Parker. The '80s flick scored some awards love for its iconic soundtrack, with the original score garnering a Grammy nomination and its title track getting nods at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes.

If you're more of a fan of the 2011 Footloose remake—which is basically the same exact premise, but with a fresh cast including Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller and Kenny Wormald taking on the role of Ren McCormack—you can opt to watch that version instead tonight. It's airing at 8pm Eastern on The Movie Channel. (And if you want to keep the groove going, another dance-focused favorite, Saturday Night Fever, will follow at 10pm.)

The Movie Channel (TMC), which will get you movies across a variety of genres, from thrillers and action movies to comedies and romances, is frequently sold together in a bulk package with Showtime.

If you simply don't want to choose between the two, you can settle in for a double feature of both versions of the dance movie, by watching the 1984 Footloose on cable TV and then streaming the 2011 remake afterwards with a Paramount Plus subscription.