Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg, Justina Machado among new faces of All in the Family live
Welcome Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg, and Justina Machado to the family.
On Wednesday, ABC announced that the three performers would be joining the cast of a live episode of All in the Family for a special holiday iteration of Live in Front of a Studio Audience. They also revealed that Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Ike Barinholtz, and Ellie Kemper will be reprising their roles as Archie Bunker, Edith Bunker, Meathead, and Gloria Stivic from the Emmy-winning spring special.
The one-hour special, which returns next week, will also feature an episode of Good Times, filling the slot occupied by The Jeffersons in the spring special. The talent taking on those iconic roles is still to be announced.
Bacon and Eisenberg are entirely new to the proceedings. Machado was originally announced to be taking part in the spring special as The Jeffersons maid Florence. However, the role was ultimately portrayed by original actress Marla Gibbs in a surprise appearance. It remains to be announced what roles the new trio will portray.
ABC has yet to specify which episodes of All in the Family and Good Times are getting the live treatment, but they are promised to have a holiday bent. Possible holiday episodes include the season 2, 4, and 7 Christmas installments of All in the Family, and three possible episodes of Good Times (though notably only season 2’s holiday episode occurred before the exit of original series star John Amos).
If nothing else, we can be sure many surprises are still in store, given that the original special kept things like Jennifer Hudson and Gibbs’ appearance under wraps until the actual broadcast. Live in Front of a Studio Audience nabbed three Emmy nominations and won for Outstanding Variety Special.
The holiday special will air at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 18.
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