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Neil Patrick Harris is singing and dancing on TV again like he鈥檚 done on awards shows, but he鈥檚 doing it in a primetime weekly slot.

Harris is debuting tonight as host of the new NBC show 鈥淏est Time Ever,鈥� which is a live variety show featuring stunts, trivia, and sketches, among many other segments. In addition to his time on the CBS long-running sitcom 鈥淗ow I Met Your Mother,鈥� Harris recently won a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway show 鈥淗edwig and the Angry Inch鈥� and has hosted almost every major awards show, including the Oscars and the Emmy Awards.

鈥淏est鈥� is a return to an old format for NBC. Variety shows were incredibly popular in past decades, with such programs as 鈥淭he Ed Sullivan Show,鈥� 鈥淭he Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,鈥� 鈥淭he Carol Burnett Show,鈥� and 鈥淭he Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour鈥� proving popular. Even currently famous personalities like the Muppets and the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� cast got in on the trend, with the Muppets headlining 鈥淭he Muppet Show鈥� from 1976 to 1981 and the 鈥淪tar Wars Holiday Special,鈥� which included songs by Bea Arthur and Jefferson Starship, airing in 1978.

The program that may come the closest now is another show by NBC, the long-running 鈥淪aturday Night Live.鈥�

So what made NBC decide to go with 鈥淏est鈥� now? Look no further than Maria von Trapp and Jimmy Fallon. With viewers鈥� attention being drawn away to multiple channels and streaming platforms, the main networks are always working to hold viewers鈥� attention (and if they watch a show live rather than DVRed, even better). NBC scored in 2013 with 鈥淭he Sound of Music Live!,鈥� which starred Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer and became a ratings hit. With 鈥淢usic,鈥� the network had gotten people to tune in and watch a program when it aired, and part of the appeal was likely the built-in suspense of the live aspect. Last year鈥檚 鈥淧eter Pan Live!鈥� didn鈥檛 get as many viewers but still did well in the ratings. "Best" is live, too, and could draw viewers curious to see what will happen.聽

Meanwhile, Fallon as host of 鈥淭he Tonight Show鈥� has recently been the highest-rated host in late night (he's now battling Stephen Colbert, who debuted last week) and Fallon's show is full of celebrity guests playing unusual games or showing off talents, especially in the popular 鈥渓ip sync battle鈥� segments (that part of the show is so popular it was spun off into a Spike TV show). The audience for 鈥淭onight鈥� and the hits the segments get on YouTube show interest from viewers in the games and in celebrities playing them. While they may not be involved in every aspect of 鈥淏est,鈥� the NBC program will include guest appearances by celebrities that will include Reese Witherspoon and Jack Black, to start.

If 鈥淏est鈥� does well, you can expect to see a lot more variety segments popping up on your TV schedule.