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The NBC program 鈥淏est Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris,鈥� a live variety show, debuted on Sept. 15 on NBC.

Actress Reese Witherspoon served as a guest announcer on the program and the episode included pranks, a song-and-dance number, and audience interaction (including the revelation that Mr. Harris had been popping up during moments of a couple鈥檚 life before the show, including their wedding).

The program is based on the British program 鈥淎nt and Dec鈥檚 Saturday Night Takeaway,鈥� which has the same format of featuring many different sketches.聽

Reviews from critics are somewhat mixed for the first installment of NBC鈥檚 new live show. 聽reviewer wrote that the show was 鈥渁 spectacular TV coup鈥� [Harris] stole the show.鈥澛�

But others found the show a bit too manic or unbelievable. found that 鈥淗arris was energetic and charming鈥� I liked that聽鈥楤est Time Ever鈥櫬爓as big and loud and frenetic and ambitious. I just wish I could have suspended my disbelief for even one segment.鈥� But others found the program a bit too over-the-top, with it 鈥渕isguided,鈥� 鈥渁s perplexing as it was distracting,鈥� and 鈥渇orced and frantic.鈥澛�

The show seems to be suffering the problem of doing too many things in an effort to catch viewers鈥� attention. NBC no doubt made the program live in an effort to recapture the success of its recent hit 鈥淭he Sound of Music Live!,鈥� which aired in 2013 and featured country singer Carrie Underwood and 鈥淭rue Blood鈥� actor Stephen Moyer starring in a live version of the show. Ratings for last year鈥檚 鈥淧eter Pan Live!,鈥� the network鈥檚 follow-up to 鈥淢usic,鈥� didn鈥檛 reach those of 鈥淢usic鈥� but were still good. In addition, one of its biggest reality competition hits, 鈥淭he Voice,鈥� airs live episodes for its finale.

It seems like the program being live is one gimmick among many right now for 鈥淏est.鈥� Perhaps in the future those behind the program will cut down on the many skits and focus on a few popular bits.