The 2010 Tony Awards this weekend had its own share of special moments and the first season of Glee is over and has received mixed reviews — despite the fact that it’s continuing on for at least two more seasons — but before Glee ever happened and in spite of the Tonys, television ventured into musical territory on special occasions: to celebrate a landmark episode, to reward faithful viewers and/or because the writers finally figured out a way to make it somewhat plausible. It was a (mostly hilarious) treat to see familiar characters singing their hearts out. Here are five of the greatest television-gone-musical episodes of all time:
Even Stevens: “Influenza the Musical”
Back before Shia LeBouf was making movies that even he didn’t think were any good, he was on a Disney channel show called Even Stevens. In this episode, his over-achieving sister Ren gets the flu and is forced to stay home from school—but she dreams her way back to school, where everyone bursts out into song at the slightest provocation.
That ‘70s Show: “That ‘70s Musical”
Poor Fez. All he wants to do is sing…and for his friends to be right there with him. The 100th episode of That ‘70s Show went completely musical, employing songs from the decade sung by the cast in Fez’s daydreams. Even curmudgeonly Red jumps up to join in a rousing chorus of the Turtles’ “Happy Together.”