This NBC Special Will Leave A Handprint On Your Heart

I get it, we’re still a few weeks out and some of you are thinking: “How much more Wicked content do we need before we just get to go and watch Wicked: For Good?” Actually, if I’m honest, I don’t get it… inject everything green and pink and fun into my veins, stat. Consent granted.

I can, however, empathize with those who have put on their blinders and are full steam ahead to the new film. That said, I’m coming to you humbly to request that if you are willing to take off your darkest sunglasses and look out into the poppy fields of Oz, you consider sitting down and watching NBC‘s upcoming special, Wicked: One Wonderful Night. Trust me, it’s splendifying and worth it.

The truth is, I was on death’s door the day that I had to get up and attend the filming of this special. I cannot remember the last time I felt so down and out in my entire life and it took every muscle in my body to get up and go to the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on a warm September day to watch Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) belt their hearts out to songs from Wicked and from Wicked: For Good. You don’t know me, but you should know that on any other day, I would have considered tossing a distant relative under a bus to get to partake in an evening like this. It wasn’t any other day, though, and this was brutal… until the lights went down.

Perhaps it was my body’s inner fight to expel whatever demons it was facing at the time, but even as everything in me was begging to sit down, lie down, and pull a blanket over my head, Wicked: One Wonderful Night pleaded with me to stick with it and I couldn’t be happier that I did. Hyperbole or not, wonderful is not an apt enough adjective to describe what the cast — which also includes Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, and Bowen Yang — were able to pull off with this NBC special. In fact, the moment that Grande and Erivo started singing, I could feel the spirit of the original Dorothy herself, Judy Garland, humming “forget your troubles, come on get happy,” reminding me that sickness is temporary, Wicked is eternal.

Jokes aside, I walked away from this special feeling genuine sadness that this was not a Woodstock-style concert that would have given thousands more the opportunity to watch it live. To say that Wicked: One Wonderful Night, complete with its surprise appearances, reimagined versions of classic songs, and outstanding staging is something that everyone should watch is an understatement. For those who love the movie or the musical, this is for you. For those who don’t love the movie or musical, maybe go get checked by a doctor or something; you’re missing out.

What makes this special standout is what made Wicked a hit in the first place: heart. The music, the cast, sure, it’s all important, but at the end of the day, it’s the heart of the show that will always live on. I have to say, if watching an audition tape is equivalent to getting a glimpse into the casting process for a project, sitting in on a show like this is like being at the casting table as Glinda and Elphaba walk in and put their hearts on the line. Their unimpeachable vocals and their chemistry together, Grande and Erivo are nothing short of perfection and Wicked: One Wonderful Night proves that director Jon M. Chu could not have been more on the money with these castings.

Even in the moments of downtime and complete silence as they reset the stage, did a second take, or had one of the actors start from the top of a song to get another version that will surely top the charts and move everyone to tears — not joking, I cried at least twice — the energy was ecstatic and palpable. To watch them create magic from nothing is what art is all about and it’s all I could think about while watching the show.

Don’t get me wrong, the theatrics are there. Costumes, makeup, props, elaborate bits with the audience, it has a little bit of everything for everyone. But, by far, the most powerful, moving, and heartbreakingly beautiful bits are the ones where Grande, Erivo, and the rest of the cast remind us why that added noise is not needed for a show that has changed so many lives for the better… or should I say “for good.” Wicked: One Wonderful Night shows that with just a chair and a microphone, Grande and Erivo will make you feel everything.

Two hours isn’t enough to properly showcase the powerhouse that is Wicked, but it’s at least enough of a jumping-off point until the next movie comes out. I promise you that if you opt to give it your time and energy, you will not walk away disappointed. I’d even dare to say it might have the same effect it had on me, “like a handprint on my heart.”

How To Watch Wicked: One Wonderful Night

Wicked: One Wonderful Night airs on November 6 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The special will stream the next day on Peacock.

Peacock currently offers two subscription types: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month.

You can save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock’s annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads.

Peacock Premium Plus is also available to subscribe to via Prime Video with a seven-day free trial that you can’t get by subscribing directly on Peacock.