I still remember seeing the first advertisement for a ‘new sitcom coming soon’ – Will & Grace. A show about a man and a woman – she’s an interior designer, and he’s a lawyer; she’s straight, and he’s gay. I remember being drawn to it – excited to watch it. Though I couldn’t have told you why then.
Well, it was the late 90s, and I lived in a small town (I mean, really small – not small when someone says they come from a small town and then measures their town’s population in the tens of thousands – smaller) – and it was pre-internet for us. Our connections to the outside world were the tourists that flooded our town every summer – and TV.
And so, this little show gave me a connection to a (couple) worlds I otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to connect with before.
What I didn’t know at the time was that the director of this little show (which would go on to be not so little) was a man by the name of James Burrows (or Jimmy Burrows). This man who was responsible, already, for some of my favorite TV, would go on to direct every single episode of this new show that would change very important things in this world (actual studies have been done). Just a little sitcom about four friends that would have an impact on the way the world saw people.
I ended up loving the show, and early in the run, my best friend also came out to me – he was the Wilma to much less neurotic Grace. I would have given just about anything to hop on a plane, fly to LA, and watch a live recording – but alas, I was a broke high school student and then a broke college student while it was on the air.
I did own all the seasons in DVD (still do) and watched all the commentary and bloopers (blooper reels are the BEST thing to come out of the DVD era). During it, the cast often spoke about Burrows – how he worked, how he listened to the music of the comedy. How he would walk back and forth off stage, not watching the actors, but listening. How he cared about the stories and these characters. (I mean, did you catch the part where I said he directed every single episode? All 246 of them.)
The show went for eight seasons before ending its run – and my hopes of ever getting to see it live.
Well, chances are, you probably know where this is going. The era of the reboot. Most of which, honestly, sucked and never should have happened. But despite all that, when W&G announced a return… I was ecstatic. Now, it wasn’t a perfect show. It had some problematic storylines, and some aspects didn’t age well. But nostalgia is strong, and this show was a lifeline. So it was coming back – and I was hoping and praying that they didn’t ruin it.
Plus – I finally had my chance.
I registered for and received a guaranteed ticket to the recording of the second episode of the third reboot season, hopped a plane to LA, and sat front row for the live recording of this not-so-little show and got to see the magic for myself.
And, I got to watch as James Burrows paced back and forth, as he listened to the music of the comedy, as he ‘bupped’ when something felt off to his ear. He was the conductor who was so in tune with his cast and crew, who all so clearly respected the man, that a simple ‘bup’ brough the entire production to a halt.
I loved the entire experience (aside from how hot it was in LA that day), and when I opened up my insta the next day (already back home because I was in LA for less than twelve hours), I found the photo to the left in my feed with an announcement that the current reboot season (the third reboot, eleventh overall) would be the last. I couldn’t help but be quite relieved that I had gone. I hadn’t missed my chance after all.
This announcement was also why I found myself back there two weeks later. My friend had gotten tickets to another recording and asked me to come along. Why wouldn’t I say yes? More magic. More laughter. And more watching James Burrows doing the thing he did so very well.
I had to laugh a little when on the fight back home, on a day I should have been in in-service for the new school year (I took a personal day – I’m allowed), the plane seemed to have gone out of its way and dipped it’s wing at this precise moment:
That’s the college where I teach. Down there, all my colleagues were in in-service, and I was not – because I was up above them flying back from LA. It was almost like the pilot wanted to instill some guilt. But it didn’t work. I had had an excellent adventure with my friend seeing a live recording of a show we both love.
So why this reminiscing all of a sudden? Well, if you’ve not heard, James Burrows passed away last week. It’s hard not to reminisce when things like this happen. And I can’t help but feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to see him work his magic in person – not once, but twice.
Ami Maxine 