Perhaps one of the most ambitious live events, the season four premiere of ER went live on both coasts with cast members including George Clooney, Julianna Margulies and Noah Wyle. The premise explained why viewers would see cameras moving around the hospital: A documentary film crew is invited into the hospital to film the fearless doctors and nurses.
Drew Carey and his cast were known for Whose Line Is It Anyway? And the show went live three times with loose plots to let the cast run wild.
During the original eight-season run of Will & Grace, the NBC comedy went live twice, once in the season eight premiere with guest star Alec Baldwin and again later that season in an episode set completely in Karen's bathroom.
Another drama that unexpectedly went live, The West Wing staged a presidential debate between Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) and Matthew Santos (Jimmy Smitts).
Tina Fey's workplace comedy was set at a live sketch show and full of veteran sketch and stage performers. This just made sense. The two live shows were full of cameos from the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paul McCartney, Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Hamm and Julia Louis Dreyfus.
After the success of a live episode in season two, NBC made all of Undateable season three live. Each episode had a special musical guest, including Weezer, Charlie Puth and Backstreet Boys.
At the end of "Simprovised," Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) took viewer questions live for the East and West Coast broadcasts.