Back Up, Dancer
Encyclopedia
"Back Up, Dancer" is the second episode of the seventh season of the American television series Will & Grace
. It was written by Tracy Poust
and Jon Kinnally
and directed by series producer James Burrows
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) in the United States on September 23, 2004. Guest stars in "Back Up, Dancer" include Will Arnett
, Bobby Cannavale
, and Janet Jackson
.
In the episode, Jack
(Sean Hayes
) auditions to be a backup dancer for singer Janet Jackson, but in order to get the job, he must compete in a dance-off with a fellow named Artemus (Arnett). Meanwhile, Will
(Eric McCormack
) is torn between going out with his boyfriend Vince (Cannavale) and staying in to console Grace
(Debra Messing
) following her failed marriage.
"Back Up, Dancer" received generally mixed reviews from television critics, who all disliked Jackson's appearance on the show. According to Nielsen
, the episode was watched by 15.32 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 7.1 rating/19 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
(Sean Hayes
) learns he will have an audition to be a backup dancer for singer Janet Jackson
. The audition was setup by singer Jennifer Lopez
, whom Jack worked for in the same position after Lopez let him go. At the audition, Jackson decides that she would like five dancers instead of the six originally planned. Jack, "the newbie," and Artemus (Will Arnett
), "the guy who's been here the longest," compete in a dance-off to determine the fifth dancer. Before the dance-off, Karen (Megan Mullally
)—Jack's friend—visits to support her friend. She sees Artemus and reveals to Jack the two are former lovers. The two get back together which outrages Jack. Karen reassures Jack that their reconciliation will not affect him in any way, only for her to tell Jack to lose the dance-off. Jack tells Karen he will not throw the competition. During the dance-off, Karen pleads with Jack to lose which Jack ultimately does. Believing he won, Artemus tells Karen he used her to win. After deciding that she only needs four dancers, Jackson fires both Jack and Artemus. At the end, Karen apologizes to Jack for getting him fired.
Meanwhile, Grace
(Debra Messing
) copes with her failed marriage to Leo (Harry Connick, Jr.
). She tries to move on, but mementos of the past do not let her. Her gay best friend Will
(Eric McCormack
) tries to help her but to no avail. While at dinner with his boyfriend Vince (Bobby Cannavale
), and Vince's superior officer, Grace calls him, displeasing Vince. Believing that Grace might be suicidal, Will leaves to attend to her. Vince shows up at Will and Grace's apartment to confront her, telling her that she is affecting his relationship with Will because she is too needy. This prompts Grace and Vince to bicker, with the two asking Will to choose between them. He cannot choose between them as Grace is his long-time friend, but he also cares for Vince. The episode concludes with him telling Vince that he wants to work things out, but before they can discuss it, Vince sees Grace's wedding album, resulting in him being more focused on the album than the relationship.
"Back Up, Dancer" was written by Tracy Poust
and Jon Kinnally
and directed by series producer James Burrows
. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 23, 2004. It was confirmed in mid-2004 that singer Janet Jackson
would guest star as herself on the television series Will & Grace. She recorded her lines in front of a live audience on August 17. Jackson's role in the show had been her first television acting role in nearly two decades. Jackson's last prime-time role was on NBC's Fame
. She also appeared in the television shows Diff'rent Strokes
and Good Times
. In addition, Jackson's appearance came nine months after the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
. She told the entertainment news program Access Hollywood
that she was a "big fan" of the show, and that she could not wait to join the cast for her stint. Also in this interview, she believed that Sean Hayes, who plays Jack, was a decent dancer. "I thought he studied dance. I really did, It's so funny. I have to catch myself because I'm cracking up in rehearsals. It's just funny to watch [the actors]." Jackson "had a tough time" on the set because she constantly messed up her lines. She admitted that it was not as easy as she had hoped it would be. "I flubbed my lines and got so frustrated when I made those mistakes. I haven't done TV since Different Strokes, and it's not like Saturday Night Live
where you can read cue cards. On Will & Grace, they're always rewriting, so you're always memorising." Jackson, however, said that the dancing was the "easy part of playing myself".
It was also announced that actor Will Arnett
would guest star, as Jack's dance rival. Alex Herschlag, executive producer of Will & Grace, revealed Arnett's subplot in the episode, saying that Hayes and Arnett are "vying for a job as Janet Jackson's backup dancer." In an online chat session with the Los Angeles Times
, Arnett revealed that the reason for his guest spot was due to knowing one of the writers of the show, and Arnett being friends with Hayes. In an April 2007 interview with The Advocate
, Arnett said that he enjoyed doing his guest spot on the show.
system, "Back Up, Dancer" was watched by 15.32 million households in its original American broadcast. The episode received a 7.1 rating/19 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, and was the eighth highest-rated show on the NBC network that week. "Back Up, Dancer" finished in 13th place in the weekly ratings for the week of September 20–26, 2004. Since airing the episode has received mixed reviews from television critics.
In preview of the episode, Phil Rosenthal
of the Chicago Sun-Times
said: "If you're going to book a former cast member from Good Times as a guest for your sitcom, do yourself a favor and try getting Jimmie Walker
, John Amos
or Ja'net Dubois before settling for Janet Jackson." Scott D. Pierce of Deseret News reported that Jackson's appearance "takes the focus off the regular characters" while Mark Harris of Entertainment Weekly
commented that Jackson's guest spot "was an all-time low".
Gary Susman of Entertainment Weekly was complimentary towards Jackson, concluding that she was "all business, playing it straight" in the episode. He reported that "she makes a fabulous entrance and departs with her dignity intact". Charleston Daily Mail
contributor Kevin McDonough wrote that in the season premiere episode "FYI: I Hurt, Too" of season seven, singer Jennifer Lopez
appeared "in a farfetched and laugh-free guest appearance. Tonight ['Back Up, Dancer'], it's Janet Jackson's turn. At least she has sitcom experience." In her annual countdown of the best quotes of 2004, Amy Amatangelo
of Knight Ridder
included Will Arnett's line "Like a Sicilian woman's eyebrows, we could not be kept apart". In March 2006, Entertainment Weekly named Jackson's guest spot as their number nine most memorable guest appearance on Will & Grace.
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
. It was written by Tracy Poust
Tracy Poust
Tracy Poust is a producer and writer for the American television situation comedy Will & Grace . She is currently writing and producing for the hit ABC show, Ugly Betty.- External links :* at the BBC...
and Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally is an American television writer and producer, most notable for his work on the TV show Will & Grace.A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, Kinnally also appeared as Mitchell in the Will & Grace episode "One Gay at a Time"...
and directed by series producer James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) in the United States on September 23, 2004. Guest stars in "Back Up, Dancer" include Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
, Bobby Cannavale
Bobby Cannavale
Robert M. "Bobby" Cannavale is an American actor known for his leading role as Bobby Caffey in the first two seasons of the television series Third Watch. He also had a recurring role as Officer Vince D'Angelo on the comedy series Will & Grace.-Early life:Cannavale grew up in Union City, New...
, and Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
.
In the episode, Jack
Jack McFarland
John Philip "Jack" McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.-Character personality:...
(Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
) auditions to be a backup dancer for singer Janet Jackson, but in order to get the job, he must compete in a dance-off with a fellow named Artemus (Arnett). Meanwhile, Will
Will Truman
William Pierce "Will" Truman is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Eric McCormack. He is a gay lawyer who lives in the Upper West Side of New York City with his best friend, Grace Adler.-Fictional character history:...
(Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack
Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
) is torn between going out with his boyfriend Vince (Cannavale) and staying in to console Grace
Grace Adler
Grace Elizabeth Adler-Markus is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Debra Messing. She is a Jewish interior designer , living in New York City with her gay best friend Will Truman...
(Debra Messing
Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for her role as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace and as Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife....
) following her failed marriage.
"Back Up, Dancer" received generally mixed reviews from television critics, who all disliked Jackson's appearance on the show. According to Nielsen
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the episode was watched by 15.32 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 7.1 rating/19 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
Plot
At the beginning of the episode JackJack McFarland
John Philip "Jack" McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.-Character personality:...
(Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
) learns he will have an audition to be a backup dancer for singer Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
. The audition was setup by singer Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, whom Jack worked for in the same position after Lopez let him go. At the audition, Jackson decides that she would like five dancers instead of the six originally planned. Jack, "the newbie," and Artemus (Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
), "the guy who's been here the longest," compete in a dance-off to determine the fifth dancer. Before the dance-off, Karen (Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
)—Jack's friend—visits to support her friend. She sees Artemus and reveals to Jack the two are former lovers. The two get back together which outrages Jack. Karen reassures Jack that their reconciliation will not affect him in any way, only for her to tell Jack to lose the dance-off. Jack tells Karen he will not throw the competition. During the dance-off, Karen pleads with Jack to lose which Jack ultimately does. Believing he won, Artemus tells Karen he used her to win. After deciding that she only needs four dancers, Jackson fires both Jack and Artemus. At the end, Karen apologizes to Jack for getting him fired.
Meanwhile, Grace
Grace Adler
Grace Elizabeth Adler-Markus is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Debra Messing. She is a Jewish interior designer , living in New York City with her gay best friend Will Truman...
(Debra Messing
Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for her role as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace and as Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife....
) copes with her failed marriage to Leo (Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
). She tries to move on, but mementos of the past do not let her. Her gay best friend Will
Will Truman
William Pierce "Will" Truman is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Eric McCormack. He is a gay lawyer who lives in the Upper West Side of New York City with his best friend, Grace Adler.-Fictional character history:...
(Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack
Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
) tries to help her but to no avail. While at dinner with his boyfriend Vince (Bobby Cannavale
Bobby Cannavale
Robert M. "Bobby" Cannavale is an American actor known for his leading role as Bobby Caffey in the first two seasons of the television series Third Watch. He also had a recurring role as Officer Vince D'Angelo on the comedy series Will & Grace.-Early life:Cannavale grew up in Union City, New...
), and Vince's superior officer, Grace calls him, displeasing Vince. Believing that Grace might be suicidal, Will leaves to attend to her. Vince shows up at Will and Grace's apartment to confront her, telling her that she is affecting his relationship with Will because she is too needy. This prompts Grace and Vince to bicker, with the two asking Will to choose between them. He cannot choose between them as Grace is his long-time friend, but he also cares for Vince. The episode concludes with him telling Vince that he wants to work things out, but before they can discuss it, Vince sees Grace's wedding album, resulting in him being more focused on the album than the relationship.
Production
Tracy Poust
Tracy Poust is a producer and writer for the American television situation comedy Will & Grace . She is currently writing and producing for the hit ABC show, Ugly Betty.- External links :* at the BBC...
and Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally is an American television writer and producer, most notable for his work on the TV show Will & Grace.A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, Kinnally also appeared as Mitchell in the Will & Grace episode "One Gay at a Time"...
and directed by series producer James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 23, 2004. It was confirmed in mid-2004 that singer Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
would guest star as herself on the television series Will & Grace. She recorded her lines in front of a live audience on August 17. Jackson's role in the show had been her first television acting role in nearly two decades. Jackson's last prime-time role was on NBC's Fame
Fame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
. She also appeared in the television shows Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986...
and Good Times
Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
. In addition, Jackson's appearance came nine months after the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
. She told the entertainment news program Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
that she was a "big fan" of the show, and that she could not wait to join the cast for her stint. Also in this interview, she believed that Sean Hayes, who plays Jack, was a decent dancer. "I thought he studied dance. I really did, It's so funny. I have to catch myself because I'm cracking up in rehearsals. It's just funny to watch [the actors]." Jackson "had a tough time" on the set because she constantly messed up her lines. She admitted that it was not as easy as she had hoped it would be. "I flubbed my lines and got so frustrated when I made those mistakes. I haven't done TV since Different Strokes, and it's not like Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
where you can read cue cards. On Will & Grace, they're always rewriting, so you're always memorising." Jackson, however, said that the dancing was the "easy part of playing myself".
It was also announced that actor Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
would guest star, as Jack's dance rival. Alex Herschlag, executive producer of Will & Grace, revealed Arnett's subplot in the episode, saying that Hayes and Arnett are "vying for a job as Janet Jackson's backup dancer." In an online chat session with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Arnett revealed that the reason for his guest spot was due to knowing one of the writers of the show, and Arnett being friends with Hayes. In an April 2007 interview with The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
, Arnett said that he enjoyed doing his guest spot on the show.
Reception
According to the NielsenNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, "Back Up, Dancer" was watched by 15.32 million households in its original American broadcast. The episode received a 7.1 rating/19 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, and was the eighth highest-rated show on the NBC network that week. "Back Up, Dancer" finished in 13th place in the weekly ratings for the week of September 20–26, 2004. Since airing the episode has received mixed reviews from television critics.
In preview of the episode, Phil Rosenthal
Phil Rosenthal
Phil Rosenthal is the lead business columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He joined the newspaper as its media columnist in the spring of 2005, and was promoted in June 2011...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
said: "If you're going to book a former cast member from Good Times as a guest for your sitcom, do yourself a favor and try getting Jimmie Walker
Jimmie Walker
James Carter "Jimmie" Walker is an American actor and stand-up comedian, known for portraying J. J. Evans on the television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979...
, John Amos
John Amos
John Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
or Ja'net Dubois before settling for Janet Jackson." Scott D. Pierce of Deseret News reported that Jackson's appearance "takes the focus off the regular characters" while Mark Harris of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented that Jackson's guest spot "was an all-time low".
Gary Susman of Entertainment Weekly was complimentary towards Jackson, concluding that she was "all business, playing it straight" in the episode. He reported that "she makes a fabulous entrance and departs with her dignity intact". Charleston Daily Mail
Charleston Daily Mail
The Charleston Daily Mail is a Pulitzer Prize winning Monday-Friday morning newspaper in Charleston, West Virginia.-Publishing History:The Daily Mail was founded in 1914 by former Alaska Gov. Walter Eli Clark and remained the property of his heirs until 1987. Governor Clark described the newspaper...
contributor Kevin McDonough wrote that in the season premiere episode "FYI: I Hurt, Too" of season seven, singer Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
appeared "in a farfetched and laugh-free guest appearance. Tonight ['Back Up, Dancer'], it's Janet Jackson's turn. At least she has sitcom experience." In her annual countdown of the best quotes of 2004, Amy Amatangelo
Amy Amatangelo
Amy Amatangelo is a television critic writing for both online television and movie guide ZAP2it, as well as for The Boston Herald and The Washington Post....
of Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. Until it was bought by The McClatchy Company on June 27, 2006, it was the second-largest newspaper publisher in the United States, with 32 daily newspapers sold.- History :The corporate ancestors of...
included Will Arnett's line "Like a Sicilian woman's eyebrows, we could not be kept apart". In March 2006, Entertainment Weekly named Jackson's guest spot as their number nine most memorable guest appearance on Will & Grace.
External links
- "Back Up, Dancer," at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...