What do you think happens behind the scenes at an early morning radio show? Find out in LIVE+LOCAL, the new AFFIRM Originals sitcom streaming now on Pure Flix!
Main Cast:
- Dave Coulier (Full House) as Tommy Murphy, a veteran radio talk show host
- Emily Pendergast (We’re Doing Good) as Tina Knott, the radio show co-host
- Kendra Ann Sherrill (Seattle Children’s Film Festival Director) as producer Lucy
- Pat Cashman (comedian and voice actor) as Jerry the program director
Special Guests:
- Danny Ray, magician
- Leanne Morgan, comedian
- John Cooper, lead singer of Skillet
- Colton Dixon, songwriter and musician
- Anna Lind Thomas, author
- Anthem Lights, Christian band
- Whitney Miller, chef and Master Chef winner
- Dustin Nickerson, comic and podcaster
- Jeff Allen, comedian
- Dallas Jenkins, creator of “The Chosen”
Overview
LIVE+LOCAL is set entirely inside the studio at fictional Christian radio station KHUGG, FM109. The show focuses on the interactions between members of its early morning broadcast team. The staff is experiencing some transitions and power shifts at work, with tension growing between management and talent, but the way they handle it with grace and comedy will be sure to inspire you.
I was asked to watch Episode 5 of LIVE+LOCAL for the purposes of writing a review, but l didn’t think viewing just one episode would be enough to do it justice, so I watched them all. The first two episodes seemed a bit lame and random, but by the third episode the characters had grown on me and the overarching plot was building depth.
In this comedy series, the TnT Morning Show with Tommy and Tina is the number one local radio program in the Tri-County area. (It’s unclear exactly where that is, but it’s somewhere west of the Mississippi, and in Episode 5 they talk about the monsoon weather.) Co-hosts Tommy and Tina have to navigate the ups and downs of the radio industry while learning how to get along when a new program director takes over.
Each character has his or her own funny personality. Tommy is an old guy who is stuck in his ways and resistant to change. Tina is a young social media-savvy go-getter who wants to be more than Tommy’s sidekick; she wants to be his partner in creating content for the show. Lucy went from being intern to producer and she’s having a little trouble fitting into that role. Jerry, the new program director, can be rather annoying at times.
Behind the Scenes
The first thing that intrigued me about LIVE+LOCAL was getting a glimpse into what a typical day at work is like for a radio host. Each 30-40 minute episode is basically just watching people doing a morning radio show with some behind-the-scenes stuff mixed in to create an ongoing storyline.
A TV series about a radio program has some unique benefits and challenges, which the LIVE+LOCAL producers have admirably overcome. Although I must admit, a few times I found myself not sitting in front of the screen but wandering off and doing stuff while listening, as if it really was on the radio!
When I was actually sitting down and watching, I could see that the set designers went all out to include plenty of eye-catching visual details for the viewers. (The set is literally just a single studio room, with a couple of windows that offer a glimpse into two other small side rooms, which gives it depth.) I also noticed that the camera operators did a great job maintaining visual interest with a variety of camera angles.
Still, it’s the audio that takes on a major role in this show. You have to really listen to what the characters are saying, not just during the off-air banter, but during the live on-air segments. If you don’t pay attention, you’ll miss a lot of the understated humor in everything from traffic reports to sponsor ads.
Like the fictional radio listeners, I always enjoy the “Judge Not” section with Tina Knott, especially the one in episode 3 about passing the offering plate in church. That was hilarious and oh-so-true! Other segments include: “Murphy’s Law,” “Scripture of the Day,” “Little Known Facts of the Old Testament,” and “Artist Spotlight,” along with Traffic, Weather and Commercials. The advertisements always make me chuckle, especially the ones involving dueling car dealers which evolve over the course of the season.
I loved the end of episode six when Bleu Sidell came on the scene as the KHUGG owner’s grandson. He really livened up the studio, but that was the last episode of the season and now I’m wondering what will happen next! I hope he will become a regular on the show!
Fake Show / Real People
Of course, the interviews with real celebrities are the main highlight of this series. I will be forever indebted to LIVE+LOCAL for introducing me to my new favorite Christian rock band – Skillet! In episode two, Tommy and Tina interviewed John Cooper, the band’s lead vocalist, songwriter and bass player. His wife, Korey, does backing vocals, keyboards, and rhythm guitar. Apparently they have a relentless touring schedule and they bring their kids along. It was so endearing to hear how she’ll run off stage to feed the baby and then come back with spitup on her black leather jacket. LOL!
Tommy and Tina always like to end each of their interviews with the same question: “What brings you joy?” It’s interesting to hear how the different special guests answer that. One good thing about LIVE+LOCAL that you won’t get on a real radio show, is that they put the Zoom videos of the interviews up on the screen.
Even with that being said, this sitcom would be a great choice for anyone who is visually impaired, because with the radio show context you’re not dependent on having to see what’s happening on-screen. There were even a few times when it felt like I was listening to a real radio program, ha!
In between the interviews and radio show segments, the characters experience everyday life situations that many of us can identify with. For example, the series addresses themes related to: anxiety, doubts, jealousy, insecurity, change, growth, prayer, apology, forgiveness, competition and conflict.
Overall, LIVE+LOCAL is a quirky – sometimes corny – series that’s entertaining to watch (or listen to!). If you’re looking for a totally inoffensive comedy with Christian values and uplifting positivity that will make you smile and even laugh out loud, LIVE+LOCAL is it!
This new AFFIRM Originals sitcom LIVE+LOCAL is streaming exclusively on Pure Flix! Start your free trial of Pure Flix and watch LIVE+LOCAL now!
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Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
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