Since the earliest days of television, narrative shows have drawn from the frenetic, over-the-top energy of Broadway and vaudeville for episodes in which characters sing, dance, and chew scenery. But when has musical TV worked, and when has it fallen flat? We take a gander at the sharpest highs and flattest lows in this week’s episode of “Vulture’s Secret History of Television.â€
Watch new episodes on Wednesdays, and check out our past installments on topics like the history of swearing and spinoffs.