NBC Comedy Will & Grace Sets Series Finale and Retrospective Special for April 23

Will & Grace,” one of NBC’s most beloved comedy series of all time, is set to air its series finale on Thursday, April 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

NBC Comedy <i>Will & Grace</i> Sets Series Finale and Retrospective Special for April 23 1

Leading into the series finale episode, NBC will air a “Will & Grace” retrospective special, hosted by Eric McCormack at 8:30 p.m. In the special, McCormack will show clips of past and present episodes that highlight the series’ most iconic and memorable moments.

The retrospective will also feature emotionally-charged reactions from “Will & Grace” superfans and celebrities who will share stories about what the show has meant to them. The special will cover the litany of guest stars who have appeared as well as the groundbreaking and TV history-making moments the show has created over the years, including the first male-to-male kiss on network television. Elton John and Norman Lear will also make special appearances.

In the season finale episode, “It’s Time,” with the apartment packed up, Will (Eric McCormack) is determined to not reminisce about his life in the city or his ex, McCoy (guest star Matt Bomer). Grace (Debra Messing), on the verge of giving birth, keeps having false alarms of going into labor. At the behest of Stan, Karen (Megan Mullally) goes to the top of the Statue of Liberty to get closure with her ex-husband. Jack’s (Sean Hayes) dream of taking a bow on a Broadway stage becomes a very real possibility. Minnie Driver and Brian Jordan Alvarez guest star.

The special “I Love Lucy”-inspired episode, titled “We Love Lucy,” will air Thursday, April 9 at 9 p.m. The episode features stylized recreations of the classic “Vitameatavegamin,” “Chocolate Factory” and “Grape-Stomping” scenes featured in “I Love Lucy,” with Grace, Karen and Jack each imagine themselves as, with Will as the Ricky to all of them. Lucie Arnaz and Leslie Jordan guest star.

The critically acclaimed and award-winning series concludes following a remarkable 11-season, 246-episode run over the course of four decades as one of the most influential sitcoms of all time.

“Will & Grace” has earned an astonishing 91 Emmy Award nominations, 18 Emmy wins (including Outstanding Comedy Series) and seven SAG Awards among dozens of other kudos. In addition, the show is one of the few in TV history where each member of the cast won an Emmy.

This season “Will & Grace” has averaged a 0.9 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.9 million viewers overall, with those results climbing significantly with additional digital and linear viewing. The show’s Oct. 24 season premiere has climbed to a 2.0 rating in 18-49 and 6.0 million viewers overall with delayed viewing to date.

In “live plus same day” Nielsens, recent “Will & Grace” episodes have generated four consecutive weeks of viewership increases starting Feb. 27 and culminating with a March 19 telecast that scored the show’s top L+SD results since April 4, 2019.

On the digital/social front, “Will & Grace” has garnered the most Facebook video views this season among all broadcast scripted primetime comedies, with 41 million total views (Source: ListenFirst Brand Rankings; LF// TV Universe // Episodic; Video Views [Facebook]; Brand Type: TV Shows; Broadcast; Prime Time; Comedy; 10/24/19-3/24/20).

Since its premiere episode on Oct. 24, 2019, “Will & Grace” has generated 1.5 million Interactions across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to rank as the #3 most social primetime broadcast comedy of the season, trailing only NBC’s “The Good Place” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” (Source: Nielsen Social SCR; Primetime Daypart; Comedy Series; Broadcast; 10/24/19-03/18/20). The 1.5 million Interactions represent a +24% gain from the same time frame last season.

Additionally, “Will & Grace” generates one of primetime television’s most upscale and most educated audiences, ranking #4 among Big 4 comedies in the concentration of adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (135 index, 100 represents an average concentration of those viewers) and as well #4 among comedies in adults 18-49 with four or more years of college (135).

“Will & Grace stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes.

Max Mutchnick and David Kohan write and executive produce James Burrows directs and executive produces. “Will & Grace” is produced by Universal Television.

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