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'Nervous!': Cast of 'The Conners' sounds off about tonight's live show

3:22
Behind-the-scenes secrets as ‘The Conners’ preps for historic live episodes
Andrew Eccles/ABC
ByStephen Iervolino
February 11, 2020, 8:11 PM

"The Conners" is going live!

While the show is regularly filmed live in front of a studio audience, the sitcom is going live on both coasts tonight in an episode that will incorporate news of the day: the Democratic primary in New Hampshire.

"Nervous!" is how Laurie Metcalf and her co-star and producer, Sara Gilbert, described to ABC News their feelings about the special show.

Metcalf is no stranger to performing live, as she's a Tony-winning, veteran stage actress, but the episode is different.

"Yes, theater is live, but you've rehearsed for four weeks and you know what you're doing, and and it's not being recorded for posterity," Metcalf said with a laugh.

"Yeah, no one can play back your mistakes, right?" Gilbert added.

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The actresses explained how different the usual live recording of "The Conners" is compared to tonight's show.

"Well, we we do each scene at least two times, maybe three. But this [episode] won't," said Mecalf.

Gilbert added that flubs on a recorded show are common, and, "it's like not a big deal really. If you make a mistake -- like, you try not to -- but mistakes happen, almost every scene!"

She added, "This is different. I'm going to be drilling my lines."

As for tonight's episode, the plot details are still under wraps.

"I do know," Gilbert, a producer, hinted, "but I don't know how much of that I'm allowed to say. But with all I can say is we, you know, at least one of the characters is following the primary."

"The Conners" airs at 8 p.m. on ABC. The episode will be performed live twice -- once each for viewers on each coast.

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