Before there was TV, the popular format on radio was the variety show, some comedy, some music, and some guests. The variety format continued on TV, and lasted until the 1980’s. Neil Patrick Harris made a bold attempt to revive the live variety format, but NBC has opted against a second season of Harris’s “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris,” which officially concluded on November 3 after eight episodes. The original series order was for 10 installments, but NBC trimmed the order by two.

Only 5.06 million viewers tuned in for the finale, according to the Nielsen ratings.