Caroline Siede deemed Rent : Live 's flaws as `` lovingly imperfect '' and fitting with the original musical 's own flaws .
In a mostly positive review for The A.V . Club , Caroline Siede wrote that the special `` did what these live musicals are supposed to do—reimagine a beloved musical with a new aesthetic , new performers , and new staging choices , '' and praised the show 's finale featuring the 1996 Broadway cast. The telecast received a 1.4 rating among adults 18 to 49 and 3.42 million total viewers , making it the lowest-rated live musical broadcast as of its airdate .
Rent-COLON- Live