History YMMV / TheWiz

** The second half of the "Brand New Day" number, where the Winkies unzip their clothes and all dance in ''loincloths''.
** The film way overdoes the whole gimmick of the heroes having what they thought they were missing all along, to the point where it makes no sense that they would ever think they didn't have it.
** The very {{Wangst}}-y way the Tin Man weeps, complete with OcularGushers. It's meant to be comedic, but it just comes off as awkward, especially when it's used as SwissArmyTears to save the Lion and Dorothy's life.

** The very {{Wangst}}-y way the Tin Man weeps, complete with OcularGushers.

%%* EnsembleDarkhorse: [[EvilIsCool Evilene]].
%%Why? This is zero-context as written.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The giant puppets, the electrical wiring and even the moving pillars from the SinisterSubway scene are pulled off with relatively simple effects but still manage to be eerie and intimidating... but the toothy trash cans [[NightmareRetardant lose it]] when it's clear that Michal Jackson and Ted Ross themselves are just fake-struggling against cheap, hollow props.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The giant puppets, the electrical wiring and even the moving pillars from the SinisterSubway scene are pulled off with relatively simple effects but still manage to be eerie and intimidating... but the toothy trash cans [[NightmareRetardant lose it]] when it's clear that Michal Jackson and Ted Ross themselves are trying to make appear alive when they're clearly just fake-struggling against cheap, hollow props.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: It's terribly obvious how far out of his comfort zone Sidney Lumet was, showing no idea of how to stage musical numbers despite the songs themselves still being pretty good. The worst offender is filming "Ease on Down the Road" from ''behind'' the actors, in a wide shot with a completely static camera that creates the impression of watching a live performance from the very last row of the balcony - and on the wrong side of the stage.

* OlderThanTheyThink: The idea of the Tin Man's [[SwissArmyTears tears]] waking Dorothy and the Lion from their poppy-induced sleep was originally considered for 1939's ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', but ultimately dropped.

* WereStillRelevantDammit: The screen adaptations make a few ''extremely'' forced attempts to reference their respective eras of American culture. To name but one example from each, the movie has a disco in the center of the Emerald City, and the TV version replaces Addaperle's Magic Slate with an [=iPad=].

* CompleteMonster: The Wicked Witch of the West has always been a piece of work, but Evilene is really something else. For starters, she doesn't just rule the Winkies -- they're her ''slaves''. And they're forced to work in her sweat shop. She kills one on-screen for daring to ask for a break. Then she has Scarecrow torn apart, Tin Man crushed, orders Lion skinned alive, and is about to throw Toto into a furnace when she gets melted. Good riddance.
--> "They say suffering is good for the soul... SO SUFFER!!!"

* JustHereForGodzilla: Many people only watched this movie to see Music/MichaelJackson. Some posters of the movie also make him larger and more visible than the main character Dorothy.

* JustHereForGozilla: Many people only watched this movie to see Creator/MichaelJackson. Some posters of the movie also make him larger and more visible than the main character Dorothy.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** The Emerald City is represented by the World Trade Center.
** During the second season of ''Series/AmericanIdol'', during the movie theme week, one of the contestants sung "You Can't Win" as their choice which didn't agree with the judges. In the following elimination round, he was knocked out of the running.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: On top of being a product of a time when Blaxploitation films were popular in the U.S., the film has an unmistakable 1970s feel throughout, from its tone, to the fashions, to the disco and funk-heavy soundtrack, among other things.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Dorothy delivers this gem when the Tin Man sounds shocked to discover that [[spoiler:the seemingly-powerful and high-ranking Wiz was actually a woman.]]
-->'''Dorothy:''' [[spoiler:And what's wrong with being a woman?]]\\
'''Tin Man:''' ''(nervously)'' Uh, nothing...\\
'''Dorothy:''' That's right, [[spoiler:nothing wrong with being a woman!]] I don't know where y'all fools learned y'all manners.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: If you believe in yourself and work hard to take advantage of the perfect opportunities, you can bring about positive change in your life and others'.

* OlderThanTheyThink:
** For one (fairly conservative) online reviewer, ''The Wiz Live!'' was apparently tainted with the violence of black culture, thus making it less family friendly from the "original 1939 version", due to Dorothy being prompted to murder the witch (as opposed to stealing her broomstick). Ironically, that only occurred in the 1939 film, which isn't the original ''Wizard Of Oz''. In the original book, the Wizard really does tell Dorothy to straight up murder the Wicked Witch, who at that point wasn't even actively a threat to her. This act of violence wasn't added to the story of ''The Wiz Live!'' due to it being a black casted show. It was always there from when the story was originally written.
** Oz having [[spoiler: a crossdressing Wizard]] also dates back to the original book, in which the Wizard [[spoiler:dons several disguises, one of which makes the male Wizard seem like a lovely maiden]].

* TheScrappy: Common as the Emerald City guard, pointed out by every review as sticking out horribly in an otherwise well cast production. At least his costume was pretty cool.

%%** "TEEEEEEENY..."
%%What about it? This is zero-context as written.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Between the thirtysomething Diana Ross' overly-emotional take on Dorothy, the story now taking place in a [[CrapsackWorld grimy, desolate, colorless world]] where Oz is effectively New York City with all of its worst aspects on display, and several questionable song numbers it's little wonder that the film adaptation failed to find an audience upon its initial release.

* {{Wangst}}: Diana Ross portrays Dorothy as an overwrought wreck who will go into hysterics at the drop of a hat. Don't do a DrinkingGame of how many times Dorothy sobs piteously. You'll be passed out after 30 minutes.

** Diana Ross, who in her thirties seems out of place in the shoes of the much younger Dorothy despite her singing chops. Ross was initially refused the part but eventually won it after persisting in her negotiations with the producer, with her age singled out as having rendered her unconvincing in the role of an emotionally distraught young woman.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: [[EvilIsCool Evilene]] may certainly count as this for many.

** The aforementioned "TEEEEEEENY..." could count as well.

* VindicatedByHistory: The film is viewed a bit more positively nowadays (especially among the black community), to the point where it has become something of a CultClassic. Though there's still plenty of people that view it as a bad film, you're just as likely to find people that like it and defend it.

** During the second season of ''Series/{{American Idol}}'', during the movie theme week, one of the contestants sung "You Can't Win" as their choice which didn't agree with the judges. In the following elimination round, he was knocked out of the running.
* HarsherInHindsight: Dorothy's goodbye to her friends at the end as they fade to black is all the sadder when you realize that Diana Ross has outlived each one of her main co-stars from the movie. Even sadder is the Scarecrow's last line to Dorothy considering what would happen to the [[Music/{{Michael Jackson}} actor who played him]].

** When Dorothy says goodbye to the Good Witches, a magical whirling sound emits, implying they magically disappear during Dorothy's close-up. However, a viewer might notice Creator/AmberRiley walking normally off the set. Unlike most of the original broadcast's {{blooper}}s, this one stayed on the DVD.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: Like ''Peter Pan Live!'', the strings helping the actors and acrobats fly proved impossible to hide at certain scenes.