How To Watch 'A Christmas Story' Live Without Cable

Prepare to go back in time with Ralphie, Randy, Mom, Dad, and the timeless leg lamp with the premiere of A Christmas Story Live airing on FOX Dec. 17. The tried-and-true holiday classic about a little boy and his need for a Red Ryder BB gun is getting a musical update featuring some of comedy’s biggest names. And luckily, you don’t need a cable subscription to tune in. A Christmas Story Live! will be streaming online via Hulu.

FOX is included with a subscription to Hulu Live, in addition to other network channels like ABC, CBS and NBC. If you're not lucky enough to have a friend who'll slide you their login credentials, you can try-before-you-buy with Hulu's 7-day free trial. Additionally, Hulu typically streams Fox programming the day after it airs on TV, so there's a possibility that A Christmas Story Live! will be on demand on Dec. 18.

Many people who grew up in the '80s and '90s have fond memories of Ralphie Parker and the gang from the film A Christmas Story. Bunny onesies, getting your tongue stuck to poles, and shooting your eye out are all iconic parts of the movie that nearly everybody associates with this time of the year. Ralphie's quirky family and classmates first appeared when the movie premiered in 1983. And although, the movie wasn’t initially a hit it became a holiday favorite a few years later when it was released on videotape. Then, in 2012 a musical version ran on Broadway in a limited run.

Inspired by both the film and the Broadway production, A Christmas Story: The Musical, the three-hour live holiday special is executive produced by Grease: Live‘s Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, with music composed by duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — the brains responsible for Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen and the Oscar-winning film La La Land. The duo also composed the original score to A Christmas Story: The Musical.

Bringing the music and source material to life are an ensemble cast of comedians including: Matthew Broderick, starring as the narrator and grown-up Ralphie Parker; SNL alum Maya Rudolph, playing Ralphie's mother; Chris Diamantopoulos, as Ralphie's father; and Jane Krakowski, as Ralphie's teacher Miss Shields.

According to Rudolph, A Christmas Story Live! will bring some much needed joy to a gloomy 2017. “This show is a nice respite. I’ll take any good cheer I can get these days. It’s sweet to think about childhood dreams and family,” the actress told The Star.

For some, performing live — especially when performing a remake of a classic — would send them into all-out panic mode. Rudolph isn't too worried, though her co-star Krakowski is a little nervous. "You might be more nervous than us. Don't worry about it, we got you," Rudolph told E! News at the official lighting of the giant leg lamp in honor of the performance. Krakowski admitted to being "terrified" and pushed Rudolph to admit to being a little skeptical too — which Rudolph went on to do. "We'll be nervous, but I'm trying to seem cool," Rudolph said.

Additionally, viewers are in for an extra-special treat during the broadcast of A Christmas Story Live!. Tony winner Hugh Jackman and co-stars Zac Efron, Zendaya, and Keala Settle, from the new P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman, will perform a two-and-a-half-minute live theatrical commercial ahead of the movie musical's Dec. 20 release, which Pasek and Paul also scored.

“As we continue to drive innovation in both our programming and ad products, we are thrilled to be working in partnership with our sister film studio in this exciting live holiday event,” said Fox Network Groups exec Suzanne Sullivan on the live advertising strategy. “We can’t wait to watch as Hugh, Zac, Zendaya and Keala make history and unwrap the first-ever live theatrical commercial on FOX’s air.”

A Christmas Story Live airs Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. And in a sea of holiday specials, this is sure to be a must-see.