The episode was broadcast live on NBC in the United States on September 29, 2005, and was performed twice by the actors that evening for the East and West coasts.

Meanwhile, Will (Eric McCormack) tries to hide from Karen (Megan Mullally) the fact that her husband, Stan, is alive and faked his death due to troubles with the mob.

Since airing, "Alive and Schticking" has received mostly positive reviews from television critics, who enjoyed watching the mistakes made by the actors and their attempts to hide their laughter during the live broadcast.

He learned this from his former boss, Malcolm (Alec Baldwin), a secret agent, who told him that Stan is now living under seclusion and faked his death because of troubles with the mob.

When Malcolm later visits Will at his apartment and warns him to not to tell people about Stan's predicament, Karen and Rosario (Shelley Morrison) also arrive.

[4] Kevin Reilly, who at the time served as NBC Entertainment President, said the "challenging live platform launch" for Will & Grace would be a good way for the show to inaugurate its final season.

Debra Messing (Grace) "gasped loudly" when it was revealed that the technical demands of live television would mean that Burrows would not be directing on the stage floor, but would be up in a booth instead.

"[6] Mullally revealed that the show's writing team was "notorious for tinkering with the script's laugh lines", even during the actual taping of the episodes.

[16][17] An audience member who was in attendance commented that Messing and Hayes "were so bad at keeping a straight face" during a dress rehearsal that Burrows had to get on the show's PA system to yell at them.

[19] In 2006, Baldwin was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" category for this episode.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram contributor Robert Philpot, who gave the episode a B+ rating, thought it was a pleasant surprise and an indication that there "might be some life" left in the show.

[25] Dana Stevens of Slate magazine reported that "Alive and Schticking" offered a chance to punch up the show with some "unusually broad sight gags."

"[24] Knoxville News Sentinel's writer Terry Morrow also commented that the episode reminded him of The Carol Burnett Show because of its "goofiness and by-the-seat-of-its-pants style."

[26] Jeffrey Kauffman of DVD Talk praised Baldwin for his performance and commented that "Alive and Schticking" helped "jumpstart the series creatively after a couple of seasons" and "It's fun [...] to see the actors momentarily break character, a la The Carol Burnett Show, where the absurdity of certain situations (usually involving Jack and/or Karen) makes giggling all but impossible.

"[27] Entertainment Weekly television critic Gary Susman gave "Alive and Schticking" four stars,[28] while Frazier Moore of the Associated Press lauded it as a "fun, and attention-grabbing, note.

Gail Pennington of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote that the live episode "proved once and for all that Will & Grace should have been buried before now,"[30] and Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk pointed out that its underlying storyline "is a little too over-the-top.

"[25] David Blum of The New York Sun reported that the producers of Will & Grace wasted Baldwin's "prodigious talents on a supporting role this past season, when it's clear he could effortlessly carry his own network series.