Friday, August 5, 2016

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Why Not!

She's so broken inside!
Is anyone watching [i]Crazy Ex-Girlfriend[/i]?  While it’s uneven in parts, the majority of this sitcom is hi-freaking-larious.  We especially love the song-and-dance numbers which pay homage to, among other things “West Covina, California”, “Texmercency/Textpocalypse” and “Settle for Me”.

The series centers around Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) who, after running into her summer camp sweetheart Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III), decides to quit her high-profile legal job in New York and move to West Covina in an effort to pursue him and happiness.  Unfortunately, Josh (he of the bro-hood and thousand-watt smile) already has a girlfriend—yoga-instructor and part-time harpy Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz).

Bloom is hi-freaking-larious and carries off the character of Rebecca with effortless grace.  The stories are clever, self-referential and fast, with the jokes flying effortlessly and (mostly) landing.  While somewhat uneven in the first season, at times actually making Rebecca sometimes unlikeable, it finishes strong with a story that is as much about mental health as it is about romance.  The show also isn't afraid to comment both on the story and on the world in general though it's multiple musical numbers.  "Boy Band Made Up of Four Joshes" hilariously reflects the "hang loose" style of Josh, while skewering the boy band style.  While my particular favorite, "Settle for Me" is a throwback to 40s/50s era musical numbers:



There really isn’t a character that we don’t like, and some that we would want to see more of.  Josh’s friend, Greg (Santino Fontana), serves as a disgruntled everyman, and his relationship with Rebecca’s neighbor, ultra-laidback and ultra-cool Heather (Vella Lovell) is a lot of fun.  Rebecca’s self-appointed best friend (and rut-stuck wife/mother/co-worker) Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) has a wonderful arc, and some really great moments serving as both cheerleader and moral conscience.


Overall, [i]Crazy Ex-Girlfriend[/i] which has been picked up for a second season has something for everyone with a bonus of leaving you humming any of the nearly 40 catchy and funny original songs.  

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