![]() ![]() No character is reduced to just a joke Crazy Ex-Girlfriend believes everyone is capable of being complex if they allow themselves to take the big steps toward improvement.įor a show so driven by the big picture, it is also rife with some of the best running gags of any contemporary comedy. ![]() It’s refreshing to see a character like Paula in a comedy who isn’t taken as a joke. Champlain gets some of the best songs of the series as she refuses to get pushed out of the spotlight like most “best friend” characters are. The bored working mother gradually transforms into one of the most interesting characters on TV with the type of arc most shows shy away from: a middle aged woman pursuing her passion for law as she struggles with her marriage and her relationship to motherhood. The best example is that of Paula Proctor, played by Broadway legend Donna Lynne Champlain. Every character gets their moment to shine, their own emotional ballad (or several), and their own chances to break away from the tropes that originally defined them. While many of the characters start off as stereotypes that would fit into a romantic comedy (the cool girl, the hot / mean girlfriend, the overbearing boss, the sassy / helpful best friend) over the course of the series they all evolved into fully realized versions of themselves. It also contains one of the strongest supporting casts a show could dream to have. The music alone could make Crazy Ex-Girlfriend a great show, but the series can’t be limited by just one aspect. The songwriters’ understanding of theme and motif are unparalleled, as songs often reappear as full reprises or instrumental variations that give the show a brilliant thematic throughline. Aside from a wide-ranging collection from straight comedy songs (“I Go to the Zoo” is an all-time great) to emotional ballads (“You Stupid Bitch” being the show’s masterpiece), Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has some of the best musical composition and direction of any show on TV. The music of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is by far one of its strongest attributes. Over its four-season run on The CW, the series included more than 100 original songs written by Bloom, Jack Dolgen, and Adam Schlesinger. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a comedy musical that starts as a commentary on rom-com tropes and evolves into a deeper discussion of mental health and becoming a more evolved person. The series, co-created by Aline Brosh Mckenna and Rachel Bloom, is unlike any of its contemporaries or what aired before it. And while those who watched it can attest to its brilliance, most people are unaware that one of the best shows of this latest era of television ran its course with little fanfare. The title and unsure marketing has hidden pretty much everything about the wonderful and inventive show that is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. ![]() That may be the show’s curse: that it appears so different from the outside. My dad scoffed at the title “I bet the feminists are going crazy over that one.” I first learned of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend when I saw a poster in the mall: a photo of Rachel Bloom clutching a balloon with a crazed expression. Come relive your TV past with us, or discover what should be your next binge watch below: Editor’s Note: Welcome to our TV Rewind column! The Paste writers are diving into the streaming catalogue to discuss some of our favorite classic series as well as great shows we’re watching for the first time. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |