Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,
And shut up, Galavant! Again, no one’s talking to you!
Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Mondays at 8 ET/7 CT on the CW or catch up online at cwtv.com or Hulu.
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About Guest Writer Brian Bolt:
With a smooth voice, tall stature and Virginian charm, Brian Bolt is a California inhabitant who makes the perfect companion for a wild night in.
Check out more of Brian on Twitter @bboltburg or on his blog at https://bboltburg.wordpress.com/.
Why You Should Start Watching (And Learning From) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
I get it. We’re in peak TV. Winter is coming and Netflix is at its chilliest. Superheroes are running amok and good-looking men of a certain age are being grandfathered and grinded like crazy. But let’s face it, you’re gonna watch some small-screen shenanigans. Why not make it with people who sing? And shut up, Galavant. No one’s talking about you.
Hi, I’m Brian Bolt, purveyor of the televisual arts, practitioner of decent taste, and overall pixel-happy bon vivant. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now let me introduce you to the best new show of the fall season. It’s not really a drama and people will probably tell you it’s a comedy. Truth is, it’s a little of both. Citizens of the world, meet Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I know you haven’t met yet because its ratings are so low I feel like me and comatose geriatrics are the only ones watching.
Rachel Bloom is the co-creator and star of the show. You might know her from Youtube fame where she fucked Ray Bradbury and let people touch her boobies. Together with Aline Brosh McKenna (screenwriter of a little movie called Devil Wears Prada), Bloom brings the story of depressed, pathetic lawyer Rebecca Bunch to your homes every week.
Sounds fun, right? What if I told you that she abandons her high-profile law job in New York to follow her ex-boyfriend Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III) to West Covina, California, home of strip malls and sparkly concrete? And Josh has a girlfriend that’s not Rebecca. You’d watch then, right? Right?!?
Okay, so the show has a tough premise to get past. Add the most problematic title this side of Cougar Town and you’ve got a pretty tough pill to swallow. However, what you’d expect to be a taxing exercise in cringe comedy turns out to be a show with an abundant amount of heart.
Take a scene in the pilot where Rebecca lets out a version of the truth to snooping co-worker Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin). Paula has spent the majority of the episode suspicious of such a pedigreed attorney moving to the middle of nowhere. Finally, she’s able to squeeze an explanation from Rebecca, who’s ashamed, crippled with oncoming depression, and at a serious low point. Instead of humiliating Rebecca, Paula shows compassion, praising the bravery of her choice to start fresh, not focusing on the foolishness.
It’s a defining moment where the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend writers choose to showcase kindness over cruelty. A lesser show would have milked the moment for all its inherent cringe value.
But don’t worry. This show is exceptionally silly. Don’t believe me? Then you better bet that there’s scenes where: Rebecca haphazardly twerks on a party bus, Josh decides to work at an electronics store because of its killer poke, and Donna considers having an affair with a man because of his frequent flyer miles. Oh, what’s that? Crazy Ex-Girlfriend manages to wring thoughtful observations about the human condition from all these scenarios. Dammit…
The number one reason to tune into this show, though, is its insane musical setpieces. Each episode averages about two original songs that manage to illustrate emotions bubbling just under the surface. Take “I’m a Good Person”, which shows why Rebecca (see: everyone) does good deeds.
Sample lyrics:
“I’m a good person all over the place /
I cum my good right into your face. /
Everybody says I’m a good-ass chick /
And if you don’t think so, you can lick /
My balls which again are filled with good.”
It’s bold, it’s fresh, and it’s comedy with a point of view. And for everyone tired of seeing white guys dominate the television landscape, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is (GASP!) feminist. The “Sexy Getting Ready Song” in the pilot shows just what women have to endure to get ready for a date, ass blood included.
Even at its most absurd, the show manages to peel back the Spanx to reveal pop music’s sexist inconsistencies. One need only watch “Put Yourself First” to see how damaging it is that pop music tells girls they have to be “worth it” to achieve the attention of men.
Brutally honest messages aside, if you’re into a show with heart, humor, and earworm-inducing songs, start watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. If you just want to give it a shot, I’d start with “I’m Going on a Date with Josh’s Friend!”, the show’s first true masterpiece. Believe me, you’ll be hooked.
And lastly (this part’s just for Rebecca, so everybody else can stop reading) know that no matter how this year turns out, whether I'm watching Season 2 in the fall or baking giant pretzels on the show’s funeral pyre, I’ll always remember enjoying my time with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
And shut up, Galavant! Again, no one’s talking to you!
Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Mondays at 8 ET/7 CT on the CW or catch up online at cwtv.com or Hulu.
---------------
About Guest Writer Brian Bolt:
With a smooth voice, tall stature and Virginian charm, Brian Bolt is a California inhabitant who makes the perfect companion for a wild night in.
Check out more of Brian on Twitter @bboltburg or on his blog at https://bboltburg.wordpress.com/.
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