2019 Pilot Reviews

I checked out four new network shows this year: Stumptown, Batwoman, The Unicorn, and Perfect Harmony. You can find my list of everything else I’m watching over here. I’m writing this later than usual because of Batwoman‘s premiere date, so I’ll actually be reviewing the first two episodes of the other three shows. Since this was really my second introduction to Kate Kane and Gotham City (both appeared in last year’s Arrowverse crossover), I have a pretty good idea of what that show looks like going forward. To kick things off:

Stumptown

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Stumptown but ended up being pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the first 2 episodes. Quippy main character with a tragic backstory and not-so-secret heart of gold is a tried-and-true format, especially on network TV. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done well, and Cobie Smulders proved she’s up to the task. It doesn’t hurt that Dex isn’t dissimilar from HIMYM‘s Robin or Marvel’s Maria Hill, the two characters Smulders is probably best known for.

Charming as I find Jake Johnson, after the first episode I wasn’t sure how his Grey, a bartender and Dex’s best friend, fit in with the rest of the show. The pilot did a nice job of showing his importance in Dex’s life—mentioning her PTSD and trying to reign in her more dangerous impulses—but I assumed they’d have to work hard in the future to justify his presence.

Luckily, the 2nd episode proved me wrong. It turns out Grey has his own demons that fit in very well with Dex’s line of work. Episode 2 answered another question I had in the pilot which was if Grey and Dex had a romantic history. They do, though Smulders has good chemistry with both Johnson and Michael Ealy’s Miles. After the first episode, I thought Miles would be the main love interest, but now my money’s on Grey, especially because there are unresolved feelings on his part. That’s not to say Dex has to couple up with Grey or Miles, only that her conversation about love with her client in episode 2 suggested the show moving in that direction at some point.

The stuck tape in Dex’s cassette player was a fun bit that worked very well in the pilot especially, and the music choices in general give the show a unique, retro vibe. The fight sequences in both episodes were gritty enough to be realistic but also not out of place on Disney’s ABC. I also really appreciate that Dex doesn’t use a gun; give me hand-to-hand combat any day. Overall, Stumptown feels like the kind of show that could fill that slightly lighter Castle vibe ABC’s been looking for, even if Castle himself still works for the network.

Batwoman

I think this was a solid Arrowverse debut that hit all the beats it needed to with a couple of neat twists. Out of all the Arrowverse shows, its sepia-toned look and like Stumptown, focus on hand-to-hand combat remind me the most of Arrow. With that series ending this season and the Canaries spinoff not a guarantee, I’m glad Batwoman will be there to fill that void.

This pilot handled its characters well, with each one getting some time to shine. Character balance is something a lot of first episodes struggle with, but I already have a good sense of each character. Not to belabor the Arrow comparison, but I think Kate’s stepsister, Mary, and Luke from Wayne Tower will provide that Felicity/Curtis comic relief that’s needed in an otherwise dark show like this.

Another strength of this pilot was how well it used flashbacks: just often enough to help us understand Kate without bogging down the hour. The two big reveals were also done pretty well. I assumed Kate’s ex, Sophie, would be dating someone but didn’t think she would be married. This adds a devastating layer to Kate and Sophie’s already tough relationship. And, knowing nothing about the comics, I never guessed that Alice was actually Kate’s sister, Beth. It’s a cool choice to make the season 1 villain so personal.

It’s also worth noting that Ruby Rose was perfectly cast here. Despite the general Arrow vibe, I get the sense that she’ll make Kate a bit more fun than Oliver’s ever been. She was believable in the action sequences but also gave Kate a lighter, sort of smirky vibe in some scenes. I went into Batwoman planning on watching at least until this season’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. but I’m genuinely excited to tune in next week.

The Unicorn

The premise of The Unicorn is a bit limited, but 2 episodes in, it seems like the great cast and solid writing could eventually push it to be something more (not unlike Cougar Town, a favorite of mine with a similar setup). I didn’t laugh a ton in the first 2 episodes but still enjoyed the banter between the characters. The best shows make you feel like you’re dropping in on people who have existed and been friends for many years before, and this show did that well.

Of the four friends, Delia and Forest stood out to me the most, probably just because I’m familiar with Michaela Watkins and Rob Corddry. I was also charmed by the scene in episode 2 where they contemplate a quickie before work but decide putting it in their shared calendar is basically the same thing. But Ben (Omar Benson Miller) and Michelle (Maya Lynne Robinson) are great too, and their relationship with their kids is already fun and believable.

However, the moment that stuck with me from the first 2 episodes was when Wade’s oldest daughter, Grace, got busted for sneaking out to take photos by a pretty wall for Instagram. Initially, I sort of braced myself for yet another TV/movie scene that belittled teenage girls and their interests. Instead, I was treated to a neat little pivot, where Wade asked, “So, you’re doing this to be popular?” and Grace responded, “No, I’m doing it to be normal.”

It had nothing to do with Wade’s dating life but showed The Unicorn‘s potential for other interesting moments. It validated a young woman’s feelings, spoke intelligently about the expectation the social internet places on people, and was also just genuinely sweet (the scene ended with Wade and Grace taking pictures of each other in front of the wall). It’s the kind of scene that made me excited for what’s to come and also my way of saying don’t count this one out, even if you’re not that into the premise.

Perfect Harmony

I thought the pilot of this was charming but didn’t know what the show looked like going forward. One concern I had—and still sort of have—is that it would be forced into the Glee mode of spending a season prepping for a competition they would inevitably lose for some manufactured reason to justify the show’s continued existence.

Episode 2 did a good job of showing what a usual episode will look like but still relied on a big event important to the choir. I don’t really know how they overcome that reliance; in a small town, there can’t be an event or competition every week. I almost wish Perfect Harmony was about a regular church choir rather than a competitive one. As the member of a standard church choir, I can tell you there’s plenty of comedy there. Removing the competitive element makes for lower stakes but also feels more sustainable and very on-brand for NBC. Their Superstore, for instance, has very low stakes but strong and specific characters that make up the difference.

However, I get why they went the direction they did. If the choir’s not competitive, then they end up singing church songs every week, at which point they might as well remove the musical component all together. Despite any concerns I have about the show’s longevity, though, the characters grew on me through the first 2 episodes, and Conley Fork has a small town charm that could easily turn it into a Stars Hollow or Pawnee.

Overall, a pretty strong crop of new network shows this year. I look forward to checking out others that people recommend as the season goes on!

What I’m Watching This Fall

Man, I don’t know what it is about things lately, but Fall TV really snuck up on me again this year. At any rate, I hope you all had a lovely summer and are ready to dive back in to things! Here’s what I’m watching this fall:

RETURNING SHOWS

Supergirl (Sundays at 9 on the CW)

Supergirl had what I think was its strongest season last year. So many things worked about it, and I’m worried this season will be a letdown by comparison. However, I’m excited/nervous for the fallout of Lena discovering Kara’s secret, and it’ll be fun to see Alex and Kelly pursue a relationship.

Madam Secretary (Sundays at 10 on CBS)

This is the rare show where I’m happy it’s the final season AND that they’re only doing 10 episodes. It’s interesting that they pivoted from an election storyline to one where (*spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the promo*) Elizabeth is already president. I’m surprised by how many cast members won’t be returning as series regulars, but realistically very few of her staff would have made the jump to the White House, so it makes sense.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Sundays at 11 on HBO)

This isn’t really returning, as it was on a decent chunk of the summer, but John Oliver continues to keep me sane and informed, and I continue to appreciate it.

The Flash (Tuesdays at 8 on the CW)

Like Supergirl, I enjoyed the last season of this show but am looking forward to the coming one. I have a feeling that The Flash and Arrow will be the two most affected by the crossover, and I’m curious to see how that plays out. I will miss Nora, though.

Arrow (Tuesdays at 9 on the CW)

It definitely sounds like this year will be more of a season-long farewell, which I’m happy about. If any show deserves a proper sendoff, it’s this one. Again, 10 episodes feels like the right number, and I’m glad my previous concern that the crossover would also serve as Arrow‘s series finale didn’t amount to anything.

This Is Us (Tuesdays at 9 on NBC)

TIU can be a little frustrating but also one of the most affecting things on TV in the right week. I feel like they’re really selling this season’s premiere as a departure for the show, which I’m intrigued by. I’m also looking forward to having Jennifer Morrison back on my TV.

Survivor (Wednesdays at 8 on CBS)

I think the Boston Rob/Sandra twist is hokey and dumb, but there have been plenty of great seasons of Survivor with bad premises, so I won’t count it out yet. Honestly, I’m more excited about the whispers of an upcoming “all-winners” season than I am about this one.

Modern Family (Wednesdays at 9 on ABC)

10 seasons in, by now this is far from my favorite comedy. However, I’m confident they’ll stick the landing in their final season and probably make me cry along the way. I got in on MF early (after season 1), so it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to something I’ve been watching every week for almost a decade, regardless of what my feelings are toward it now.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (Wednesdays at 10 on TBS)

This is the same deal as with John Oliver: I watched it throughout the summer and will keep doing so. Sam Bee’s been particularly sharp on female candidates and their media coverage this year, something I’m confident will continue this fall.

Grey’s Anatomy (Thursdays at 8 on ABC)

I’m leery of the weird “weekly crossover with Station 19” thing that’s been teased and walked back and then sort of teased again throughout the summer, but it would take a heck of a lot to make me quit Grey’s at this point. Like with Modern Family, I’m nearly a decade in.

Superstore (Thursdays at 8 on NBC)

I won’t actually be watching Superstore when it premieres, as I’m currently binging season 2. However, I’m already enjoying it enough to make catching up a priority, even when regular TV comes back.

The Good Place (Thursdays at 9 on NBC)

Unlike with Arrow and Madam Secretary, I’m bummed this is The Good Place‘s final season, but I respect it from a storytelling perspective. I can’t wait to see what Mike Schur and Co. have cooked up for us, and this is another “comedy” season that will definitely make me cry.

Legacies (Thursdays at 9 on the CW)

Legacies is pretty low on my list of show priorities, but I thought the first season was pleasantly surprising in spots. This cast has grown on me a lot since the pilot, too. At this point, I’d be a bit lost without a Julie Plec show in my life.

Saturday Night Live (Saturdays at 11:30 on NBC)

SNL didn’t start their season off on a good note, but I’m glad they rectified their mistake, even if it took longer than it should have. I’m excited about the other new cast members, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge + Taylor Swift is a hell of a combo for the second episode (I owe a decent chunk of my summer to Fleabag and Lover).

NEW SHOWS (NETWORK)

Batwoman (Sundays at 8 on the CW)

I’ll be very surprised if I don’t end up loving this one. I thought Ruby Rose was great in her few scenes during Elseworlds, and it’s awesome that she’ll be the first lesbian title superhero. Also, come next season (provided everything gets renewed), Grant Gustin will be only straight white guy leading a DC show on the CW, which is pretty cool.

Stumptown (Wednesdays at 10 on ABC)

I’ll admit that I’m still a little bitter at Stumptown for taking Whiskey Cavalier‘s spot, but I love Cobie Smulders (Robin was my favorite on How I Met Your Mother), and Jake Johnson was great on New Girl, too.

Perfect Harmony (Thursdays at 8:30 on NBC)

I’m less certain about Perfect Harmony; it may be one where I wait a couple of weeks to see what viewer/critical reception is like. It’s a cute premise, and I like Bradley Whitford and Anna Camp a lot, but I could also see it sitting in my virtual “to watch” pile for a while.

The Unicorn (Thursday at 8:30 on CBS)

I have similar feelings about this one, though I don’t think the premise is quite as novel as Perfect Harmony‘s is. The promos have made it look very “generic CBS comedy,” but several of the folks at TVLine said it was worth checking out, and they almost never lead me astray.

NEW SHOWS (STREAMING)

The Politician (Friday, September 27 on Netflix)

I probably won’t stress about checking out any streaming shows the first weekend they premiere, but The Politician is one I plan on getting around to at some point this fall. The trailer was pretty effective, juicy and fun, and I sound like a broken record, but another great cast.

Looking for Alaska (Friday, October 18 on Hulu)

I’m a longtime John Green fan, but LFA isn’t my favorite of his books. That being said, I know getting this one to the screen was a frustrating and lengthy process for him, so I’m happy about it for that reason. I’m also excited about it being the first TV adaptation of one of his books. Of all of them, LFA is probably the one best suited to TV over film.

Modern Love (Friday, October 18 on Prime Video)

Like with The Politician, this cast is borderline ridiculous (Anne Hathaway! Tina Fey!) and has the potential to be really great, I think. I only occasionally read “Modern Love” but am kind of surprised that it hasn’t been adapted before.

Your turn! What shows are you watching this fall and which ones are you particularly excited about? Hit the comments and let me know!

Saying Goodbye to Jane the Virgin’s Most Important Relationship

Source: the CW

Jane the Virgin, an under-watched gem of a series, ends its five-season run tonight with an appropriately tidy 100 episodes. There’s a lot to be said about Jane’s many strengths, and in a usual farewell article, I would talk about all of them. I would mention the scene stealing work Yael Grobglas put in year after year, the complicated but always loving relationship between women of three generations, what the show’s existence meant for the Latinx community, how it gave us one of the decade’s most dynamic characters in Rogelio de la Vega, and what a relief its candy-colored palette was in a time when even my favorite comedy takes place in hell. People don’t throw around the word “perfect” very often when it comes to TV shows, but Jane the Virgin was damn near close.

I could also talk extensively about what the show’s meant to me personally, that wannabe writer Jane popped up in my life when I was at that crossroads myself, stuck between my teaching degree and what I actually wanted. I cried when Jane got her massive $500,000 book deal in last week’s episode, not out of jealousy or sadness, but because I was genuinely happy for her, a character whose journey vibrates with aching realism. As a lifelong Catholic, I could also mention that Jane’s take on religion was respectful and nuanced, acknowledging the Church’s many flaws and wrestling with Jane’s existence as a sex-positive feminist who, yes, is also Catholic.

But instead of going long on any of those aspects of the show, I want to talk about its most important and most improbable pairing: Jane and Petra. Because, on a show with one of the most hotly debated love triangles in history, the relationship I found most affecting was completely platonic. In the last few seasons, Jane and Petra’s friendship has become a constant, to the point that it’s easy to forget just how antagonistic it was in the beginning. The two don’t actually meet until the series’ second episode, at Jane’s first ultrasound appointment. It’s actually a pleasant encounter, but only because Petra is trying to manipulate Jane into giving her and Rafael her unborn baby. They spend most of the first two seasons hating each other, until Petra gives birth to Anna and Elsa midway through season two. 

I love the birth episode, because it’s the first hint of what their relationship will become, with Jane softening Petra and Petra making Jane bold. There’s Jane, who can’t help but say yes when Petra asks her to come to her birthing class. There’s Petra, who realizes she’s pissed on Jane’s behalf when another author steals her idea. And of course, there’s Petra giving birth, with Jane treating her with a compassion unlike anything Petra’s experienced before. It’s not all sunshine and roses after the birth episode, but the two settle into an often frustrating, but exceedingly believable friendship, thanks in no small part to Petra’s evolution. When newly engaged Jane and Michael find a dream house that’s further away than Rafael would like, Petra tells him to suck it up. Then, when that house falls through, Petra buys a different one and insists that Jane and Michael never know she’s the owner. It’s Petra’s first purely unselfish move of the series, and she does it for Jane.

Another big turn in their friendship happens when Rafael is in jail and Michael has just passed away. A lot of work happens in the three-year time jump that follows, but the fact that there isn’t an abrupt change but rather a subtle one when the show picks back up again shows how well-earned their friendship is. Their weekly brunches during that time period are when their relationship becomes a given, which lessens the burden of it, allowing them to fight and be honest with each other in a way they weren’t before. In fact, the one time after this where it seems like Jane is really angry and maybe their relationship isn’t a given, Petra immediately panics, barging into Jane’s house with a traditional Czech breakfast after Jane cancels brunch. There’s a defiance to it, Petra’s way of saying “No, I will fight for this friendship.” Prior to her relationship with Jane, Petra had hardly ever seen people as worth fighting for, and that’s one of the biggest changes in her character throughout the series.

Still though, their friendship maintains a one-step-forward-two-steps-back rhythm for much of the show, sustained by a couple of things, one of which is Jane goading Petra into admitting how much she cares about her. One of my favorite instances of this is in “Chapter Seventy-Nine” when Jane tells Petra she loves her and insists she say it back. Petra, embarrassed that this whole exchange is happening in the lobby of the Marbella, begrudgingly says it before giving Jane a tiny kiss on the head and rushing away. It’s adorable and funny, an example of the writers and actors infusing the friendship with such heart that you can’t help but root for it.

Another hallmark of Jane and Petra’s friendship would start with Petra doing something selfish or casually cruel to the point where I would sometimes wonder why Jane was even bothering with her, that this was surely the thing that would do in their tenuous friendship. But then Petra would make some quietly devastating comment that didn’t excuse whatever she’d said or done but did explain it. What’s more, each time there was a sense that she didn’t mean to say whatever it was, but Jane somehow brought it out of her. 

One of my favorite examples of this happened this season, albeit when Jane and Petra’s friendship is in a much more stable place. Jane and Petra are arguing about Anna and Elsa leaving Mateo out, and Petra’s getting defensive when she suddenly yells, “That’s life! You don’t think I ever feel left out?” The scene happens after Michael has just come back from the dead, and Petra realizes that Jane told everyone in her life but her. And that’s what it comes down to: Petra upset that her friend didn’t confide in her. The ensuing conversation is a marvel, one of my favorites of theirs in the entire series. It’s also textbook Jane, taking a moment “straight out of a telenovela” and finding something breathtakingly human in it. 

Jane and Petra’s friendship changes a lot throughout the series, one of its many moving parts. But it’s also one of the most constant relationships on the show, present regardless of who they are dating, married to, or, at some points, both in love with. Because, yes, the fact that Jane and Petra have the relationship they do despite spending a decent chunk of the series in love with the same guy is pretty incredible, and evidence of how Jane eschews stereotypes at every turn. 

The series will partly be remembered for its romantic relationships, as it should be. Michael surprising Jane at their wedding by saying his vows in Spanish, Rafael proposing at her dining room table, whatever exceedingly romantic thing happens in the series finale tonight, are all great moments. But, when I think about Jane, I’ll also remember Petra making soup and dressing up like the tooth fairy to cheer Jane up after Xo’s cancer diagnosis. I’ll remember Jane taking care of Petra after she and J.R. broke up. And I’ll definitely remember the two of them hugging in a pop-up tent, calling each other sisters while their kids played together outside. Jane was billed as an over-the-top telenovela that was sneakily a quiet character study. So it feels right that, despite brimming with romance, Jane the Virgin’s most important relationship was a complicated, messy, ultimately beautiful friendship between two women.

Supergirl Just Finished Its Best Season Yet

Supergirl isn’t a show I’ve written about much in the past, other than to give the odd shout out to a character or storyline I’m enjoying. That doesn’t mean I don’t love it; most seasons it’s my favorite Arrow-verse show (though Legends of Tomorrow sometimes gives it a run for its money), and at least three of its characters (Kara, Lena, and Alex) fall in my current top 10. It’s more that because I pretty much always enjoy the show, I rarely have anything interesting to say about it. But that was before this season, their strongest yet by a mile. Here’s why it was so good:

1. They let Kara embrace her duality. This has happened before in small doses—it’s basically the premise of the show after all—but we’ve never seen it quite to the extent we did this season. Back in episode 2, Kara was trapped in a situation where she had to save Lena without letting her know that she was saving her. It was hilarious (Kara knocking down goons with a pretend sneeze) and sweet (Lena doing everything in her power to protect Kara) and the first hint of how much the show would embrace those separate sides of Kara and the power that both of them have. In the finale, this came full circle in a lovely way: after spending all season switching between fighting crime as Supergirl and disinformation as Kara, she defeated Lex with her words as much as her fists. And speaking of…
2. They cast Jon Cryer. The writers made a whole bunch of smart Lex-related choices, but a lot of them hinged on Cryer’s performance. What was remarkable about Lex, definitively the season’s big bad (sorry, Ben Lockwood), was just how little he was actually in it. He came in with a huge episode that sold how dangerous he was to the point that his presence loomed large even in episodes he wasn’t in. That’s thanks to an unsettling, incredibly specific take on a character that’s been played a thousand times before. It’s also worth noting that I had a similar reaction to Cryer’s casting as I did to Tyler Hoechlin’s: that he was such a good choice that I worried his character might overshadow Lena’s. Like with Superman, though, my concerns were unfounded. Lex remained a player in Lena’s story, exactly as he should have been.
3. They pulled Lena into the action. Much as I love Lena (and trust me, I do), during her first couple of seasons I sometimes felt like her character was a bit unnecessary to the plot, though her friendship with Kara was obviously an important aspect of the show. Even though she would sometimes interact with other characters, she also spent a lot of time holed up in her office with Kara, or being rescued by Supergirl. This season, though, her deeply personal connection to the villain really brought her into the fold. It made the show more cohesive as a result but more importantly made Lena a much more active participant. She teamed up with Alex and Kara, got herself out of sticky situations sans Supergirl (that gun grab in the finale!), and obvious spoiler alert, but killed(?) her own brother to save the world.
4. They introduced new characters that popped. I was a little worried when both Mon-El and especially Winn departed in last season’s finale, but man did they take advantage of those empty slots. Nia was instantly endearing and fit in so well that it will be weird to watch earlier seasons without her. And that’s without even mentioning that she came out as transgender in only her second episode, in a choice that was monumental yet never played for drama. Brainy, while not a new character this season is still relatively new, and Winn’s absence, as well as his budding humanity, really allowed him to shine this season. He built a sweet relationship with Nia and provided one of the season’s most heartbreaking moments when Lockwood’s men rebooted him. Kelly also managed to make an impression despite showing up in a busy part of the season and played an important role in Alex’s adoption ordeal, a painful standout of the year.
5. They created real stakes. Superhero shows have such flashy powers and fancy gadgets that it often seems like anything can be prevented or undone. They also rely heavily on the status quo, so even when things change, viewers know that they won’t change that much. Not this year. They used Supergirl taking place on a different earth more than they ever have before, letting the tension with Lockwood and the Children of Liberty build to dangerous heights. The anti-alien sentiment also wasn’t too far off from what we’re experiencing in the real world, and the stakes felt that much higher because of it. In one of the most surprising and devastating moments of the season, Alex had her memory wiped to protect Supergirl’s identity, and for a substantial period no less, proving there was a real threat that Kara could be exposed, while also significantly changing the dynamic between the two sisters. And, after teasing all season that Lena could finally discover Kara’s secret, they delivered in the most brutal way possible, dismantling the show’s central friendship in the process.
6. They took risks. This goes along with the above, because offering real stakes and threatening the status quo are always risks, but they went beyond that this season. They made bold, surprising storytelling choices, like James getting shot and then getting powers, or Eve betraying Lena. They weren’t afraid to go dark, particularly with backstories, like the reveal that James’ childhood bullies caused him to miss his father’s funeral or that Lena’s biological mother drowned right in front of her. The episodes were also much less paint by the numbers than they have been in the past; Kara embracing her duality let them do full episodes with just Kara or just Supergirl, and they became much less beholden to CatCo and the DEO as central locations. It was also more action-packed, with no filler episodes (especially in the latter half of the season) and more serialized storytelling than they’ve ever done before.

Despite all the things that worked, it wasn’t a perfect season. The second half was much stronger than the first, with the introduction of Lex giving the show a focus the first half was missing. Lena and James still don’t quite work as a couple, or honestly, even seem to like or respect each other all that much, and it’s not a coincidence that the season gained traction after their breakup. Kelly and Alex were great together—and I’m excited to see their relationship continue to blossom—but sometimes felt like they were on a different show entirely. And J’onn, while still a wonderful character and important mentor/father figure to Kara and Alex, certainly contributed to the aimlessness of the first half of the season with his quest for peace.

But none of those things take away from the fact that this was a nervy season of TV, especially so late in the show’s run. It was surprising, consistently entertaining, and often excellent. When you take as many chances as they did this year, some things will inevitably fail or not work quite as perfectly as hoped. But I’d so much rather a show do what Supergirl did this season than play it safe.

What did you think of Supergirl season 4? Have any hopes for next season? Hit the comments and let me know!

The Crazy Genius of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Critically acclaimed, featuring a complex heroine, and chock-full of catchy and irreverent musical numbers, the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which finished its run last night, was both an anomaly and a gem. What’s more, it was one of the most consistently good, constantly evolving shows on TV, reinventing itself each season with distinct chapters that steadily built to its never forgone conclusion. It was a show with such a high degree of difficulty that I kept waiting for it to go off the rails, only to be surprised when even OK episodes were better than most of what was on. Consider the sheer number of things this show was: a romantic comedy, a meditation on mental health, an ode to musical theatre, a critique of gender stereotypes, a celebration of female friendship…I could go on and on, and that’s what makes Crazy Ex so impressive.

Almost from the start of the series, cocreators Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna said theirs was a four season story. However, even with a plan in mind, they also made slight or even major adjustments throughout the show’s run so smoothly that it became impossible to tell if they were part of the plan or not. Greg’s departure in season two for example, had the hallmarks of an actor leaving unexpectedly, forcing the writers to scrap what I assumed at the time was a relationship that would last the entire series. Instead, Greg and Rebecca were always destined to break up, leading to their reunion this season as newer versions of themselves—in Greg’s case, literally.

There were smaller shifts too, particularly between the first and second seasons, ones you could chalk up to that old TV standby of writers figuring out what works and building on it. The second season and beyond focused on the nuance of Paula and Rebecca’s friendship, their hilariously offbeat coworkers, and Vella Lovell’s scene-stealing turn as Heather. They tweaked Valencia into someone with more depth but suggested that it had been there along; Rebecca and, by extension, we as viewers just hadn’t noticed, keen as we were to cast her as the villain. They introduced Nathaniel, who fit in so well that I often forgot he wasn’t even in the pilot, let alone most of the first two seasons.

Those shifts are just one of the many, many things that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend did well. Another is its theme songs, which were different each season depending on Rebecca’s story. I loved dissecting those theme songs. They functioned as a thesis statement of sorts each year, offering clues about where Rebecca’s journey might take her. To go back to season one for a moment, that year’s theme featured a starry-eyed Rebecca headed to a new city, full of hope for romance, and taken aback by your critiques about doing something big for love. She was defensive and probably for good reason; it’s not every day a sun gleefully sings “She’s so broken inside!” at you. That line was the show’s first hint at something darker bubbling beneath the show’s candy-colored, song-filled world and its sunshiny heroine, but it was far from the last.

In contrast, the Rebecca in season two’s theme song was confident, coy. She bagged Josh Chan, after all. She proved her haters wrong while acknowledging that “oh, maybe they were a tiny bit right about the crazy part.” But it’s OK, because when you’re in love, acting crazy is no longer weird or unhealthy, it’s adorable. In that song, the hint that things are not quite as OK as Rebecca thinks comes with the hilariously disconcerting beat after Rebecca says “Blam!”

Season three’s theme isn’t hinting at anything. Rebecca’s turmoil is right on the surface (“You do (don’t) want to be crazy”). She’s made progress in that she recognizes something is wrong but still won’t take responsibility for it. Instead, she argues “This is what you’ve done to me” Both things, the turmoil and being unwilling to take responsibility for her actions, come to a head in season three, the first with her suicide attempt partway through the season—heart-wrenching because it’s simultaneously shocking and far too easy to see coming—and the second with her owning up to her mistakes in the finale.

In contrast to the other three themes, season four’s song is practically a celebration. It finds Rebecca embracing her nuance in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s also the first one that doesn’t reference love or relationships at all, similar to how the show quietly switched from boy to “I” statement episode titles this season. The person narrating the theme song may give up on her by the end (“Let’s go back to other Rebecca”), but our Rebecca is smiling and waving throughout. She has a look of “that’s a good point!” when the singer mentions her flaws instead of denying them as she did in season one, dismissing them like in season two, or blaming them on someone else like in season three.

In addition to the theme song, each season also features one big number sung by Rebecca that shows her mental state with devastating clarity. There may be disagreement among viewers about what those songs are for each season, but for me season one’s is undoubtedly “You Stupid Bitch.” It remains one of my favorites from the series, I’ll admit partially because, like a lot of aspects of this show, it makes me feel seen on an almost uncomfortable level.

However, I also love it because it neatly encapsulates the show and Rebecca. It’s quietly heartbreaking—or sometimes not so quietly heartbreaking; the way Rachel Bloom sings “simple, self-hating” gets me even when I’m just listening to the soundtrack—but it’s also funny. It embraces the hilarity of singing a self-indulgent song of self-loathing to a crowd who knows all the words. I bring that up because while breaking down the show as a moving portrait of one woman’s mental health, it’s easy to forget how rare that mix of soul-crushingly human drama and smart, silly comedy is.

Season two’s most defining song comes in its penultimate episode, when Rebecca is planning her last-minute wedding to Josh and begs Seth Green’s affable but confused delivery man to assure her she’s OK, in the aptly titled “(Tell Me I’m Okay) Patrick.” There’s a desperation in that song, a sense of just how close Rebecca is to the edge, that foreshadows that season’s finale, the end of which finds Rebecca literally on a ledge after Josh leaves her at the altar. In that moment, being crazy in love doesn’t seem so adorable any more. It’s funny that Josh wants to be a priest until Rebecca’s standing there telling Paula not to come any closer and suddenly it’s not so funny anymore.

That scene is the first time I realized something that had been building in the back of my mind throughout the first two seasons: that even as I was laughing at Rebecca’s hijinks, her crazed obsession, her hilariously specific songs, there was a nagging sense that something was wrong, that this escalation that was usually amusingly dangerous could quickly become actually dangerous. That was intentional; as I said, part of what made Rebecca’s eventual suicide attempt so awful was how easy it was to pinpoint what led her there.

After that unbearable low, though, season three’s big song, “A Diagnosis,” is thrillingly hopeful. It’s joyous and bright, and marks the biggest turning point for Rebecca. Despite her uncertainty, it’s the most clear-headed she’s ever been, because she finally believes she can be clear-headed. She’s pinning all of her hopes on this one thing in a way that’s very in-character, but it’s not a boy she’s pinning them on this time, and that’s why it feels like it might finally work. Throughout the rest of season three and into season four there are believable backslides, especially in her romantic relationships. However, she also puts in a hell of a lot of work, sending herself to jail to atone for her mistakes, exploring new careers and opportunities, and being there for her friends more than she’s ever been before.

You could make an argument that season four’s most important song is the medley from last night’s episode, which includes reprises from the show’s theme songs and some songs mentioned here. That medley is lovely to watch and brings everything full circle. With the costumes worn in those numbers swirling around Rebecca, she finally lets someone into the madcap musical theatre world she’s created for herself. Of course, that person is Paula, who, let’s be honest, was always her real soulmate.

However much as I loved that medley, for me, this season’s most important number is “The Darkness” back in episode twelve, sung after Rebecca lapsed in therapy and haphazardly threw herself at Josh, Nathaniel, and Greg all in one night. It’s one of those realistic backslides, but it’s what comes after that counts: Rebecca waiting outside her therapist’s office, finally putting a name to the thing that’s plagued her for her whole life. By treating it like a bad ex, she finally allows herself to consider that she may be able to get rid of it forever.

This song also comes a couple episodes after one of the most enlightening scenes in the whole series: an honest conversation between Rebecca and Greg about how her bipolar disorder manifests itself. Throughout the series, it was sometimes easy to think that Rebecca had made no progress at all; just as Rebecca’s brain tricked her into thinking that, the show could sometimes trick viewers too. But think about season one Rebecca who wouldn’t even admit that she needed help, let alone acknowledge that she had an illness, let alone name it, let alone talk about it with a romantic partner, let alone admit that she had messed up and explain why.

And yes, she had this conversation with Greg, not Nathaniel or Josh, and it’s easy to take that as a sign he’s the person she ends up with at some point in the future. You can take last week’s fun The Bachelor inspired outing as an indicator of that too; she had a great time on her dates with Josh and Nathaniel, but it was on her “date” with Greg, which found the two of them waiting for his car to get fixed and arguing over what food to order, that she seemed the most content. I got the sense from that episode that Josh is who she’d be with if she remained an idealistic teenager, Nathaniel would be the one for her in the dream version of herself (that one we all have), but Greg is the one for her as she is now. Not who she wishes she could be or who she was in the past. This version of her, the one she actually is, who’s messy and honest and makes mistakes and has finally stopped seeing herself as a problem to solve.

It doesn’t seem wrong to mention this; as much as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend made it clear that, as Rebecca said in the finale, “romantic love is just a part of your story,” it also showed that wanting that is perfectly OK. This show was a deconstruction and critique of rom-coms, but it was also a celebration of them. That’s why it’s great that the finale lets you have both things. As it should be, front and center is Rebecca finding peace with whom she is and what she wants—appropriately meta-ly, to write songs—but it also suggests that romantic love is in her future if she wants it, but not because she needs it.

The finale feels intentionally unfinished, because this character who was always striving for something is finally content just being. It isn’t clear if she eventually winds up with Greg, Nathaniel, or neither of them. We don’t even hear the song she wrote. What we do know is the episode’s title, which I’ve always understood to be written by Rebecca herself: “I’m in Love.” Going into the finale, I had no idea what it would be in reference to: a guy, a career, or something else entirely. Now we know: it’s herself.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Focuses on Its Best Buds

The Mindy Project‘s Ike Barinholtz guest stars in one of the season’s goofier outings.

This is going to be a little shorter than my usual reviews, just because I liked the episode a lot but don’t feel like I have much to say about it. It was another strong episode in a strong season that relied on a lot of Brooklyn’s most dependable elements: Jake and Boyle’s friendship, Amy and Holt geeking out over something obscure, Terry over committing, and Rosa just generally being confused by it all.

It was nice to see a Jake/Charles story again, and Charles definitely needed his best bud for this one. I’ve been really pleased with the number of Jake/Amy stories this season, but that’s meant that both of them have had less time with other characters.

This show is great at taking a ridiculous premise, like Boyle having a Latvian son named Nikolaj, and turning it into a realistic and sort of lovely story. Here, we ended with a discussion about the complexities of adoption and the importance of friends listening to one another. Not bad for an episode that also had Terry Crews doing his best Caesar Flickerman.

Other quick thoughts:

Amy and Holt are such a pair in episodes like this, from laughing way too long to needing a thirty minute discussion over who was apologizing.

The Disney references cracked me up, and I can 100% relate to that being a point of commonality among friends.

Ike Barinholtz was the perfect person to play Gintars, and he and Andy Samberg were a lot of fun together.

What did you think of  “Gintars”? Hit the comments, and let me know!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Takes on #MeToo

Jake and Amy tackle workplace sexual assault in a surprisingly balanced episode.

We’re over a year out from when the #MeToo movement picked up speed, and at this point, a lot of shows have addressed it in some way. I went into this episode impressed and pleased that Brooklyn was tackling an important issue so far outside their comfort zone, but also a little skeptical that they could pull it off. It’s just so far outside their comfort zone, even taking into account their solid history of dealing with serious issues.

Sexual assault is inherently unfunny, and while murder is as well, the victim is long gone, making it a little easier to crack jokes. It’s much, much harder when the survivor is standing right there, and when, as Amy dealt with this episode, her future is at stake.

All that’s to say that I’m shocked by how well-balanced this episode was. Even within what should have been a very serious A-story, the writers found opportunities for humor that provided relief without making light of the situation. Amy, Rosa, and Jake’s conversation in the break room was the best example of this; Jake’s commentary was funny while also interrogating the role men should play when these issues arise.

That scene also reminded me of something Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero have spoken about in the past: that when you have two members of one group in the same show or scene, neither person has to represent their group entirely. Here, as two women, Rosa and Amy were free to disagree and show that this is a messy issue. Namely, you can be two people completely in support of women who have different ideas of how to support those women. Like Amy said at the end, it showed that “We can be different and still have the same cause.”

Jake and Amy’s conversations were also a high point, the first of which showed harassment and sexism Amy has faced and the second where she shared her story of sexual assault. I think it’s important that they included both scenes because while harassment, sexism, and assault are different things, they all contribute to and are symptoms of the pervasively misogynistic culture we live in. Basically, it was a smart way to show that sexist behavior comes in all shapes and sizes, but none of it is ok.

The second conversation was impressive as a pretty standard length scene that still gave Amy enough room to tell her story. Melissa Fumero really showed off her dramatic chops there, and Andy Samberg had a fine line to walk as well, cracking jokes one minute and playing supportive husband the next.

The Disco Strangler B-plot also helped the episode’s balance; it was just ridiculous enough to cushion the blow of Jake and Amy’s storyline without taking away from its importance. It’s always fun when Holt is so convinced of something that he basically goes crazy. Let me be bold and state that Andre Braugher is a pretty good comedic actor. The idea of Holt trying to convince everyone that an eighty-year-old man was a dangerous criminal was hilarious enough on his own, but add in Terry and Boyle parroting back a story they’ve heard a thousand times and Holt having to repeat his carefully chosen insults to the hard-of-hearing Strangler, and it became my favorite B-story in recent memory.

Other thoughts:

This was Stephanie Beatriz’s directorial debut. Go, girl, go!

The ending scene with Amy, Rosa, and Jake was great too, especially the reveal that the co-worker came forward.

I think this episode just generally did a good job of showing that, unfortunately, there are few outright victories when it comes to this issue. It’s not as neat and tidy as I wish it could be, but definitely realistic.

What did you think of “He Said, She Said?” Hit the comments, and let me know!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Focuses on One Case in “The Crime Scene”

Jake and Rosa work the same murder for two months in a more somber than usual outing for the Nine-Nine.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has taken some cool narrative risks in the last couple of seasons (I’m thinking especially of last year’s “The Box”). They often pay off, too: different enough to keep things interesting for the audience but without changing the show’s inherently goofy tone. This week’s episode, “The Crime Scene,” was effective and entertaining, but a bit lighter on laughs.

I usually find these case deep dives refreshing, even if they serve as an awkward reminder that, oh yeah, murder really sucks when it isn’t being played for laughs. Here, we got to know the victim’s mom more than we usually would have, which worked, even if it put a damper on things. Jake and Rosa have been cops for a long time, and to buy their rookie mistake of promising justice to a vic’s family member, that family member had to be especially sympathetic.

I also think the slightly more serious tone in the case worked because Rosa was going through something serious in her personal life as well: deciding if she should reach out to her mom. Even if the episode as a whole was a departure in tone for the show, the episode itself was pretty cohesive.

This was a great episode for a Jake and Rosa pairing because she tends to confide in Jake more than she does the others, especially about specifics in her personal life, i.e. her new girlfriend. Plus, Rosa calls Jake out on his mistakes more than anyone else does, not in a way that’s cruel, but by acting disappointed and supportive at the same time. Because they’ve worked together for so long, they have an easy back and forth that was perfect for this episode.

After chastising Jake for getting too close to the victim’s family, it was a fun turn for Rosa to do the same thing. Stephanie Beatriz plays those moments of emotion so well even if they are less surprising than they used to be. If anything, she has to work even harder to make them seem genuine.

I also liked that this was a Rosa/Jake episode because it felt right that he was there for the follow-up to her coming out to her parents since he was also there for the actual event. Nine-Nine has done a great job with this storyline, and much as my heart breaks for Rosa, I’m glad they haven’t glossed over the pain that comes from a parent rejecting you like that. It would have been easy for them to write her parents as instantly accepting, but this kind of messy middle she’s working through with them is more realistic.

A few other thoughts:

Rosa’s hair was a fun way to show the time passing and also a great sight gag. It felt like an indicator of how serious her relationship with Jocelyn must be, too; I don’t think Rosa would let just anyone mess with her hair, especially in such a public way.

The line about Jake and Rosa being immune to horrendous things was funny and something I think about a lot while watching crime shows.

I like single storyline episodes, even if I missed more time with Amy, Holt, and Co. I thought it might be a bottle episode at the beginning, but they ended up spending a little time at Jake and Amy’s, the precinct, etc.

What did you think of “The Crime Scene”? Hit the comments and let me know!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Farewell to Gina Linetti

Jake, Holt, and Co. say so long to the “human form of the 100 emoji” in an especially heartfelt episode. 

It feels a little jerky to say this now, but Gina has never quite worked for me as a character. She operated at a disadvantage as the only civilian on a show full of cops, and her brutal honesty sometimes veered on mean-spirited, especially when Amy was involved.  That being said, Gina was very, very funny in small doses, even rivaling Holt as Nine-Nine‘s chief gif-giver. She’ll be remembered for her supreme confidence and ability to be surprisingly astute about her colleagues, both of which were on display in “Four Movements.” Equal parts spectacle and substance, this was the right way to say goodbye to Gina Linetti.

The first movement, which found Holt and Gina playing chess and exchanging trash talk, was the most grounded and also worked the best for me. Holt has always believed that Gina brings something valuable to the table, and this exchange of services, so to speak, was both funny and jived with his overall view of her. I’ve always felt like Gina and Holt stealthily had the most in common; on the surface, they’re polar opposites, but they’re also both blunt realists, albeit Gina under that layer of crazy confidence.

Their back and forth here was smooth and believable, and like I said, grounded. For instance, Holt asking about healthcare plans was something I immediately thought of but assumed they wouldn’t bother to address. TV characters quit jobs with impunity, but that kind of real-life consequence is hardly ever acknowledged.

If Holt and Gina’s goodbye was mostly substance, Jake and Gina’s was appropriately fun froth. More than any other character, Gina has a specific side that comes out depending on who she’s with, and for Jake, it’s definitely her goofy, anything goes mentality, something that makes a lot of sense when you remember they were childhood friends. It also worked nicely that last week’s episode felt like the beginning of the end, which let Gina and Jake have a nice heartfelt moment there and a bit more fun in this one.

Their storyline was a series of hilariously over-the-top sight gags and jokes, from their rich people outfits to weird half-laughter and excessive “Daddy”s. I love that they got Mario Lopez to do this, just for the reveal that both Gina and Jake had huge crushes on A.C. Slater (and bi Jake is officially canon now, right?). Gina’s speech about only needing her friends was sweet, but I also suspected that she wanted to turn a celebrity away from her party which, of course, she confirmed.

Her story with Rosa and Amy – technically the second movement – was ultimately nice, but also an indicator that, like I said above, Gina’s comically mean treatment of Amy stuck out on what’s otherwise a warm, feel-good show. I’ll also admit that people making fun of others for their passion or enthusiasm is a sore spot for me. We need more passion in this world, not less! At any rate, I’m glad they ended in such a good place, with Gina encouraging Amy to embrace the very thing she’s mocked her for. Plus, that group hug was a wonderful reminder that these three very different women ultimately have each other’s backs.

Breaking the episode into movements was a smart way to honor each of Gina’s relationships with a specificity that would’ve been impossible with an episode-long group goodbye, though they did come together for the last act. Leaving behind a giant gold statue was perhaps the most Gina move ever, and the perfect bookend to her last episode as a series regular. She’ll be back for one more this season, at which time Terry will hopefully thank her for “the best moment of all.”

What did you think of Gina Linetti’s swan song? Hit the comments, and let me know!

Jake and Gina’s High School Reunion Takes “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Back to the ’90s

Chelsea Peretti and Andy Samberg shine in a sweet episode that teed up Peretti’s upcoming exit.

I enjoyed this week’s episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine more than last week’s, though both had flashbacks and a cold case of sorts. There was less at stake in “The Tattler,” but it ended up being one of the show’s more heartfelt episodes, mostly thanks to Gina and Jake.

At this point, Gina’s had moments of warmth with pretty much every character on the show, but I always buy them the most with Jake because of their long history (it certainly doesn’t hurt that, like Jake and Gina, Peretti and Samberg are childhood friends).  The real consequences for Jake if Gina hadn’t lied back in high school gave their storyline a lot of heart, and their ending conversation was among the sweetest they’ve had. Next week’s episode is (I think?) Peretti’s last as a series regular, and it feels right that Jake was the one to convince Gina it might be time to move on. He’s known her the longest, and it has to help knowing that her friend supports her.

I also really loved the role Amy played here, zig-zagging between being a supportive wife and getting increasingly—and hilariously—in her element at school. Nine-Nine has previously been a little stingy with couple storylines for Jake and Amy (leave ’em wanting more and all of that), but the ones we’ve already gotten this season have been a treat. It certainly helps that this wasn’t solely about them as a couple, but the fact that they are one gave us some fun scenes.

Back at the precinct, we had one sweet and one silly storyline, with Boyle helping Rosa choose between two suitors and Holt, Terry, Scully, and Hitchcock getting swept up in a radio contest. I always enjoy it when we get info about Rosa’s personal life, and while I’m bummed Gina Rodriguez won’t be making an appearance any time soon, that info dump Diaz gave Boyle was textbook Rosa, complete with an aside about her homemade jewelry line.

The radio contest story was intentionally scant, I think, and it was good for what it was: an opportunity for Holt to express his disdain for F.M. radio and realize fun could be had sans productivity. Can’t wait to hear how Kevin feels about this revelation!

A couple of other thoughts:

Does anyone else feel like Jake and Amy are…sexier as a married couple? We got that fun role play in the premiere and then the attendance-related foreplay here. I’m o.k. with it; the various turn-ons of these weirdos are a comedy treasure trove. Plus, Jake’s “keep it in your pants, Santiago!” made me laugh.

Gina giving everyone a different story about her career was hilarious, and I love that one of her lies actually turned into something.

This episode was a great example of the show blending its various strengths really, really well, from heart and silliness to clever jokes and sight gags.

What did you think of “The Tattler?” Hit the comments, and let me know!