This summer, I recently finished binge-watching season one of The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I started the series last fall but never had the time to keep up with it–until now. Thanks to the Twitterverse, I knew this was a show I couldn’t simply pass up due to the fact I kept seeing multiple tweets praising it. A weekend and four delivered meals later, I get it. I understand the hype, and I am now a part of it.
First off, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a brilliant show from the brilliant minds of Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna. Bloom claims the leading role of the “crazy ex” named Rebecca Bunch introduced in the pilot episode as a lawyer unhappy with her life. This all changes when she runs into her ex-boyfriend Josh Chan from summer camp in 2005, AKA her first love AKA may or may not be the reason she moves to West Covina, California.
After talking to Josh who spilled the beans about his move back to West Covina after living a few years in New York, Rebecca is inspired by that idea and drops her current life to hop on a plan to live on the other side of the country. She ends up landing a job at a local law firm and befriends her co-worker Paula Proctor. From this point on, the audience goes on a crazy ride of Rebecca who denies she moved all the way to California for Josh who just happens to already be in a steady relationship. Oh, did I mention this show is also partially a musical? YES!
Now, think of it as Glee, but not to the point where every five minutes there’s a chorus that breaks out into song. The musical numbers pop up very sporadically, but get this: the songs are not covers, but original tracks that fit with the storyline and end up being freaking hilarious.
If that didn’t convince you to hop on Netflix, like, NOW (and hopefully I didn’t give too much away either), here are even more reasons why you should watch the series.
Girl Power
It’s genius. It’s so beautifully written and it stars a female comedian. Not to get all full on Feminism/Girl Power crazy on you…but c’mon, let’s be real. How often do you see a leading women comedian taking the reigns on a show on cable TV? There was The Mindy Project, but FOX axed that too soon (Bless you, Hulu), but do you see my point? Another thing to point out, Rachel Bloom wasn’t a household name TBH. I never heard of her until the show popped up into my life and now I’m a complete fangirl. She gives me hope that if I work hard enough, maybe I could win a Golden Globe too. Not really, but a girl can dream.
Speaking about the Golden Globes, E! Interviewed Rachel Bloom after she won her prestigious award and answered a question regarding comments on the show being seen as “sexist” (when it’s totally not. “I say watch the show and within the first two minutes you’ll understand the title is a deconstruction—the show is meant to be a deconstruction of tropes and stereotypes and take the stick out of your ass and just watch my show.”
The Writing
The scriptwriting for this series is phenomenal. It’s well put together and not a glitch from scene to scene. Every dialogue between characters or internal dialogue continues to build the character more and more. And the songs! They are not your average songs. They literally are on par with numbers you’ll see during an actual broadway musical. Like said musicals, the songs in the show have nothing to do with the plot, but expand on a certain moment or idea. Don’t understand what I mean? See it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYezW05zIwA
Diversity
Another great thing about the show is the diversity of the cast. I’m biased because I’m part of the enraged group of people who feel as if some cultures are underrepresented on television, but can we just point out the fact a Filipino plays one of the lead roles? A FILIPINO! That’s a win for my people. We often see so many videos, articles, etc. about how Asians don’t get the same amount of screen time as any other race. Props to Rachel Bloom for breaking social norms.
Give the show a try and if you end up hating it, then blame me.
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Why You Should be Watching ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’: Featured image courtesy of The CW
