May 6, 2016

In which unladylike language is necessary to the plot

Sometimes it’s just not possible to blog without using words my mother doesn’t approve of. Sorry, Mum.

First, if you’re in the US and have iTunes, the entire first season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is currently available for free HD download. It’s my favourite of the new TV shows I’ve watched this year. On the one hand, I don’t watch a lot of TV; on the other hand it’s really good. For people not watching, and my understanding is that this is just about everybody, this is a sitcom set in West Covina, a suburb of Los Angeles that is probably quite a bit like Croydon. The titular Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is Rebecca Bunch, a lawyer who has never quite got over her high school sweetheart, and is in denial about the fact she’s moved to California to be near him.

Now that doesn’t sound terribly promising, but the show brings in a range of complex, well-realised characters, and explores a great deal more than its ostensible premise. Bunch is played by Rachel Bloom, who got a Hugo nomination in 2011 for her YouTube Video “Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury”, written for Bradbury’s 90th birthday. She’s well supported by the rest of the cast too.

This is supposedly Bradbury’s reaction shot when he saw the video

The show would be fine without the musical comedy element, but in fact each episode breaks into song at least twice. The songs arise from the plot, reflect the emotional state of the characters, and are hilarious. They’re written in a wide range of popular music styles. Here’s a relatively spoiler-free example from an early episode:

A perceptive review that I can’t find now says “Bloom’s talent is to write songs that reflect the messy emotions people actually have, rather than the tidy ones they normally have in songs.” Bloom won the Golden Globe for this, and it’s been renewed for a second season. But the first season is very tidily complete. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the first episode (it took about three), and there’s a patch about 2/3 of the way through the season where I think they slightly broke the balance of drama and comedy. But overall I loved it and I’m thrilled it’s coming back.

Second, my pal Abi Brown wrote about the sexual fantasy of being thin over at fuck.com. I have lots to say about fat, and things of that kind. But meanwhile, this is a jolly good starting point; thinness is a collective fantasy. Meanwhile, I am amazed that a general writing blog has such an awesome domain name; how did it not cost a bazillion quid?

Third, nothing rude here, but my daughter pointed out this clearly-intended to go viral video ad featuring Gwyneth Paltrow. Watch the video, and then read the top YouTube comment, which may be my favourite comment ever on YouTube. I think we should be told.