Crazy Ex-Girlfriend avoids sophomore slump, pushes creative boundaries
If you haven’t been watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which airs Fridays on the CW, you’re not alone. A variety of factors, from the title to the terrible timeslot, work against the show from building an audience, even when its sharp writing helps retain the few of us who do tune in. Despite the lack of viewership — or possibly in part because of it — the show has put to bed any concerns of a sophomore slump. Now in its second season, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend continues to explore thematic realms that less deft writers wouldn’t dare broach while subverting the sexist politics of TV relationships by offering a character study veiled as a standard will-they-won’t-they premise.
It’s a bit of a miracle that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was renewed for a follow-up to its outstanding first season. I’ve talked with a number of people who were turned off by the title alone, which conjures up exhausting, reductive stereotypes; these individuals are no doubt the same discerning viewers who would appreciate the show’s clever humor, eccentric tone, and strong female lead. The title sequence from season one (this season contains an entirely new opening song) serves as a microcosm of the show itself and attempts to curb concerns about the potentially problematic title.
In it, Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom, also the show’s co-creator) explains the central conceit in a short, fantastical music number while also chastising the characters who bestow the show’s sexist title upon her. Rebecca is a Harvard-educated lawyer who decides to leave her high-priced New York law firm for West Covina, California to follow Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), with whom she had a summer camp romance a decade earlier.
While this concept suggests a protagonist who lacks agency in her journey towards coupledom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend uses Rebecca’s obsession as a way to delve into more weighty topics like depression, addiction, and abortion.
The show maintains the ability to probe serious subjects chiefly through its strategic use of music. Each episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend features several musical numbers that cover a wide variety of styles. These songs serve as manifestations of desires and private celebrations, but also investigate the insecurities of the characters’ musically inclined psyches, establishing elasticity in the show’s approach to genre. For example, when Rebecca struggles with a bout of depression early in the series, she sings a song titled “Sexy French Depression.”
In the song’s video, which borrows its aesthetic from French New Wave filmmakers like Godard and Truffaut, Rebecca laments how she goes through “old AOL instant messenger conversations” and “blacks out on dessert wine;” the former line is a humorous (and let’s be honest, true-to-life) activity while the latter is a major red flag. “Sexy French Depression” allows the show to walk a fine line and demonstrates the strength of using music to explore the emotions of its characters. While the show takes an appropriately serious and accurate approach to depression within the actual narrative, the song provides a chance to infuse humor into a situation not conducive to comedy.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend repeats this strategy throughout the series, meshing serious topics with its whimsical tone. To this end, the bold, singular vision of Bloom and fellow co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna, whose previous credits include writing the screenplay for The Devil Wears Prada (Frankel, 2006), proves all the more crucial. Without it, the show would lack the unique voice that allows the viewer to put their trust in the creators, particularly when taking chances. Thus, the creative success the series has enjoyed largely lies in its presentation as a wayward, energetic offering when in reality it is extremely crafty and deliberate; nowhere is this more apparent than with Rebecca’s interest in Josh Chan.
Much of the dramatic thrust of the first season centered around whether or not Rebecca would ever confess her love for Josh, the object of her affection. However, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend uses her interest in Josh as a way to examine different facets of her character as opposed to letting the viewer live vicariously through the exciting ups and downs of a pursued relationship, which is essentially how other TV romances function. Throughout the series, the show focuses on Rebecca while she focuses on Josh. While this mostly leads to amusing situations, like an entire episode that takes place on a party bus Rebecca rents, the show’s interest lies in the consequences of her obsession.
One of the strongest arcs of the second season revolves around Rebecca’s relationship with her best friend Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin), who gradually starts to see Rebecca as a selfish and possibly toxic friend. On their surface, the wacky schemes the two undertake come across as typical sitcom fare, but even within the world of the show, these schemes do not exist in a vacuum. The more Paula talks to her husband about Rebecca, the more she becomes increasing aware of the possibility that Rebecca may simply view her as a sounding board for, and possible solution to, her weekly problems.
And herein lies the strength of the show creatively (and possibly its biggest liability in attracting viewers). The idea of a network television show focusing on the nuances of a female friendship while challenging the likability of its protagonist cannot be overstated. Rarely do TV actions result in immediate consequences, much less compounding consequences, but Crazy Ex-Girlfriend offers a refreshing take on narrative tropes. At the same time, these subtleties are a hard sell, and thus we are presented with Rebecca’s love life as a catalyst for the show’s action. Eventually, Rebecca’s pursuit of Josh will come across as tired and the show will need a new direction. That being said, this arc was always a vehicle, not a destination.
Images are not the property of Legendary Women, we do not profit from their use.
Legendary Women is hosting our third annual literary contest! Details here!
Love what you read? Want to follow us closer to get all the latest Legendary Women news? Then sign up for our monthly newsletter and also our Medium collection. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
