Ten Reasons Why You Should Be Watching ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’
By Nora Dominick ‘17/ Emertainment Monthly Co-Executive Stage Editor
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the show you and your friends need to be watching. It’s arguably the breakout hit on The CW this season and whether you are a fan of drama, comedy or even musicals, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the show for you.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend follows Rebecca Bunch, a high-power attorney in NYC who isn’t happy with her life. When she bumps into an old camp boyfriend, Josh, Rebecca decides to pick up her life and go find love in the small, quirky town of West Covina, CA. The show debuted on The CW in October 2015 and its star power has just been climbing from there. The shows star and creator Rachel Bloom took home the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards for her role as Rebecca Bunch and it was extremely well deserved. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has also already been renewed for season two by The CW.
The sitcoms freshman season has already accomplished more than most sitcoms do in several seasons. Emertainment Monthly has decided to countdown “Ten Reasons Why You Should Be Watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”
Check out the full list below!
10. It Touches Upon Real Issues
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend maybe a sitcom, but it sure knows how to make its viewers feel something. The show is not-so-secretly about mental illness and has deeply freeing moments for every character. Each character has a story and is going through something and it’s extremely refreshing to see issues of mental illness or even sexual identity represented on TV in this way. Don’t worry, you won’t be crying your eyes out every episode, there’s still room for us to joke about our insecurities as well.
9. The Guest Stars
For a show in its first season, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has managed to boast some extremely impressive guest stars. From Tovah Feldshuh’s (The Walking Dead) portrayal of Rebecca’s mother to Glee’s Amber Riley to The Office’s B.J. Novak, there is a guest star for everyone on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Who wouldn’t love watching Feldshuh singing a song entitled “Where’s the Bathroom?” Sign us up!
8. West Covina
West Covina is arguably the best small town since Gilmore Girls introduced us to Stars Hollow. West Covina houses some quirky characters, local establishments and if that is not enough it’s “just two hours from the beach, four in traffic.” West Covina adds to the humor and charm of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and you will never want to leave.
7. We’ve All Been Rebecca Bunch
Every female viewer can relate to some of the situations Rebecca has gotten herself into. From running into her ex and his current girlfriend to getting into fights with her mother, Rebecca has a little piece of all of us in her. Sure most of us haven’t packed our bags and flown across the country to stalk and old boyfriend, but we’ve all done the classic “Facebook stalk” now and again.
6. Best Friendships on TV
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend boasts some incredibly important friendships. One of the best on the show is the female friendship between Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) and Rebecca. The tag-team dynamic the two characters have continues to be one of the shows strongest points. Paula remains one of the fiercest characters on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and her loyalty to Rebecca is something all women should look for in a best friend.
5. The Hilarious Humor
The hilarious humor on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend elevates the sitcom to new and exciting heights. From one lines delivered by Rebecca, Paula and Daryl (Pete Gardner) to the very dry sense of humor from Greg (Santino Fontana) and Heather (Vella Lovell), everyone will be laughing. Bloom is a razor sharp comedic actress and it comes through in every scene Rebecca takes part in. Sometimes the best comedic moments come when Rebecca puts herself into cringe worthy situations. For example, when she runs into Josh and his beautiful girlfriend Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) and she is dressed in baggy sweater and sweatpants.
4. Character Development for Everyone
For only being in its first season, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has achieved some of the best character development on TV this season. Even Rebecca has gone through some pretty big changes herself. One of the biggest developments comes from the character Daryl, Rebecca’s boss. He was originally presented as an unhappy married man and has now turned into one of the most progressive bisexual characters on TV. His song “Getting Bi” remains one of the best this season.
3. Santino Fontana and Vincent Rodriguez III
Santino Fontana as Greg and Vincent Rodriguez III as Josh are two of the strongest actors on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Known for his work on Broadway, Fontana brings his incredible musical talent to the show. His musical numbers opposite Bloom are some of the strongest this season. Meanwhile, Rodriguez brings something new and refreshing to his role of Josh. Although he isn’t the brightest on the show, Rodriguez never presents Josh as being utterly dumb, he has his quirks and is simply lovable. One of the things Fontana and Rodriguez have in common are that they are both the main love interests for Bloom’s Rebecca. Each pairing has a fan following and every week it is interesting to see which way Crazy Ex-Girlfriend seems to be swinging.
2. The Original Music
From a flawless homage to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire to a Les Miserables parody, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s musical numbers are the highlight of each episode. Even if musicals aren’t your thing, the show throws every type of music at you. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has rapping, a tribute to The Music Man, some Disney music, a killer boy band number and even some Bollywood. There’s something for everyone. The original songs will be stuck in your head for weeks and feature some of the most clever lyrics ever. From the “Sexy Getting Ready Song” to “Settle for Me” to “I’m the Villain in My Own Story,” Crazy Ex-Girlfriend does it all.
1. The Star Power of Rachel Bloom
Rachel Bloom is the heart, soul, sweat and tears of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Mostly known for her work on YouTube, Bloom brings her razor sharp comedy to Rebecca’s character. She is a throwback to classic screwball comedic actresses like Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. Her spitfire dialogue coupled with her incredible singing voice makes her the perfect main character. Bloom has exceed expectations and you will want to remember her name because she is only growing from here.