You're Not Watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, But You Should Be | The Odyssey Online
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You're Not Watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, But You Should Be

The only TV show where musical theater and feminism go hand in hand

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You're Not Watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, But You Should Be
CW

From the sound of its title, you would think that The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend would be a total sucker punch of a show about women, but it is delightfully quite the opposite. Star and co-creator Rachel Bloom brings a new and unique comedy laced with feminism and stereotype smashing. For example, the leading man is Fillipino-American, instead of the typical white dude. The show also introduced a character that is bisexual, a sexuality that so often gets skipped over by writers taking their characters to gay city. As for the crazy ex-girlfriend trope, it all gets squashed in the opening titles: yes, it’s a sexist term and this situation is a lot more nuanced than that.

The show centers on Rebecca Bunch, a fast-paced New York City lawyer who is majorly stressed and depressed. After running into her summer fling from high school, Josh Chan, on the street, she remembers what it was like to be happy, and is taunted by her loss of it. It is then that Rebecca realizes she needs to reclaim her own happiness. She up and moves to West Covina, California where Josh just happens to live. There she starts a new job, finds, new friends, and chases a new life with Josh in it. But, rekindling her old fame proves not to be so easy.

Besides the sharp jokes and feminist wit, what makes the show so great is the musical numbers featured in each episode. Yes, everyone bursts into song at some point. While musical theater haters normally find this unnerving, it’s quite the opposite. The songs are funny and topical. They so obviously poke fun at stereotypes and tropes within the music industry at the same time heightening the plot. Any number you watch, you’ll be sure to know the artist or genre it was inspired by. It is these addicting musical numbers that won Rachel Bloom a Golden Globe this year.

Here are some of the top musical numbers from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which are sure to be your gateway drug into the series:

1. West Covina

This number from the pilot episode follows Rebecca's transition from NYC to Cali. Rebecca sings like a Disney princess, but West Covina is less than a kingdom.

2. The Sexy Getting Ready Song

Ladies know that getting ready to go out is like, the most un-sexy thing. Things get hairy, painful, and exhausting. Meanwhile, men only have to remember to wake up on time and put on deodorant. Yeah, that's some patriarchal bullsh*t.

3. Sex with a Stranger

Picking up a guy and bringing him home sounds pretty hot on paper, but I mean, how can we be sure this guy isn't a serial killer? It's leading danger into the place where we live. I feel safer watching women braver than i have one night stands.

4. I Give Good Parent


Making a good impression on the boyfriend's family is stressful and scary. Rebecca wrote the book on dazzling the family, and she's going to rap about it.

5. Put Yourself First


Reason #503 why being a woman is tough: people tell you to put yourself first and do what makes you happy, as long as you're still submitting to societal standards and the male gaze. "If I put myself first for him...then by definition aren't i putting myself...second?"

6. You Stupid Bitch


We've all screwed something up so bad that the only way to begin processing was by internally singing a ballad about how we ruin everything. Being dramatic is definitely a step on the way to healing.


Crazy Ex-Girlfriend airs Mondays at 8PM on The CW, or can be binged on Hulu.

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