Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The CW embraces musical comedy in this brilliant gem.

By Emily St. James@emilyvdw Nov 20, 2018, 12:21pm EST

Emily St. James was a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. Before she joined Vox in 2014, she was the first TV editor of the A.V. Club.

Part of The 18 best TV shows airing right now

There’s no other show on TV like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the CW’s weirdo musical comedy about mental illness, falling in love, and embracing the uncertainty of life. Series star Rachel Bloom (who was previously best known for her viral videos) is a truly fearless comedic performer. And the show’s premise, about a young woman named Rebecca who ditches her high-powered job and moves across the country after a chance meeting with an old crush, offers the perfect fodder for its central concern: the utter impossibility of happiness.

That makes Crazy Ex-Girlfriend sound like a depressing show, but somehow, its mix of heavy subject matter and quirky musical numbers makes for something downright gleeful. Now in its fourth and final season, the series is finally making Rebecca confront all that has gone wrong in her life, while also putting her through the song-and-dance paces. It’s as brilliant as ever.

“At times suggesting an unholy fusion of an anything-goes musical telenovela like Glee or Cop Rock and an anti-hero drama built around a charismatic screw-up, the series is mesmerizing in part because it continues to exist and try new things despite being out there all by its lonesome.” Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture

Metacritic score: N/A (86 out of 100 for season two)

Where to watch: New episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend air Fridays on The CW at 9 pm Eastern. Previous seasons are available on Netflix.

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