S01.E05: Zoey’s Extraordinary Failure

[ElectricBoogaloo]

12 hours ago, ahpny said:

This show continues to be enjoyable and pleasure to watch, but it's been surprisingly adapt with it's choreography and letting the dance skills of its cast shine. The music is clearly the centerpiece, and that can be hit or miss, but the dancing's been spot on every time. I hope this show sticks around for a while.

You can thank Mandy Moore for that! She has also choreographed for So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and La La Land (among other things) if you're interested in seeing her other work.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Available on itunes/amazon:

• Should I Stay or Should I Go - John Clarence Stewart
• Fight for Your Right - Andrew Leeds
• It's Your Thing - Peter Gallagher
• Just Give Me a Reason - Andrew Leeds & Alice Lee

[RachelKM]

I was so annoyed with David.  Not only should Zoey have told David that his wife thought he might be cheating, but the mere fact that Emily invited Zoey out for an interrogation (despite not having much of a relationship) should have made it clear to David that he was failing miserably with the "No Stress Pregnancy." 

 

On 3/16/2020 at 7:14 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Available on itunes/amazon:

• Should I Stay or Should I Go - John Clarence Stewart
• Fight for Your Right - Andrew Leeds
• It's Your Thing - Peter Gallagher
• Just Give Me a Reason - Andrew Leeds & Alice Lee

I LOVE the Clash and that was a legit version.  But, um, other than the title and maybe most of the chorus, it really didn't fit.  It's from the perspective of a person being jerked around by someone sending mixed signals /straight up fucking with their feelings.  If anyone one is being push-pull, it's Simon. 

[Cthulhudrew]

On 3/9/2020 at 7:08 AM, mommalib said:

As far as Simon goes, why is he marrying her? 

Because Plot Drama.

I am just getting caught up on this show, but now I'm starting to realize why I've missed so many episodes. I genuinely forget to watch because I am constantly underwhelmed by how much of a Rom-Com By Committee this show is. A lot of standard plots, featuring all your check the box characters having quirky conversations, but not really going anywhere novel or telling any stories with substance. A shame, because I like the concept and the performers are generally solid but underutilized.

And I'm increasingly finding the musical numbers to be pretty bland, actually. I'd like to see this show do either a live episode or at least feature the actors performing live on camera (even with edits); I think it would give a much more natural, nuanced performance that would make me much more invested in things.

[aradia22]

Oh, Alice Lee got the drippy Pink song. Well, I still think Joan could easily be singing "So What" or "What About Us" in the future. Also, is anyone else bored with the So You Think You Can Dance contemporary choreography? Even if it was filmed properly, I still think I'd be over it.

"Somewhere basic and hetero. I'm in the mood for potato skins." DEAD.

I actually kind of love that Joan shielded Zoey from misogynist, nonconstructive comments from the peer review. 

Aw, poor Leif. I died when he was revealed in one of those stupid pods. The actor is not as expressive as Andrew Rannells or Michael Urie but the character has that energy. And I love him. 

Mo's morning look with the golden yellow dress was gorgeous.

Peter Gallagaher is a goddamned gift.

That last musical number came out of nowhere. I feel like they have a lot of fun with Simon's songs like that Meghan Trainor one in the other episode. I appreciated that they didn't make the moment too heavy.

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Dear Show, Zoey is not educated, trained, or equipped to be a therapist. 

I think the show has to work this out. It's not like Dead Like Me or Kevin (Probably) Saves the World where there's a goal to accomplish, whether or not the protagonist knows exactly what it is or how to go about it. It's not like Being Erica which plays around with time travel and destiny to suggest that this was how things were always supposed to have happened. Zoey's powers seem a lot more nebulous. She's given information and the universe definitely wants her to act on it (see: Satisfaction following her around) but she can still fail to use the information well and so far I like that we aren't getting plotlines like... oh, she meddled in their marriage and it was good because they needed to be honest. That feels like destiny writing. 

Anyway, basically I'm rambling to say, I think that right now Zoey thinks she needs to be a therapist and meddle. But to me, that's because she still doesn't have a great understanding of how she's supposed to use these powers. Conveying messages from her dad is great. Everything else is a bit of a mess. 

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Same goes for Simon. Jessica knows his dad died. It's not like it's a big secret. If you can't talk to your fiancée about your feelings, why are you marrying her?

Agreed. I don't think a partner can or should be all things to you. Like, other people serve different roles/purposes in your life and you should definitely reach out to professionals in certain situations. But it feels like a red flag that a huge component of Simon's emotional cheating with Zoey is his inability to be honest with his fiancee. It's one thing to recognize that his fiancee isn't a qualified grief counselor. It's another if he's fully hiding his pain from her and acting happy because he doesn't think she can respond appropriately to deeper emotions. I get not wanting to unload when you've just started dating but they're about to get married. If not now, when?

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But then Joan takes total advantage of it by giving Leif a brutally honest review and then reading it back to him, under the guise that it's from one of his peers.  Because, um, it's supposed to be peer review.  I was really liking Joan as a boss until that moment.  Considering he's under her chain of supervision, these are things she could have - and should have - said to him at any time.  But she was a coward, and now it's blown back on Zoey.  boo. 

I think it was crazy but not cowardly. You shouldn't play mind games with your employees. But if it had come from Joan, Leif would have only given it slightly more credence than when he thought it came from Zoey. It was the idea that those comments had come from his boys that got to him. The idea that they saw through him or didn't like his personality/behavior was devastating in a way that hearing that from a boss or a competitor would not be. I'm sure the gender dynamic is a part of it too.

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My problem with that is you have to be all curled up, which would get uncomfortable after a while.

That's why it was hilarious to me that they had Leif fold his lanky body in there. 

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Then Max breaking up with Autumn (at least it was over a personality incompatibility rather than him realizing he was still in love with Zoey) and Simon's song and I'm afraid they are going in for a big old messy love triangle. But, maybe they'll surprise me again.

It is almost inevitable that any show with a female protagonist, even if she starts off as single, unattractive, lovelorn, etc. will eventually feature a storyline where she is being pursued by not just one but two, or sometimes even three men at the same time. You know... like real life. 🙄

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You can thank Mandy Moore for that! She has also choreographed for So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and La La Land (among other things) if you're interested in seeing her other work.

Oh my God, no wonder I hate the choreography. I don't like any of those things. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Zoey Is Caught Off Guard by Her Brother’s Confrontation

Mo Helps Zoey Live with Failure

 

[Trini]

Aw, I like Zoey and Simon, but I'm pretty sure that's not the one she's going to end up with. (Spec not spoiler.)

Could have sworn Zoey's sister-in-law was more visibly pregnant in an earlier episode.