Schmigadoon! - General Discussion

[Harvey]

 

With just 2 episodes left, I wonder how this will go. Our protagonists will obviously get back together, and they are really emphasizing to Josh that he should work on his relationship with Melissa instead of being complacent and lazy, but he is just too dumb to get it. I guess he will finally learn it from the school marm at some point and then in the last 10 minutes of the last episode they get back together and leave, but not before participating in a big group number.

[allonsyalice]

Ok, obviously, first, Ariana Debose is a marvel and a talent!! What an icon, I love her!!! That woman is a freaking STAR.

 

I too am interested to see how this will end up. Josh and Melissa will obviously get back together, but like how? (and is it wrong I already feel bad for Hot Doc and Ariana Debose?) 

 

Oop, Kristen Chenoweth is planning a run for mayor and I am so here for it!!

 

Where does Melissa keep getting these dresses? 

[Good Queen Jane]

I'm not so sure that Josh and Melissa are the end game. I predict (with absolutely no spoiler info) that Josh decides to stay in Schmigadoon with the school marm and that Melissa and Hot Doc cross the bridge together (only to return for Season 2).

[Juneau Gal]

2 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

I'm not so sure that Josh and Melissa are the end game. I predict (with absolutely no spoiler info) that Josh decides to stay in Schmigadoon with the school marm and that Melissa and Hot Doc cross the bridge together (only to return for Season 2).

Ohhhhh, that’s good. Except I’d reverse who stays and who goes. I’d see Josh leaving with school marm and kid and Melissa staying. 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E05: Tribulation

New romances hit roadblocks as Melissa meets someone unexpected and Emma reveals a secret. Mildred seizes a chance to increase her power.

Jane Krakowski as Countess Gabriele Von Bierkom

Premiere Date: August 6, 2021

Edited July 31, 2021 by AnimeMania

[allonsyalice]

Playbill References! ( @CHIPPINGS) 

[AnimeMania]

Easter Egg found in Dr. Lopez office.

[Chippings]

Thank you, Allonsyalice!   I just came here from watching the episode, and that was exactly what I needed.

My own mini-review, there were some very nice songs there.  By the end of the final one, I was trying to sing along.  Picked up the  reference to "Call Me Madam", which was tough but satisfying.  I didn't miss the large all-town chorus numbers this time - nice pacing.  At the end, seeing the seemingly not-bad new pairings, it's puzzling to think that there are two more episodes with plot twists to come.  Can't imagine where this is going. 

Except:  we know the maxim that if you show a gun in Act 1, somebody's getting shot in Act 2.  Since they did that bit about somebody always dying in musicals early on, should we worry?  (I don't think Doc Lopez Senior would count in this trope.)  So much to think about.

 

[Girasoul]

On 7/26/2021 at 6:52 AM, allonsyalice said:

Ann Harada was also in the Cinderella revival and her Stepsister's Lament is nothing short of iconic.

My daughter's elementary school did a production of Cinderella, and I wasn't that fond of that musical, but my daughter insisted on listening to the revival soundtrack on repeat and when I heard Harada's performance Stepsister's Lament, I was just completely blown away -- she just has such mastery of the comic timing, the singing, the everything. So then I went down a rabbit hole watching her musical performances on YouTube and with Schmigadoon, as much as I love Chenoweth, Harada was the one I was most excited to see. And I thought she sang her song fabulously.

[SnarkShark]

For me, this episode is the one where they just said "the hell with it" and went completely over the top.  In a good way.  Dancing schoolchildren.  A penis and vagina song.  Old Doc Lopez's manner of death.  Every last thing with Mayor Menlove.  The lispy kid actually getting a plot.  The stereotypical cheesiness of both romantic plots.   The lack of pretending with the side by side dancing scene, where they just went for the most artificial fourth wall breaking.  So crazy, but crazy good. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by SnarkShark

[meep.meep]

Plus they threw in the Landler dance from Sound of Music for no reason at all.

So Melissa packed two dresses when she went camping?

I'm really stupid.  When they were explaining about Mrs. Dr. Lopez having died, I thought they meant that old Doc had gone out doing wild and crazy things with an old lady he wasn't married to.

[ruby24]

Is this a miniseries or an ongoing series?

The only problem I'm seeing is that I'm not getting a sense, even in the flashbacks, that Josh loves Melissa like, at all. Even from the beginning of their relationship, it seems like everything is from her side. It's making me wonder whether they really are supposed to get back together or not.

Then again, I suppose it must be leading up to his big solo/serenade to her finally expressing all his emotion that he never has before, so maybe it's all intentional.

But he was so fast to dump her and look for somebody else without much thought, and based on these flashbacks, yeah I guess that makes sense since he was never that into her anyway. He didn't even care that much when she actually slept with that bad boy dude? I don't know, I feel like if we're meant to root for them we have to see that he actually does love her, he just can't express it or something. But being so quick to dump her and not even caring when she sleeps with another guy really doesn't show that he has much feeling for her at all. Imo.

Edited August 2, 2021 by ruby24

[AnimeMania]

6 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Is this a miniseries or an ongoing series?

It is 6 episodes, I was thinking if they wanted to continue with a second season they could have another couple wander into Schmigadoon, and they could do that as many times as they like, to keep the show fresh and the possibility of "finding true love" alive. 

[Luckylyn]

On 7/30/2021 at 9:49 PM, AnimeMania said:

S01.E05: Tribulation

New romances hit roadblocks as Melissa meets someone unexpected and Emma reveals a secret. Mildred seizes a chance to increase her power.

Jane Krakowski as Countess Gabriele Von Bierkom

Premiere Date: August 6, 2021

She is so invoking the Baroness from Sound of Music 

 

[littlepaw]

9 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Is this a miniseries or an ongoing series?

The only problem I'm seeing is that I'm not getting a sense, even in the flashbacks, that Josh loves Melissa like, at all. Even from the beginning of their relationship, it seems like everything is from her side. It's making me wonder whether they really are supposed to get back together or not.

Then again, I suppose it must be leading up to his big solo/serenade to her finally expressing all his emotion that he never has before, so maybe it's all intentional.

But he was so fast to dump her and look for somebody else without much thought, and based on these flashbacks, yeah I guess that makes sense since he was never that into her anyway. He didn't even care that much when she actually slept with that bad boy dude? I don't know, I feel like if we're meant to root for them we have to see that he actually does love her, he just can't express it or something. But being so quick to dump her and not even caring when she sleeps with another guy really doesn't show that he has much feeling for her at all. Imo.

I found it especially weird that he had a casual chat with Melissa about trying to win over the schoolmarm and asked for her advice; and she seemed fairly unfazed by it, or pretended to be unfazed. 

I've thought that perhaps "finding his true love" will mean finding that he really does love singing and performing. That's very schmaltzy, but in keeping with the theme of the series, it also could mean intentionally schmaltzy. 

I watched the latest episode yesterday and woke up with "Suddenly I Love You" as an ear worm today 😄

[bosawks]

Kristin Dawn Chenoweth‘s right eye is a national treasure.

[AnimeMania]

On 7/26/2021 at 2:13 PM, Zonk said:

Three episodes in and Kristin Chenoweth hasn't had a solo yet? What are these writers and producers thinking?!

I think Kristin Chenoweth gets an amazing number in Episode 5.

Edited August 3, 2021 by AnimeMania

[brisbydog]

On 8/3/2021 at 1:23 AM, AnimeMania said:

I think Kristin Chenoweth gets an amazing number in Episode 5.

She does. And I read they wanted her to do all 8 minutes in one take. Took her three tries to nail it

[AnimeMania]

Just now, brisbydog said:

She does. And I read they wanted her to do all 8 minutes in one take. Took her three tries to nail it

In this interview she said she nailed it on the first take and did another for shits and giggles.

 

[brisbydog]

1 minute ago, AnimeMania said:

In this interview she said she nailed it on the first take and did another for shits and giggles.

 

Lol she lied in one of her interviews then. Can't wait to see it though!

[Kiddvideo]

I live in Manhattan, don’t like musicals, and actively avoid Broadway bc it’s so expensive it makes me angry to spend all that money and not enjoy myself. That admitted…I am loving this show!

I’ll watch Keegan-Michael Key in almost anything, and here he captures that ennui perfectly. I love that Josh is goal-oriented and has a methodical approach to getting out…and that it seems to be working! He only focused on the school marm because he eliminated everyone else. And the fact that’s he’s falling for her regardless of his exterior motivation is what makes it sweet.

Mel is hysterical. Paraphrasing: “I AM NOT PREGNANT. I asked a colleague to insert a copper IUD into my uterus.” The birds-and-the-bees song from a medical perspective? I thought I’d wet myself.

There’s no way I could say too many superlatives about the rest of the main cast, the chorus line, and the showstoppers. The quality of the singing and dancing is incredible. It’s a wonderful show!

Edited August 5, 2021 by Kiddvideo

[Harvey]

Oh. So he found the heart. Well, we all know where this is going.

[Fake Jan Brady]

The wait for Jane Krakowski was so worth it. Giving her an Ann Miller-esque number makes perfect sense. 

Turns out horny Bjorn/he loved servant porn...

Of course I'm a Nazi.

 

 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E06: How We Change (Season Finale)

With the election looming, Mildred relentlessly ramps up her campaign. Josh and Melissa face their true feelings for each other.

Premiere Date: August 13, 2021

And in my opinion, the breakout performance of Episode 5.

Jane Krakowski either forgot she was a Countess or forgot that she was wearing a dress!

[bosawks]

Does anybody really like a Dream Ballet?

[Luckylyn]

23 minutes ago, bosawks said:

Does anybody really like a Dream Ballet?

Most of the time I don’t like them.  I burst out laughing when she shut down the ballet before it would start.  But I found myself kinda disappointed not to see it.

[SomeTameGazelle]

22 minutes ago, bosawks said:

Does anybody really like a Dream Ballet?

I cannot say that I unequivocally like dream ballets, but I do feel that Laurey's dream in Oklahoma shows her terror of Jud very effectively. I was kind of hoping that Melissa would feel bad and let the dancer do it. 

[Fake Jan Brady]

1 hour ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

I cannot say that I unequivocally like dream ballets, but I do feel that Laurey's dream in Oklahoma shows her terror of Jud very effectively. I was kind of hoping that Melissa would feel bad and let the dancer do it. 

Maybe Melissa is the bad guy. Which is a sudden turnaround from four episodes making Josh look like the jerk.

So much plot to tie up in the next episode: Melissa and Josh's reconciliation, letting Emma and Doc down gently, finding Carson, the Mayoral election, hopefully a grace note for the Mayor and Florence, some kind of farewell to Danny, Betsy and the Countess and Josh's inevitable solo. It's going to be a packed 30 minutes.

 

[allonsyalice]

5 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Jane Krakowski either forgot she was a Countess or forgot that she was wearing a dress!

This is the most modern thing we’ve seen a Schimgadoon woman wear! (And she still has a garter on lmao) i loved this song. Jane Krakowski was 100% worth the wait. (Is the Baroness really a nazi? I just watched 1/3 of the sound of music maybe its time to rewatch lmao) 

i was not expecting Emmas secret to be that (but tbh ive been preoccupied this week) but it was a good twist. 
 

Kristin Chenoweth is a star. I knew this, but DAMN!! 
 

The hearts are back into play!

Playbill Breakdown

 

[SnarkShark]

Okay.  That was the most amazing tribute to The Music Man I've ever seen.  If I ever doubted Kristin Chenoweth...

On 8/7/2021 at 12:10 AM, allonsyalice said:

I was not expecting Emmas secret to be that (but tbh ive been preoccupied this week) but it was a good twist. 

They DID telegraph it pretty heavily earlier in the episode though.  And actually I'd at least thought about it last episode.

On 8/7/2021 at 12:10 AM, allonsyalice said:

This is the most modern thing we’ve seen a Schimgadoon woman wear!

They did definitely break into the 20th century.   Even the car did, to a lesser extent.  Totally different parts of it, but... 

Edited August 7, 2021 by SnarkShark

[MerBearStare]

29 minutes ago, allonsyalice said:

(Is the Baroness really a nazi? I just watched 1/3 of the sound of music maybe its time to rewatch lmao) 

The Sound of Music is one of the few musicals I've seen, probably (definitely) because of Captain Von Trapp. I don't think there's any indication in the movie that she actually is, but I could definitely see her and Max being apolitical/neutral about nazis, which, to quote Desmond Tutu, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."

Also, this McSweeney's post about the cancelled Von Trapp/Baroness engagement is one of the funniest things I've ever read - https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-regret-to-inform-you-that-my-wedding-to-captain-von-trapp-has-been-canceled. A sample: "But I don’t want you to be angry at him. We are all adults here. “But Baroness,” so many of my friends have said, “you must be devastated. You yourself are fabulously wealthy, so you cannot have wanted the Captain for his money—you must have truly loved him.” It’s true. But so, I am sure, does his new fiancée, his children’s nanny. Her wardrobe is made of curtains. She’s definitely not a gold digger or anything."

Edited August 7, 2021 by MerBearStare

[Harvey]

The song Melissa and the Doctor sang together was my favorite of the show yet, it was so beautiful. It's a shame it was so short.

[HerkyJerky]

"Tribulation and Miscegenation" CLASSIC!  LOL

[SomeTameGazelle]

6 hours ago, allonsyalice said:

(Is the Baroness really a nazi? I just watched 1/3 of the sound of music maybe its time to rewatch lmao) 

The Julie Andrews movie version doesn't include it, but the song "No Way To Stop It" is quite explicit that Elsa and Max feel the best course is to go along to get along. 

Quote

 

But up against a shark, what can a herring do?

Be wise, compromise.

Compromise, and be wise!

Let them think you're on their side, be noncommittal.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by SomeTameGazelle
Fixed format

[Fake Jan Brady]

3 hours ago, Harvey said:

The song Melissa and the Doctor sang together was my favorite of the show yet, it was so beautiful. It's a shame it was so short.

It was a reprise of 'Suddenly'; the longer version is at the end of episode four, sung by Doc and Emma.

[meep.meep]

So if bad boy Danny is really the father of the little lisper, that makes him Carson Bailey!

I appreciated the heck out of Chenowith's big Music Man-esque number, but half way through she really lost steam.  Krakowski was wonderful!

[Thalia]

On 7/30/2021 at 4:44 AM, Harvey said:

With just 2 episodes left, I wonder how this will go. Our protagonists will obviously get back together, and they are really emphasizing to Josh that he should work on his relationship with Melissa instead of being complacent and lazy, but he is just too dumb to get it. I guess he will finally learn it from the school marm at some point and then in the last 10 minutes of the last episode they get back together and leave, but not before participating in a big group number.

In the first four episodes, my big questions was WHY would Melissa WANT to get back together with Josh.  Lately, tho, his character has evolved.  It was good the show had her find the heart.  That was one of those things that made him seem like a dick from the start.

Oh yeah, Jane Krakowski: "of course, I'm a Nazi."  LOL   

Edited August 8, 2021 by Thalia

[Avabelle]

Even though I want Josh and Melissa to reunite I think the actors playing Josh and the teacher have much better chemistry.

[kirinan]

3 hours ago, Avabelle said:

Even though I want Josh and Melissa to reunite I think the actors playing Josh and the teacher have much better chemistry.

Agree! And this is no doubt way off base, but I had a flash of wondering if Melissa and Josh will have to end up learning to love themselves, rather than each other, to realize that they're okay apart and that lets them leave town (okay, it probably didn't help that I just watched Frozen, which reminded me that true love doesn't have to be romantic love). They found their OWN stones, not each other's, and I honestly don't see a way to put them back together in one episode, because they seem to be going out of their way to make us see how they're NOT right for each other. I can't wait to see how this all resolves.

[Fake Jan Brady]

10 hours ago, Avabelle said:

Even though I want Josh and Melissa to reunite I think the actors playing Josh and the teacher have much better chemistry.

Except I'm always thinking "wait....wasn't he her Principal  in 'The Prom'..?

[Avabelle]

Was he? Who was she in Prom… eugh.

[Good Queen Jane]

Am I a bad person that the sad look on the face of the rejected dream ballet dancer made me laugh hysterically?

[SomeTameGazelle]

4 hours ago, Avabelle said:

Was he? Who was she in Prom… eugh.

Alyssa Greene. 

[Harvey]

My oh my. This finale was really, really good. I did not expect them to tie up all the storylines so well, but they did it. I didn't actually realize the "negative sides" of Melissa, but when they explained it it made sense. And of course we all expected Josh to sing, but when it finally did happen, it was still breathtaking and his number was really adorable. And then of course it ended with a big group number, as it is always ought to.

This was a really great show I'm happy I watched it.

[all fall down]

Delightful! What a great show. 

I'm going to re-watch it all at once now. 

[Kiddvideo]

Excellent series! A terrific change from the normal summer fare of game shows and reality programming, and I'm awed by the talent it took on both sides of the camera to pull this together.

The final showstopper thudded a bit for me -- felt heavy-handed. And I'd like to know a little more about what happens to a veterinarian who practices on humans (and did his parents know?) and an arsonist fireman. 'Cause I feel those kinda sorta maybe go beyond the song's boundaries of acceptance.

[AnimeMania]

Since we didn't actually see them cross the bridge, I guess there is room for a second season.

[Citizen A]

7 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Since we didn't actually see them cross the bridge, I guess there is room for a second season.

The theme and style of the final number made me think that a second season could find them in Schmigadoon based on 70s/80s musicals.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised with the absolute sincerity of this finale.  The snark level was turned down to 1.  It’s rare to see that shift in a TV show, I think.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Citizen A

[Luckylyn]

I really loved this and got a little teary eyed at “You Make Me Wanna Sing”.

I hope we get another season but a new story.  I think this format would work well as an anthology series where each season parodies different musicals and has a new story while keeping the cast as new characters.

[Good Queen Jane]

1 hour ago, Luckylyn said:

I really loved this and got a little teary eyed at “You Make Me Wanna Sing”.

I hope we get another season but a new story.  I think this format would work well as an anthology series where each season parodies different musicals and has a new story while keeping the cast as new characters.

That's a great idea! I saw a show, The Musical of Musical (The Musical!) where the cast of four did each act in a different composer's style (Sondheim, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Webber, etc). with a different plot. It was very funny.