S02.E01: A New Season aka Suck It Cancellation Bear / S02.E02: World’s Best Kiss

[SteveAC10]

 

I get the feeling that that is what the original poster who thought the network "chickened out" by having a woman do the song was trying to say.

But the soundtrack that accompanied the heyday of the gay bar was comprised of fierce women singing what became anthems (Donna Summer, The Weather Girls, Martha Wash, Cher, Lisa Stansfield, Whitney etc) so I don't think it was a cop out at all.

Edited January 5, 2016 by SteveAC10

[legaleagle53]

But the soundtrack that accompanied the heyday of the gay bar was comprised of fierce women singing what became anthems (Donna Summer, The Weather Girls, Martha Wash, Cher, Lisa Stansfield, Whitney etc) so I don't think it was a cop out at all.

 

True, but if you really want to be authentic, you won't have actual women singing those anthems in a gay bar in 2016.  You'll have drag queens or male-to-female transgenders lip-synching to recordings of those anthems.  Bette Midler may have gotten her start singing in a gay bathhouse, but she would have been the exception, not the rule, and today, it would seem inorganic for her to be singing there.  That, I think, is what Rick Kitchens was saying.

[ganesh]

Regardless, that was the best song I've ever heard on television. 

[Trini]

I don't disagree with your theory, and I don't think that many of us here would (especially the Isabella & Galabella fans) but I'm not sure that a miscommunication was the right direction in which to go to "break up" Galabella.  I think the main objection I have is that I don't think it was all that creative of way to break them up and it was played far too straight to come off as funny.  To me, the idea that she "doesn't need a man" is an even worse feminist storytelling trope to fall into than them merely being physically separated in a world where communication is done by carrier pigeon and/or whatever is the medieval version of the Pony Express. 

That was really, IMO, the only misfire in what was a very strong premiere.

 

I'm also unsure about why they felt they needed to break them up. They are already separated, each in a different kingdom, each with circumstances that would prevent them from getting back together quickly. We'll see how things play out in the coming weeks, but as of now they would need to meet up and then fall in love again.

[HighQueenEB]

I'm also unsure about why they felt they needed to break them up. They are already separated, each in a different kingdom, each with circumstances that would prevent them from getting back together quickly. We'll see how things play out in the coming weeks, but as of now they would need to meet up and then fall in love again.

Exactly! It's going to take Galavant the same amount of time to get to Hortensia regardless of their relationship status in Isabella's mind.  And,

the episode summaries for next week indicate that Isabella falls under the spell of an enchanted tiara courtesy of an evil wedding planner and is in full wedding planning mode,

so I really fail to understand the necessity of this particular storytelling choice.  She's going to face plenty of other challenges already this season without being so completely destroyed emotionally.  Again, I just think, when I start thinking this through a logical progression, that the "bad connection" trope leading into an "I am woman, hear me roar! I don't need a man!" storytelling trope, is really quite trite. And, from what I can see on Twitter so far, while everyone agrees that Karen David killed it in the reprise of "World's Best Kiss", there has been some criticism of the "this is supposed to be a comedy, I'm not supposed to cry like that!" variety.  Yes, it had heart, but it wasn't funny.  Just my opinion.

 

[jhlipton]

Seriously you have to be stupid if you think someone you love would encourage you to marry your cousin LOL.

Yep. And surrender yourself to marrying your cousin because you thought he said so.

 

 

I would be totally psyched to have a unicorn follow me around, I can't believe Richard wasn't.

He loved the unicorn -- he hated what having it follow him meant... He's totally been with a woman, ya know!!!

 

 

So they need a miscommunication so Isabella can escape, their storylines can cross, and Galavant still has someone to pursue.

To me, the idea that she "doesn't need a man" is an even worse feminist storytelling trope to fall into than them merely being physically separated in a world where communication is done by carrier pigeon and/or whatever is the medieval version of the Pony Express.

The implication to me was that she does need a man -- she needed the Chef and the Jester to escape, and if she couldn't have Galavant, she might as well marry her cousin. I would definitely prefer her Season 1 personality where she didn't need a man.

[HighQueenEB]

The implication to me was that she does need a man -- she needed the Chef and the Jester to escape, and if she couldn't have Galavant, she might as well marry her cousin. I would definitely prefer her Season 1 personality where she didn't need a man.

I see what you're saying, and I agree from a 21st century point of view.  I will cut the writers a little bit of slack in this respect since the show is set in the 13th century medieval Europe, where women were treated as property and royal princess & noblewomen were married off for political alliances with no real say, at least not for their first marriages. Even in medieval Castile, where women were allowed to succeed to the throne, those queens' husbands were given the title of King and ruled in conjunction with their wives. Women like Eleanor of Aquitaine were the exception to the rule in that era. So, I can dismiss the implication that she does need a man in that context. 

Having said that, I do agree, Season 1 Isabella was a far stronger character.

[DkNNy79]

Just wanted to stop by and say how happy I am that this show is back. 

 

Love Galavant and Isabella and Gareth and Maddalena.  Curious to where the kingdom is and why they moved.

[DeLurker]

Earworm indeed -- I still have the original Galavant song running through my head.  The only problem is that the only word I know is "Galavant", so...  "da da da da da da da, Galavant!" over and over.  However, instead of the original scenery, I now picture Galavant shirtless. 

My 15 yo daughter and I randomly sing "We're off on a secret mission"...after re-watching s1, we can't decide what our favorite song is though.

 

We're ridiculously happy the show is back...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Curious to where the kingdom is and why they moved.

Maybe they're going to do some kind of Brigadoon-ish thing?

[cardigirl]

Jean Hamm!

 

ABC chickened out by having the singer in The Enchanted Forest a woman.

 

Love the Game of Thrones references.

 

"Oddly musty..."

 

That changing of the guard was really complicated.

 

Vinnie Jones is having SO much fun.

 

Richard called his sword "Mister Stabby".  That's what Buffy called the stakes she used to take out vampires.

 

Love the twists.  Richard with the sword, the castle having gone missing...

 

 

From what I know through gay friends, Kylie Minogue is quite a gay musical icon--up there with Bette Midler--thus her line in the song about being the "queen of queens". She was a phenomenal choice given the scenario. She is also dating Joshua Sasse, lucky bitch, so I'm sure the two of them enjoyed that number on a distinctly personal level!

Also, Buffy called her stake "mr. pointy."

It was Kendra, I believe, that named/created the stake and then gave it to Buffy.  :D   

 

Love this show and I am glad it's back.  Hope they don't keep people apart for too long.  Off with His Shirt was a great number and Kylie did it justice!  So glad it got another season...

Edited January 5, 2016 by cardigirl

[FurryFury]

Oh hells, that was SO MUCH FUN! The opening number is just priceless, and overall I've enjoyed the show more than last season, I think. The Enchanted Forest pub was probably the only moment I think wasn't done as well as it could have - seeing the title and hearing about the Evil Queen I was all but prepared to see a riff on Once Upon A Time (goodness knows that show needs all the mocking, and more), but sadly it was just a gay bar (why was the queen a woman, though? Weird).

 

So, Magdalena is planning to conquer the seven kingdoms? (ha!) That's awesome. I hope she succeeds. And I'm actually interested in her relationship with Gareth, it's an interesting dynamic. But the castle disappearing, that was absolutely unexpected, I don't even know what it could be connected to.

 

I hope Isabella won't be sulking for long and will get something more interesting to do than pine for Galavant.

[Noirprncess]

The first two episodes of this season did not disappoint.  I laughed hard and out loud more than a few times.  DH even watched and cracked up laughing.

 

I cried at the Enchanted Forest and Uncle never coming out.

[DarkRaichu]

I actually like the catchy Galavant song from s1.  I think the writers were just getting lazy and did not want to think of new creative ways to fit new words to that melody :(

 

I like the rest of the episodes

[SmithW6079]

it was just a gay bar (why was the queen a woman, though? Weird).

Because gay men worship pop divas: Bette Midler, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer, etc., etc.

[Eolivet]

Count me in with those who did not like the separation trope at all -- and it sort of rubbed me the wrong way that Isabella would go from the "It was an awful kiss" to "Of course that's why he wants to break up with me!" I get there's a certain amount of contrivance in shows like this, but I guess I didn't like it because Isabella's immediate reaction was sadness (which made her seem pathetic) rather than anger (which at least would've made her seem like she had some sort of backbone). What happened to "I'm a feminist, so I don't quite need him?" (great line!)

 

Minor complaint in a mostly great episode, but I finally figured out exactly why it bothered me. Isabella spent all of last season not taking crap from anyone, and now she not only takes it, but believes it, from Galavant? Yeah, yeah -- the kiss was bad, and she's depressed being locked up as a prisoner, but still...I mean, classic musicals are filled with women who put on a smile (or a frown) in the face of romantic heartbreak. Why should Isabella be any different?

[jhlipton]

I see what you're saying, and I agree from a 21st century point of view.  I will cut the writers a little bit of slack in this respect since the show is set in the 13th century medieval Europe

13th century Europe is the back-drop, but everything else is 21st century. Isabella is the only character stuck in Medieval Times (I just had an idea for a theme restaurant!!!).

[legaleagle53]

Because gay men worship pop divas: Bette Midler, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer, etc., etc.

 

Who are impersonated by lip-synching drag queens in every gay bar I've ever been in -- NEVER by actual women.  That's the whole point of the question.  Having an actual woman in the role seems inorganic by the standards of gay culture, even if Kylie herself is a gay icon.

[formerlyfreedom]

Let's move along, and agree to disagree.

[Noirprncess]

But the castle disappearing, that was absolutely unexpected, I don't even know what it could be connected to.

Actually, the first thing I thought of was the gag in Men in Tights: Robinhood where the castle/house was repossessed.

[Johnny Dollar]

I wonder if ABC brought this show back because it does well in other markets, like the UK? Or if Menken told Disney he'd take his next projects to Universal if they did not give the show a minimum number of episodes. Regardless, good for us. I'd love to see the same troupe take on other eras in history in future seasons.

[legaleagle53]

I wonder if ABC brought this show back because it does well in other markets, like the UK? Or if Menken told Disney he'd take his next projects to Universal if they did not give the show a minimum number of episodes. Regardless, good for us. I'd love to see the same troupe take on other eras in history in future seasons.

 

Not in the UK.  The UK hasn't even picked it up yet, which is one of the reasons that the show went Brit-heavy in the casting, especially regarding the guest stars.

[Mabinogia]

I'd love to see the same troupe take on other eras in history in future seasons.

 

 

Like Blackadder! OMG I would love that. Galavant is always a Galavant, descendant if you will of our Galavant, and everyone else are the people he deals with. Or an alternate-universe Galavant where he actually does rescue Madelena. OMG could you imagine? Maybe she would try to get him to take over the throne from Richard. Maybe Gal becomes a reluctant badguy for a bit while Richard is the hero trying to reclaim his throne with Izzy and Gareth by his side. lol Of course in the end Gal would free himself from Madelena and become the hero he was meant to be.

 

I just have a feeling that no matter what they do this season or, should the Cancellation Bear be thwarted again, next, I'm going to love it because this is one of those shows where everyone involved is having such fun doing what they are doing that it doesn't quite matter what they are doing, I just enjoy watching them do it.

[Jobiska]

I had to pause the DVR to laugh at the paper fortune teller, and then I realized my husband (went to same school from elementary on) was not laughing.  He says he never played with those...guess our recess activities were much more gender-segregated than I realized!

[blackwing]

So I'm curious, are Lance, Bruce, and Curt considered to be stereotypical gay names?  Or did they just pick names that are shared by well known gay celebs Lance Bass and the former Bruce Jenner?  Is there a Curt?  Or did they just use Curt because it rhymes with shirt?

[Anakerie]

Oh, show, how I've missed you! I've had "Off With His Shirt" stuck in my head for days now. What I loved most is that they managed to find that thin line between mocking gay club culture and celebrating it. They pulled it off (literally...) I really need more unicorn, though. And Gareth. I can never get enough of Gareth. 

[pigs-in-space]

So I'm curious, are Lance, Bruce, and Curt considered to be stereotypical gay names?  Or did they just pick names that are shared by well known gay celebs Lance Bass and the former Bruce Jenner?  Is there a Curt?  Or did they just use Curt because it rhymes with shirt?

 

The only one I can think of is the character of Kurt on Glee.

[Noirprncess]

I had to pause the DVR to laugh at the paper fortune teller, and then I realized my husband (went to same school from elementary on) was not laughing.  He says he never played with those...guess our recess activities were much more gender-segregated than I realized!

LOL... My DH laughed but I have too ask if he remembers those. We used to make them all the time. Our version of Twitter, FB and texting all in one.

[wayne67]

Does anyone know who is the actor playing Destiny? It's been bugging me for days and IMDB is proving useless. 

 

Otherwise it was an entertaining episodes even though there were a few uneven bits but who cares I missed this show's wacky musical humor. 

[Trini]

Will we see the Pirates again? I just realized they are back to being the Lords of Not the Actual Sea.

[Rick Kitchen]

imdb only shows Hugh Bonneville as being in the first episode of the season.  Of course, that may not be right.

[HighQueenEB]

Will we see the Pirates again? I just realized they are back to being the Lords of Not the Actual Sea.

Pretty sure, based on the Twitter accounts of a couple of the pirates as well as the main cast & crew, that they were only in the 1st episode this season. 

[Morrigan2575]

Actually, the first thing I thought of was the gag in Men in Tights: Robinhood where the castle/house was repossessed.

That's exactly what I thought as well...well not that the castle was repossessed but that someone just carted it away like in Men in Tights

[Zanne]

That's exactly what I thought as well...well not that the castle was repossessed but that someone just carted it away like in Men in Tights

 

I thought Madelena and Gareth had tossed it out the window brick by brick, though I suppose that would have just left a heaping pile of stones for Richard and Galavant to crawl over.

[TheRabbi]

I've probably seen that opening number 50 times now in the last 2 months, and I'm still finding new great things. I just saw how the jester turns his little dummy's head back and forth to check out the 'globes made out of gold' and it's such a perfect little touch. I love seeing how into it every actor is.

I also just love how the original theme song is casually hummed by everyday folks in the world. Great stuff

[HoodlumSheep]

Finally watched these episodes! They were...luke warm for me actually. There were some laughs, but i don't know.

The opening number was my favorite song of the two episodes.

I hope that unicorn returns. Loved how King Richard just wanted to reunite with his BFF Gareth and felt bad for him when he learned Gareth has become king.

Loved them poking fun at continuity errors. Poor chef had to wait all night for that amulet.

Did King Richard get...dumber than he usually is? I felt like he was dumber than usual, which I didn't care for. Like, less naive-seeming and some IQ points missing. That was kind of bugging me. And he was extremely peppy for a dethroned king.

I don't know, it kind of bugged me.

Anyways, I hope we see that unicorn again because it was adorable.

Speaking of making fun of continuity errors...anyone else catch that in one episode she's eating the poor peasants' chicken and in the next she sang a line about being a vegetarian? Was that intentional?

[HighQueenEB]

Finally watched these episodes! They were...luke warm for me actually. There were some laughs, but i don't know.

The opening number was my favorite song of the two episodes.

I hope that unicorn returns. Loved how King Richard just wanted to reunite with his BFF Gareth and felt bad for him when he learned Gareth has become king.

Loved them poking fun at continuity errors. Poor chef had to wait all night for that amulet.

Did King Richard get...dumber than he usually is? I felt like he was dumber than usual, which I didn't care for. Like, less naive-seeming and some IQ points missing. That was kind of bugging me. And he was extremely peppy for a dethroned king.

I don't know, it kind of bugged me.

Anyways, I hope we see that unicorn again because it was adorable.

Speaking of making fun of continuity errors...anyone else catch that in one episode she's eating the poor peasants' chicken and in the next she sang a line about being a vegetarian? Was that intentional?

I dunno about Richard being dimmer.  This is the same guy who didn't realize that his Queen and Jester were having an affair until the Eunuch pointed it out last season.  He's always been darn naive, IMO.  As far as his general attitude, he didn't even know, until the end of the two episodes, that his castle has disappeared, so I'm not sure he had any reason to believe, once he returned to his own kingdom, that he was well-and-truly deposed.

Ha! I didn't catch that particular continuity error from Madalena.  I did, however, wonder about how Richard would be able to provide Galavant with his whole army to save Isabella when he and his army invaded Valencia prior to the start of Season 1, so, by my reckoning, his army should still be down in Valencia.  Hmmmm...  Maybe there was an recurring, undercurrent of poking fun at continuity errors that they were making. 

We could ask Kat Likkel on Twitter.  She's usually very good at admitting if it was just an "oops" on production's part or if it was deliberate.  In fact, I asked her about the Amulet of Valencia and how it went from Gareth's mum to Isabella (the necklace Gareth's mum wears in her portrait is almost exactly like Isabella's amulet) and she said it was just a crazy coincidence.

[betsyboo]

Does anyone know who is the actor playing Destiny? It's been bugging me for days and IMDB is proving useless. 

 

Otherwise it was an entertaining episodes even though there were a few uneven bits but who cares I missed this show's wacky musical humor. 

Sadly, the ABC corporate site doesn't list him:

 

“A New Season… aka Suck It Cancellation Bear” was written by Dan Fogelman and directed by John Fortenberry. Guest stars are Ben Presley as Jester, Darren Evans as Chef, Stanley Townsend as King of Valencia, Genevieve Allenbury as Queen of Valencia, John Stamos as Jean Hamm, Hugh Boneville as Pirate King, Sophie McShera as Gwynne, Simon Williams as Uncle Keith, Kemaal Deen-Ellis as Prince Harry, Daniel Hoffman-Gill as Pirate Jack, Kylie Minogue as The Queen, Adam Loxley as Pirate Sam, Jonny Emmett as Valencian Guard, Paul Casar as Enchanted Forest Bar Patron, Simon Meacock as Farmer Pete, Brendon Berg as Farmer, Ewen Macintosh as Bear and Martin Collins as Pirate Carl.

 

[paramitch]

Our show is back! The silliest stupidest most wonderful tuneful show ever! Sigh. "Galavant" makes me so happy. (And gave me a much-needed respite after the first 8 hours of "Making a Murderer," holy cats, the depression--!)

 

Galavant is one of the few miracles of network TV left. I mean logically this show shouldn't be anywhere near broadcast TV... but it is. I mean I'd had hopes it might be right for the new Netflix model... but somehow that didn't even turn out to be necessary.

 

It is a miracle. I couldn't believe it was brought back. And the fact that the opening number acknowledged that just made it genius.

 

I am not sure how this show ever got greenlit in the first place or how it ever got renewed but I AM SO GLAD IT DID IT BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY.

 

ME TOO! I try to explain the show to friends and describe it as "Princess Bride" with songs. Who couldn't love that??

 

The unicorn gag was my favorite part. It kept happening over and over again and made me laugh my ass off each time.

 

Timothy Omundson is this show's MVP. He's consistently brilliant with the physical humor, he can sing, he's wonderful to look at, and he constantly invests Richard with this surprising vulnerability and sweetness.

 

Also, I could watch him journeying with Galavant -- asking "Does walking give you cancer? Because my feet feel like they have cancer." or screaming, "SOOOOO BOOOOORED" then falling flat in that meadow on replay for hours on end. So, so funny.

 

I would be totally psyched to have a unicorn follow me around, I can't believe Richard wasn't.

 

But that was what made it art! Richard LOVED the unicorn. He was adorable with it. He just hated what it revealed about him. 

 

I really like how they made Richard one of the good guys this season. I hated rooting for him last season because he was so mean to everyone, but I just love Timothy and couldn't help it. The unicorn bit had me rolling- I hope he gets a love interest soon and gets his freak on.

 

(I let out an awwwww. Poor guy. Now I just want him to find the right woman -- or guy? (Gareth?) -- and be happy.)

 

You have to love a show set in a vaguely medieval world and can still work in a disco number, cell phone reception jokes, and somehow still include a unicorn.

 

Suck it cancellation bear! 

 

The show's title gave me the first laugh of the season. You just know TVbythenumbers was laughing hysterically somewhere. Loved it.

 

I've probably seen that opening number 50 times now in the last 2 months, and I'm still finding new great things. I just saw how the jester turns his little dummy's head back and forth to check out the 'globes made out of gold' and it's such a perfect little touch. I love seeing how into it every actor is.

I also just love how the original theme song is casually hummed by everyday folks in the world. Great stuff

 

My favorite moment was the guy humming it who is skewered just outside the palace as we zoom right past him.

 

Speaking of making fun of continuity errors...anyone else catch that in one episode she's eating the poor peasants' chicken and in the next she sang a line about being a vegetarian? Was that intentional?

 

I didn't think this was a mistake so much as a casual nod to the fact that Madalena is simply a jerk interested into constant fads. Not that there's anything wrong with being vegan (which is what she actually says) -- we've seen her chow down at various times in the show so I just took it as her being flighty and inconsistent, especially when we saw her blatantly gnawing that chicken in the previous scene. I thought it was subversively even funnier for that reason. She's absolutely not vegan, she's just being deliberately difficult.

[ABay]

This is very shallow but I never noticed before these episodes is that TO is not as tall as I thought. It's not like he's bordering on being a little person, but on Psych he was significantly taller than everyone else and here he...isn't. Or else everyone else on Galavant is very tall.

[legaleagle53]

I didn't think this was a mistake so much as a casual nod to the fact that Madalena is simply a jerk interested into constant fads. Not that there's anything wrong with being vegan (which is what she actually says) -- we've seen her chow down at various times in the show so I just took it as her being flighty and inconsistent, especially when we saw her blatantly gnawing that chicken in the previous scene. I thought it was subversively even funnier for that reason. She's absolutely not vegan, she's just being deliberately difficult.

Exactly. Just as the rest of that number pointed out, she and Gareth were polar opposites in terms of their likes and dislikes and thus couldn't agree on anything. It was a case of "If Gareth says 'Black,' Madalena says 'White.' If Gareth then says 'White,' she says, 'Black, dammit!'"

[MrWhyt]

I actually like the catchy Galavant song from s1. I think the writers were just getting lazy and did not want to think of new creative ways to fit new words to that melody :(

Cause writing a whole new song is easier?

Not in the UK. The UK hasn't even picked it up yet, which is one of the reasons that the show went Brit-heavy in the casting, especially regarding the guest stars.

they also shoot in the UK, so its easier and cheaper to get Brit actors than to fly them in from the US. Edited January 10, 2016 by MrWhyt

[DarkRaichu]

Cause writing a whole new song is easier?

I thought coming up with melody AND new arrangement IN ADDITION to coming up with the lyrics would be harder.  What do I know, I am not a writer or composer

[ashleylm]

It is generally more effort to write a whole new song (melody and lyrics) than to come up with new lyrics for an existing melody, but not necessarily harder: with a new song you can tweak the melody if the words don't quite fit, but with an existing melody you don't have that luxury. 

 

I'm fairly certain that they're reacting to the crowd who felt the original song was overused (many thought it overused in the pilot itself, complaining "there was only one song!"), and accusations of laziness would be more likely thrown at re-using the same song (with different lyrics) than at an new song.

[Ravenya003]

On 05/01/2016 at 6:21 AM, Spartan Girl said:

 

If ABC never does a Once Upon A Time crossover, can they at least Karen David as Princess Jasmine (whenever they actually get around to freaking doing Aladdin)?  Because she would be PERFECT in that part!

 

I'm browsing this forum nearly nine months later and it appears that Once Upon a Time HAS cast Karen David as Princess Jasmine. Pity I quit over two seasons ago, but she was born to play a live-action Jasmine.