VINCENT Rodriguez III and Rachel Bloom play reacquainted exes.
Singer-actress Rachel Bloom plays Rebecca Bunch, the titular New Yorker and lawyer in “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” who impulsively chases after an old flame living in California—often breaking into song as she muses about her new life and predicaments!
The award-winning series is a comedy-musical about Rebecca’s silent pursuit of Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III), an easygoing old lover who is currently dating an “unattainable” yoga instructor, Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz).
Each episode has original songs that illustrate her or other characters’ feelings. Rebecca’s mental state is questioned in the opening scene by cartoon figures (“She’s so broken inside!”)—who also wonder about her drastic reboot.
The show’s pilot episode was directed by Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer”). It features nutty new songs, covering a variety of music genres per episode. It’s less “Glee” and more “Flight of the Conchords” and “Garfunkel and Oates.” That diversity of styles keeps it from being predictable and stale.
Valencia has a trippy, Bollywood-channeling number; Josh bounces around in a boy band-esque music video; Rebecca’s boss Darryl (Pete Gardner) has a country-tinged ditty about his love for his daughter, with a hilarious disclaimer that it isn’t in a “weird” way.
Multitalented Bloom gets to sing, dance and even rap—in a number for the much-praised Thanksgiving episode, where Rebecca spends the holiday with Josh’s Filipino family.
In the episode, she accepts the invitation, despite Josh and Valencia being there. “Would I like to be surrounded by the unconditional love of a hundred Filipinos? Of course, I would,” she tells herself.
She cooks dinuguan for the family, learns some Filipino greetings, and eats arroz caldo, pork adobo and pan de sal—all to impress Josh, who still strengthens his bond with Valencia by the episode’s end.
Santino Fontana (as Rebecca’s hopeful suitor Greg), Donna Lynne Champlin (as Paula, Rebecca’s new best friend), and Tovah Feldshuh (as the main character’s demanding mother) are the other gifted standouts.
Bloom recently won a well-deserved Golden Globe award for best actress in a TV comedy or musical.
Filipino singer-actress Lea Salonga is scheduled to appear in the show’s season finale. The series rightfully gets the attention it deserves, and will hopefully sustain viewers’ interest with tighter episodes and quirkier performances!
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” airs Wednesdays, at 5:20 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Star World. New episodes will air next month.