Meet Rebecca: Thoughts on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 4, with spoilers

Courtesy of Amazon

I have been a fan of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend since the very first episode. While I'm sad that it will no longer be around, I'm also glad I was prepared for the finality well in advance. Rachel Bloom is destined for even more greatness and I am excited to see what she'll do next. What I loved about this show was the homage paid to musical theater, the honest and sensitive addressing of mental illness, the Jewish references, the secondary characters, the quirkiness and humor, and the meta moments, amongst other things. It was just such a great series and I hope you will give it a chance if you haven't seen it yet. It's available on Netflix and worth binge watching. However, if you're new to this series (or haven't watched this season yet), don't read any further for now, as there will be some spoilers ahead. (This post will still be here when you're done with the entire series.)

See my previous reviews of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend:
Season one
Season two
Season three

Some thoughts on season four before I share my top 10 favorite songs....

*I loved the theme song. It had a catchy sitcom tune to it and some funny lines delivered by the wrong Rebecca. (Spoiler, this will be on my favorite songs list.)

*While Skylar Astin is attractive and a good actor and singer, I did not think he should have played Greg 2.0. I would have been fine with him being a new love interest for Rebecca instead. I know she had unfinished business with Greg, but such is life. I just never felt the same connection to his character as I did when Santino Fontana was Greg. The new version of Greg just made me miss Santino so much more. I tried. I really, really, REALLY tried. But it never stuck!

*I love that some secondary characters were given more of a story line this season. One of my favorite episodes is when Nathaniel dreams about being in a rom com. Maya has a big role in this episode too, and it made me ship them. I also liked that more secondary characters got their own songs.

*I don't necessarily agree with Rebecca trying to possibly start things up again with Josh. They're much better as friends and roommates.

*While I was a bit lukewarm on the finale (there should have been more songs), I like where they ultimately took the story. It was so meta!

*I guess I was surprised that Rebecca can't sing, even though she sounds great in her head. It makes me think of myself in some ways. (I sound good to myself when I'm randomly singing stuff, but if I listen to a recording of my singing, I cringe and wonder if other people think I sound that bad.)

*One of my other favorite episodes is about Rebecca not taking care of herself mentally and Paula not taking care of herself physically. It leads to a scary diagnosis for Paula, but thankfully it is resolved. I even was given signs to look out for, so that's a plus!

*I like that Darryl has a new significant other and how their daughters "Parent Trapped" them initially.

*I like the addition of AJ this season. I originally saw the actor in Love, Simon.

*One of the funniest things was when Rebecca was looking for Audra and some girls were complaining about a woman yelling "Sheket Bevakasha". Rebecca knew it was Audra right away, but who even yells that at people unless they're a Hebrew school teacher? I'm Jewish and I don't even say that to my kids.

*I just really want a soft pretzel right now. Perhaps Rebetzel's needs to be a real thing!

Now for my favorite songs of season four:
1. "Meet Rebecca!" (The theme song I was mentioning earlier.)
2. "Don't Be a Lawyer" (Funny song in the style of Bobby Brown's "Every Little Step." I also like that Jim got his own song.)
3. "Our Twisted Fate" (Very clever, with animation and a Simon and Garfunkel feel.)
4. "I Want To Be a Child Star" (I saw Luca Padovan on YOU this past year and had no idea at the time that he could sing so well. Apparently I missed the memo about him being on Broadway. This kid is going places and I hope he will be on more shows that can portray his talent in this way.)
5. "The Group Mind Has Decided You're in Love" (A quirky Oklahoma number about shipping people.)
6. "What U Missed While U Were Popular" (George makes a good point and also makes it cool to be a nerd.)
7. "Gratuitous Karaoke Moment" (From the rom com episode featuring Nathaniel and Maya. Cute song that would totally fit into a rom com.)
8. "Love's Not a Game" (Fun Guys and Dolls song. It was nice to see WhiJo take the lead on a song.)
9. "There's No Bathroom" (I know this is super short, but it's a parody of one of my favorite season one songs, sung by Weird Al! The best is at the end when he says "Don't poop in my balloon" and he has this funny expression on his face.)
10. "Anti-Depressants Are So Not a Big Deal" (Reminiscent of La La Land and even featured the actress from the beginning of the movie. Discusses the stigma around antidepressants.)

Thanks again to Rachel Bloom for such an awesome and unforgettable series that I'll still be thinking about for years to come!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on season four! 

You do/you don't wanna be crazy: Thoughts on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend season 3 (with spoilers)

Season three of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has come and gone, along with a new theme song. This one is not as upbeat as the previous two, but it definitely gets stuck in my head a lot. In season three, not only is Rebecca going through a lot of changes, but her friends are too. There are some interesting twists and turns that I did not see coming this season. I like how they took some bold initiatives in talking about mental illness. There were also guest appearances by Josh Groban, Rory O'Malley (from Hamilton), Lyndon Smith (90210, Parenthood), and David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp/Ten Years Later).

I will be posting my favorite episodes and songs, so this will include spoilers. If you haven't watched this season (or the series), start at the beginning and then come back here when you're done. It's on Netflix and worth binge-watching. Enjoy the theme song, in the meantime...

Season 1 thoughts
Season 2 thoughts




Top 5 favorite episodes:
Episode 3: Josh is a Liar (I like how Rebecca goes out of her way to cover her own butt, even if it means discrediting Josh.)
Episode 5: I Never Want to See Josh Again (Naomi is back! And so is Audra Levine. I can't say I liked the ending, but it felt raw and honest.)
Episode 6: Josh is Irrelevant (a great follow-up to episode 5 and it reveals a lot about Rebecca and her friends).
Episode 11: Nathaniel and I are Just Friends (The time jump was so clever to move the story along. And it wasn't even that huge of one. I loved the Rent references. And it was nice to learn something new about Paula.)
Episode 12: Trent?! (As annoying as Trent is, it was a funny and entertaining episode overall. I also liked learning more about Valencia this time around.)


Top 10 favorite songs (links are to videos):
Let's Generalize About Men (If you like the 80's, you'll love this song. It's very fitting to what is going on in the world today.)
The End of the Movie (Josh Groban sings this one and it has some major spoilers for the season, but it is so funny. It's not on Spotify for some reason.)
Strip Away My Conscience (Very, very sexy. Video is NSFW.)
This is My Movement (Valencia indirectly singing about poop was so funny.)
A Diagnosis (An upbeat song about Rebecca finally getting some answers.)
Heinous Bitch (A 50's style song about Rebecca's mom.)
Buttload of Cats (Going all Avenue Q with this song.)
Get Your Ass Out of My House (Lourdes is so funny with this song and I hope I can remember it if my kids ever outstay their welcome. ;) )
Without Love You Can Save the World (Cute and fun song)
Horny Angry Tango (Another NSFW video. I love the chemistry between Rebecca and Nathaniel.)

I look forward to season four and will be interested to see which direction they take Rebecca's life and what the new theme song will be.

If you made it this far, tell me what your favorite episodes/songs were.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2--with SPOILERS

I wrote about Season One of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend a while back. Thankfully, I had binge-watched it a month before Season Two, so I didn't have to wait an entire summer to be reunited with Rebecca, Paula, Greg, Heather, etc. (Can you tell that I just don't like Josh?)

Season Two started out with a new theme song. Beware...it's catchy. In fact, it's playing in my head as I write this. At the end of the song, Rebecca yells "Blam!" and sticks her head through a group of hearts on paper. Then they zoom in on her grin for what feels like forever.

c/o Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Wikia

This season took a lot of new twists and turns, including a few game changers. (One I'm still upset about even now.) There were some fun guest appearances, such as Patti LuPone, Yael Grobglas (from Jane the Virgin), Jamie Kaler (from My Boys), and Brittany Snow (from Pitch Perfect).

If you haven't had a chance to experience the greatness of this show, both seasons are on Netflix now!

Since it was pretty short, I'm going to share my top five favorite episodes and top ten favorite songs. (Here's where the spoilers come in.)


Favorite Episodes:
1. When will Josh see how cool I am? 
Rebecca and Greg finally have some closure, but there's also some promise in it. I also like how Paula handles Rebecca's laziness with her recommendation letter. I would have done the same thing.

2. Who is Josh's soup fairy?
I love that Rebecca and Paula finally make up after they had a friendship fallout.

3. When do I get to spend time with Josh?
This is when we meet the "new guy" (Nathaniel) and also see how dedicated Rebecca is to her job.

4. Will Scarsdale like Josh's shayna punim?
There's a Bar Mitzvah. Patti LuPone is a Rabbi. Need I say more? Oh...and Tovah Feldshuh! We also see another side of the new guy.

5. Josh is the man of my dreams right?
Those devil winds...they make things we-e-e-ird. That's all I need to say, really. Well, the sexual tension in the elevator is pretty hot.

Favorite Songs:

1. "Love Kernels" because it is so true when we want something to cling to for validation of someone else's interest and affection. Also, Darryl being played by a broom!

2. "Greg's Drinking Song." So funny! "I pee my pants, my pants. I pee my pants!"

3. "The Math of Love Triangles." Such a cute song and you might even learn some geometry. I love the part about all the men being gay and getting nothing out of Rebecca singing and being cute.

4. "We Tapped that A$$." Another hilarious song. Had a feel similar to songs from "Singin' in the Rain."

5. "You Go First." In the style of a Heart song with powerful vocals from Rebecca and Paula. And it also speaks volumes about friend fights. Hard to get over our pride and just apologize!

6. "Who's the New Guy?" According to some friends, it's a meta song. It breaks the fourth wall of the show, but works those parts into the story anyway.

7. "We'll Never Have Problems Again." Great disco song, especially with Heather doing a Soul Train dance. And it makes sense too. People think that being in love erases all other problems in life.

8. "Remember that We Suffered." This song needs to be played at all Bar Mitzvah parties going forward. Only if Patti LuPone is singing it though! "I say we. You say suffered!"

9. "Santa Ana Winds." Set up like a Jersey Boys tune with this guy singing each of the five parts to the song. I love how he tries to tell bits of the story at the same time.

10. "You're My Best Friend." A cute little song about friendships that aren't so reciprocal. I love the little chair dance too. It was just very sweet and vulnerable, coming from Darryl.

Looks like I choose three out of five from this list.

There you have it. I don't know how I'll be able to wait until season three. The season finale ended on such a foreboding note.

The show I'm "crazy" about

I started watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend at the beginning of this month and was immediately hooked. Not only is it funny with a chick-flick feel, but it also has musical numbers. Rebecca (played by Rachel Bloom) is easy to relate to, whether or not you’ve done something drastic for love. Some things that have come up in her life have definitely struck a nerve. Not to mention that Rachel Bloom is my new girl crush, given that she’s cute, funny, and can sing really well. I can also relate to Paula, a mom who is looking for something interesting to do outside her home and finds that by investing way too much into Rebecca's quest to be with Josh. And of course, I adore Greg. He's like my replacement for Danny Castellano (from The Mindy Project), yet he is eerily similar to him. He's played by Santino Fontana, who also reminds me a bit of Christian Campbell, and who did the voice of this guy (so we know he can sing really well):

The character I both love to hate and hate to love is, of course, Valencia. Like when she's nice, she's so awesome and I would totally want to hang with her. When she's mean, watch out for the claws. She really knows how to go for the jugular. Then there are times when I really feel sorry for her. In second place for both categories is Naomi, Rebecca's mom. She can be totally overbearing and shallow, but other times she's proven herself to be caring and loving. Josh is a mixed bag too. I want to like him because Rebecca does, but it's hard to with Greg being a potential option. I like Josh best when he stands up for himself.

Finally, I really like Heather. She sounds so vapid, but she has a good heart underneath her "what do you want from me, I'm just a student" attitude.

I love how quirky the show is, even without trying too hard. It's just so naturally funny when done the right way. (Some of it reminds me of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but unlike season two of that show, this series is actually hilarious and I hope it has similar humor in season two.) Like at the end of each episode, there's something funny based on something that was said or that happened during the episode.

And, of course, there is the music. The songs are so funny and done in different musical styles. The theme song is catchy and reminds me of the one from The Nanny, especially since they have all the animation. I love that she tells the sun that "the situation is a lot more nuanced." I also love the way she says "West Covina, California."

Now that I’m finished with season one, I’m already going through withdrawal until season two starts next month. I'm sharing my favorite episodes and songs. There are spoilers, so don't read any further until you've watched the season in its entirety and can come back to see if you agree.


Here are my favorite episodes from the season (may contain SPOILERS):

Episode 4-I'm Going on a Date with Josh's Friend!: Because, well, Greg! I did enjoy the moment he and Rebecca had before she went and messed everything up.

Episode 8-My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!:Paula as a British Jew, Naomi's song, Heather getting Greg to see that he's wrong about his mom and then kissing him and quitting her job on the spot, what Naomi thought Rebecca gave her as a gift, etc.

Episode 10-I'm Back at Camp with Josh!: Just a really cute episode. I loved the girls giving Rebecca a pep talk. I also like that Josh stood up to Valencia at the end.

Episode 11-That Text Was Not Meant for Josh!: The text situation itself (sooooooo mortifying); Paula and Scott bonding over Rebecca's love life, which included them talking out the theme song.

Episode 13-Josh and I Go to Los Angeles!: JAP Battle, Les Miz style song, B.J. Novak cameo, Greg realizing he really does like Rebecca, heightened drama at the end, Valencia getting shut down.

Episode 16-Josh's Sister Is Getting Married!: The ending was well worth it. Lots of cute and funny moments. I love how Greg had more face time this episode. It was cute how he helped Marty try to woo the girl at the store and how he learned something about himself in the process.

Episode 17-Why Is Josh in a Bad Mood?: Living vicariously through Rebecca's "relationship" with Greg. So many funny moments too.

Episode 18-Paula Needs to Get Over Josh!: Lea Salonga! Paula's Gypsy style song! feeling angry with and sad for Greg at the same time. The "crazy" ending.

Favorite songs (may contain SPOILERS):

In no particular order, other than alphabetical. I'm too lazy to link a video to each song, but they're all here. Just for fun, here's a ranking of all the songs.

"After Everything I Have Done For You": This Mama Rose number was perfect for Paula and she did it so well.

"Face Your Fears": Paula sings it really well and I love the background chorus

"Flooded with Justice": Definitely inspired by Les Miz and I love it for that reason.

"Getting Bi": Has a fun 80s feel and the words are so funny. I love how Daryl felt he needed to out himself at a work meeting.

"Group Hang": Fun song with a salsa feel. I love how she's questioning the authenticity of the restaurant.

"I Gave You a UTI": So funny and upbeat. *And Greg sings it! He's so cute how he sings it too.

"I Have Friends": Reminds me of something from Teen Witch. I love how people describe themselves instead of using names. I also love the duet with her younger self.

"I'm The Villain in My Own Story": Clever song and fun video to go along with it. Has a Disney feel.

"JAP Battle": Best line "Sheket b'vaka shut the hell up." I also love that this song was inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

"Oh My God I Think I Like You": I like how Rebecca is realizing her feelings for Greg and it also has an 80s feel.

"One Indescribable Instant": Reminds me of Enchanted. 

"Put Yourself First": Fun girl power song, even though the message isn't totally clear.

"Settle For Me": Reminds me of the Big Band era music. Plus *Greg is singing it! The music video for it is cute.

"Textmergency": Has an 80s big hair band feel. I love how they're arguing about what the situation should be called. I like "textastrophe" better.

"West Covina": Has a Broadway opening number feel to it.

"What'll It Be": Sounds like "Piano Man" at first but then is all passionate and intense. And it's *Greg singing!

"Where's The Bathroom?": Tova Feldshuh is hilarious with this song. It's the ultimate nagging Jewish mother song. It reminds me of this thing I wrote in HS when I listed everything my mom would say to me all the time. (She saw it and said "you were listening!")

"Women Gotta Stick Together": This is a funny country-style song, regardless of the fact that Valencia sings it. I love how she's insulting everyone but they are all following her anyway.

"You Stupid B*tch": This self-berating ballad is so perfect for the show and I love how Rebecca sings it so convincingly and with all the shame in her voice.

*The only song I have to make an exception for, when it comes to Greg, is "I Could if I Wanted To." That song doesn't appeal to me, even though it was ranked high on the article I posted above.