Netflix has brought us some of our most beloved original comedies to date - including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of None, Love, Grace and Frankie, and now - GLOW.
It was announced earlier this month that GLOW will be released for streaming on Friday, June 23, 2017. The show will be based on the popular televised program from the 1980’s called G.L.O.W - or the “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling”. The women’s wrestling program ran for 4 seasons from 1986-1990, and starred actresses, models, and dancers playing colorful characters in hopes of rising to stardom in Hollywood.
This Netflix Original will take a closer look at the lives of the bad-ass Los Angeles women who performed on this zany, glitzy, and tough wrestling show. It will also star Allison Brie - best known for portrayal as sweet and quirky Annie Edison on the NBC cult favorite Community (2009-2015). Brie will be playing Ruth - an actress at the end of her rope, who takes a chance on G.L.O.W to help propel her to fame. Ruth must compete with former soap actress Debbie Eagan, played by Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie), who is returning to the scene after she left to have a baby. And all of the 14 women competing and starring on G.L.O.W will be lead by a beat down, washed up, former movie director named Sam Sylvia - played by stand-up comic Marc Maron (Maron, Almost Famous).
Sounds like a cool concept, right? What’s even more exciting then a show about strong and talented women is the fact Jenji Kohan - of Weeds and Orange is the New Black fame - will be an executive producer! Orange is the New Black is one of the most diverse, dramatic, and funny shows we have available today, that not only represents women, but also realistically shows them as who we are, rather than what Hollywood wants us to be. I have full confidence in Kohan, along with other EP’s Liz Flahive (Homeland), Carly Mensch, and Tara Herrmann to pass this kind of representation and narrative excellence to GLOW.
Can’t wait until June to see this sure-to-be Netflix classic? Check out the sparkly leotard filled, female-driven, 80’s pop-sounding, pink neon flushed trailer for the series below! (Or just re-watch episodes of Community and Orange is the New Black in the meantime…)
Hey you! Ya – you. Have you heard of this new show called The Good Place? Yes? Are you watching it? Well you should be!
The Good Place is a new comedy created by Michael Schur that premiered on NBC this past September. It’s about a woman named Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) who finds herself in the after-life when she, rather unfortunately, is struck dead by a row of grocery carts, then a tractor-trailer, after she pursues a roll-away bottle of Tequila Mix in a parking lot. She is then greeted by Michael (Ted Danson), a neighborhood architect in a utopia called “The Good Place” (a.k.a “Heaven”). Michael congratulates Eleanor on all her accomplishments and humanitarian work she achieved during her life on Earth, and introduces her to her soul mate, Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper) - a deceased Nigerian ethics professor. Eleanor realizes there’s been a huge mistake - she’s not the Eleanor they think she is, and she actually belongs in “The Bad Place”. With the help of Chidi, Eleanor attempts to learn how to be an ethically moral and “good” person so she can earn her stay. But of course, chaos ensues…
Are you hooked yet? Here are even MORE reasons why you should start binge-watching this “forkin’”great show!
1. Michael Schur’s Writing Is Brilliant
Just a glance at Michael Schur’s resume is enough to assure any person of his comedic brilliance, originality, and creativity. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live from 1997-2004, a writer for The Office from 2005 - 2007, and is the creator of the beloved Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And now we have The Good Place - a show with whip smart dialogue, unique storytelling, and fascinatingly complex characters.
2. All The Actors, Both Well-Known and New, Have Stand-Out Performances
Ted Danson and Kristen Bell both carry a lot of star power. Bell is best known for her time on Veronica Mars and Frozen, but she has also proven her comedic chops in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Bad Moms. Danson was none other than Sam Malone in the pop-culture classic Cheers, and he brings a charming complexity to his new role as the creator of a “Good Place”neighborhood. But aside from those well-established careers, the show shines a bright spotlight on newcomers William Jackson Harper and Jameela Jamil. Harper plays a delightfully quirky, warm, and intelligent character whose asking most of the hard-hitting questions the show is trying to answer. Jamil - an English writer, DJ, model, and radio host - enters her first onscreen acting gig as the beautiful, charming, selfish yet kind Tahani Al-Jamil.
3. The Good Place Features Parks and Recreation Alumni
Do you still miss NBC’s Parks and Recreation - the television equivalent of hot waffles for breakfast or a warm hug from a good friend? Not to worry, Parks alum Adam Scott and Marc Evan Jackson have reoccurring roles in The Good Place! Scott plays a devilish figure from “The Bad Place”, while Jackson plays an unemotional judge from the “Medium Place”. And if you don’t remember, Kristin Bell herself was on Parks and Rec as Ingrid De Forest. In fact, it was confirmed that The Good Place and Parks and Recreation take place in the same universe, based on Easter eggs spotted by hard-core fans.
4. “Lost”Was A Big Inspiration
It’s no secret that Michael Schur is a huge The Leftovers and Lost fan. Such a fan, that Shur took Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof out to lunch while still developing the concept of The Good Place. He wanted the show to reflect Lost’s infamous major cliffhangers, world building, and plot twists. Bonus: There’s a Leftovers Easter egg in the pilot episode, and a Lost reference in the 12th episode. And for fans who want to take it the next level, Schur also drew major inspiration from the play No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre.
5. Janet Gets The Biggest Laughs
Honestly, the best jokes of the series come from Janet - an “intelligent personal assistant”played by D’Arcy Carden. Her robotic, cheery attitude and deadpan answers to every question are the cherry on top of a show with an already A+ assembly of actors. D’Arcy herself has been in comedy for quite some time - a regular performer for Upright Citizens Brigade, with appearances on Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer, as well as Crazy-Ex Girlfriend.
6. Frozen Yogurt!
There’s literally a Fro-Yo Shop on every corner, and thousands of flavors to choose from. N’uff said. (FYI - The actor’s aren’t eating Fro-Yo in those scenes. It’s actually mashed potatoes!)
7. 90% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes
Out of the 49 reviews for Season 1, 44 found this “absurd, clever, and whimsical portrayal of the afterlife”certified fresh. As for the audience? 85% fell in love with their new comedy obsession.
8. It’s Already Renewed for Season 2!
So you can comfortably watch Season 1 knowing there will be more to come. So what are you waiting for? Start watching The Good Place today!
Your favorite 90’s educational Saturday morning cartoon is making a comeback! The Magic School Bus, a popular television show amongst students and teachers alike, is being rebooted by Netflix. The show ran successfully on PBS from 1994 to 1997, and was adapted by the popular children’s book series by Joanne Cole and Bruce Degen. It’s about an eccentric elementary school teacher named Ms. Frizzle, who takes her class on fantastic and educational adventures via the “magic”school bus. The new series will be called The Magic School Bus Rides Again, and the infamous Ms. Frizzle will be voiced by none other than the fabulous Kate McKinnon!
Adventures on the Magic School Bus go as far out as outer space, as deep as the darkest corners of the ocean, as far back as ancient times when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and even inside the human body! The series made science fun and accessible to children everywhere, and inspired many to pursue fields of study in meteorology, astronomy, and even children’s education. And in this new era of American politics where people like the President of the United States can be “anti-science”and dismissive of facts, it is especially important to have a show like this for the next generation of big thinkers and curious intellectuals. As Bill Nye the Science Guy would say, “Science Rules!”
While it won’t be airing on cable television (a format that would have been available to most everyone), Netflix still has a massive audience and is quite accessible. With a subscription, kids will be able watch episodes any time they want, and teachers can stream episodes into their classrooms. But what’s even more exciting then magic and science returning to our TV sets is the fact that the Emmy Award-Winning, Saturday Night Live All-Star, Kate McKinnon, will be voicing the already iconic zany science teacher with the frizzy red hair and a color-changing dress. The role is being passed down to her from another comedy legend, Lilly Tomlin, who voiced Ms. Frizzle for the full 4 seasons The Magic School Bus was on air.
In the past year alone, McKinnon has gained some serious attention for her portrayal of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election, and for her spot-on impressions of other newsworthy political figures - including Kellyanne Conway, Elizabeth Warren, Betsy Devos, and Jeff Sessions. She also became a fan favorite in the all-female Ghostbusters (2016)movie, as the funky Dr. Jillian Holtzmann. With her full resume of crazy characters and award winning performances, we know McKinnon will do a more than stellar job as she takes on voicing The Frizz!
It’s the most wonderful, holly jolly, and often stressful time of year. Between insane shopping sessions, ringing up those festive lights, preparing for obnoxious party guests, and posing for that uncomfortable sweater-filled family photo, we could all could use a laugh during the holiday season. So grab some eggnog and a gingerbread cookie (or two), ‘cause here are the best Saturday Night Live sketches sure to get you in a festive mood!
Santa’s My Boyfriend (2006)
A classic cold open, featuring the talented vocals and comedic chops of legendary cast members Poehler, Wiig, and Rudolph.
Steve Martin’s Holiday Wish (1991)
This sketch patiently builds up and only gets better as it goes along, rewarding us with a perfect bit about what we really want for Christmas. Peace and harmony for all the little children of the world? Forget it! Steve Martin wants money, power, sex, and revenge.
NPR’s Delicious Dish Schweddy Balls (1998)
This NPR spoof is an SNL Holiday Special staple! The dry radio-broadcast humor of Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer with all-star Alec Baldwin always brings about a chuckle. I’m also pretty sure this could win an award for the most “ball”jokes stuffed into a 6-minute sketch. Be sure to order your Schweddy Balls from Season’s Eatings in time for your Christmas Eve Party today!
Adam Sandler and The Hanukkah Song (1994)
One of Adam Sandler’s most genuine and hilarious moments on Saturday Night Live. Since there wasn’t enough songs about Hanukkah growing up, Sandler poured his heart into a catchy, smart, and fun song for the next generation of Jewish kids who only hear Christmas tunes on the radio. And boy, has this jingle cemented itself in SNL History and pop culture!
(Do It On My) Twin Bed (2013)
A revolutionary sketch about trying to get it on when you’re home for the holidays in your childhood bedroom. The concept may be ok, but it was a breath of fresh air to see every single female cast member in one digital short. I’m talking Kate, Cecily, Noel, Vanessa, Nasim, and your lil’Baby Aidy. Highlights include yearbook photo throwbacks and Jimmy Fallon’s rap sequence.
Dick in a Box (2009)
This Lonely Island special featuring Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake may be a bit ridiculous, but it’s only grown more and more popular over time. If anyone other than Samberg or Timberlake attempted this bit, it definitely wouldn’t have worked out. They embody everything that is smooth, fresh, and delightfully awkward. Follow these steps to show your loved ones how much you really care this year!
St. Joseph’s Christmas Mass Spectacular (2014)
What do you get when you mix MTV with Christmas Mass? Something really awesome, dude! Join the cast of SNL at church (on a Thursday) with some of your favorite hardcore churchgoers - atheist teens, Mr. Drubbler and his sweaty palms, Linda the hot-mess organ player, and Colleen Chapin who can’t wait to speak at the podium.
Christmas Time for the Jews (2005)
A claymation short that looks to be from the era of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”and “A Year Without a Santa Clause,” with a song about the time of year when those who celebrate Christmas are finally off the streets, and its time for the Jewish to have some fun and take on the town - seeing King Kong without a line, and eating in Chinatown while drinking sweet wine.
Glengarry Glen Christmas (2005)
Alec Baldwin isn’t playing around as the manager in a sketch about Santa’s Elves and their very serious jobs. Also starring Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and Seth Meyers, we can’t help but laugh when cute mixes with corporate. Note: Seth tries to hold back a giggle when Baldwin mispronounces “cobbling.”
The Christmas Candle (2016)
Ok, I know this one is very recent, but I think it deserves a place on the list! SNL shorts are usually hit or misses, and this one is a pretty big hit. 80’s music video vibes, Emma Stone, and a peach scented candle that unites us all - what more could you ask for?
Hillary Actually (2016)
Yes, we’re all still mourning Hillary Clinton’s presidential loss from this November. But maybe we can convince enough electoral voters to not vote for Trump if we just hold up a bunch of signs - Love Actually style - with reasons why they should become faithless electors. ’Tis the season for miracles, after all! Having Kate McKinnon do it as Hillary Clinton isn’t a bad idea either - take a look at her masterful performance below:
It’s no surprise that Lin-Manuel Miranda is not only one of the most intelligent, most ambitious celebrities out there, but also one of the funniest too! You can check out WICF’s coverage of his late night extravaganzas on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live here. This week, Miranda has proven once again he has the comedic chops to go on Comedy Central’s Drunk History to talk about his alter ego, Alexander Hamilton; as well aswrite a musical satire about millennials with actor Dwayne “The Rock”Johnson.
Drunk Historyoriginally started as a Funny-or-Die web series in 2007, hosted by Derek Waters. Ironically, the very first episode of the series was about Alexander Hamilton, drunkenly told by Mark Gagliardi, and starring the ever-awkward Michael Cera (Arrested Development) and Jake Johnson (New Girl). The series became so popular that it moved to television and premiered on Comedy Central in 2013, now produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Since then, the show has become a place where actors and comedians alike come to drink up and recount the tales of America’s history, now with a budget for lavish costumes, big sets, and cool special effects.
The show came full circle on November 29th in Season 4, Episode 10, when Lin-Manuel Miranda came to talk about Alexander Hamilton’s journey to the colonies, his role in the Revolutionary War, his scandalous affair with Mariah Reynolds, and the infamous duel-to-the-death with Aaron Burr. Basically it was everything and more that the Tony-Winner wrote about in his Broadway musical, but more PG-13. The episode also perfectly casts Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) as Hamilton, and Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as Burr. Highlights include Lin’s hilarious swearing and enthusiasm ("Here comes kick (expletive) Hamilton on a flaming ship. Your (expletive) will never be the same”), Questlovle’s FaceTime session, and a drunken rendition of Semitonic’s “Closing Time”. You can watch the full episode here.
But wait, there’s more! Not only has Miranda been telling stories of the past, he’s writing a new musical about the here and now. More specifically, about millennial culture. Somehow during the time they had to spare while working on the Disney Animated feature film Moana, Miranda and his co-star Dwayne “The Rock”Johnson wrote and filmed a musical about uber millennial girl Crystal: a 22-year old from Brooklyn who works at a start-up company, takes soul-cycle, and tragically looses her phone. This takes her and her social-media deficient friend Jack on a journey from a Yoga-Work-Out-Center/Record-Store/Juice-Bar, to the Electric Dynamite Circus Night Club, to a start-up company making an app that will get you “laid, paid, and bring back Harambe.” It’s a satirical, heart-warming, cringe-worthy, coming-of-age story, where you learn the true meaning of “dank memes”and love in the digital age. What’s next for the musical-writing comedy duo? A play about the rise of Chipotle, where the opening number is called “The Guacamole is Extra But the Love is Free.” Check out the entirety of Millennials: The Musical below!
Grab your coffee and meet me in Stars Hollow, because Gilmore Girls is back and ‘I smell snow’! For fans of the television cult classic, it was a Thanksgiving Weekend full of nostalgia, humor, and heart. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life presented fan-favorite cameos at every turn (hello there, Milo Ventimiglia), updated pop-culture references (how ‘bout that tribute to Wild), and the struggle that comes with death in the family as life decides to keep rolling along. The revival premiered on November 25th on Netflix and featured 4 episodes - each surrounding a season of change, starting in Winter and appropriately ending in Fall.
For those who are unfamiliar with all the hype surrounding this big-hearted comedy, Gilmore Girls was a TV staple that ran from 2000-2007, starting on The WB and moving to The CW in September 2006. The series takes place in the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and follows the lives of witty single mom Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her bookish daughter Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel). The show revolves around friendship, family, love-interests, hard work, as well as social-class and generational gaps. The main conflict comes between Lorelai and her wealthy, often snobby parents, and their many debate ridden dinners over lifestyle choices. Gilmore Girls is best known for its fast-paced, walk-and-talk style dialogue, as well as its clever pop-culture references surrounding movies, music, books, and television.
Gilmore Girls was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino after she visited the town of Washington Depot, Connecticut, and had a lovely stay at the Mayflower Inn. She thought it was like a fairytale, and wanted to capture the small-town camaraderie she felt during her visit. Amy, along with her husband Daniel Palladino, David S. Rosenthal, and Gavin Polone became the executive producers of the series. After much success and critical acclaim, it was unfortunate that Sherman-Palladino and her husband parted ways with the show after the move to The CW during its sixth season. The show was dropped after season seven, and many fans were left disappointed with the less-than-satisfactory finale. Lauren Graham advocated for a film that would give Sherman-Palladino and the fans closure they were all hoping for, but alas, it never happened
Fast-forward to October 2015, where rumors of a Gilmore Girls revival were in the works. On January 29, 2016, Netflix and Warner Bros. officially announced that Sherman-Palladino and her husband would be returning to write and direct the 4-part mini series - then titled Gilmore Girls: Seasons. Unlike other nostalgia-filled television brought back to life (I’m looking at you, Fuller House), this one felt well deserved, and worth the 9-year wait! Rory is a freelance journalist in a no-strings-attached relationship with her old flame Logan (Matt Czuchry), Lorelai is living happily with Luke (Scott Paterson) but thinks she might want something more, and Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) is dealing with the death of her beloved husband (Edward Herrmann) and her newfound independence. Did I mention Lane Kim (Keiko Agena), Paris Geller (Liza Weil), and even Michel (Yanic Truesdale) are all back, too? The latter now married and happily out-and proud.
I won’t spoil too much more, but one of the most important parts of the revival is the last four words spoken in episode four, “Fall.” Sherman-Paladino gave an interview with TV Guide way back in 2006, where she revealed she knew what these last four words would be, before she tragically left the project. And now we finally get to hear them! Whether you’ve watched A Year in The Life or not, I can safely predict more Gilmore Girls in the years to come based on this four-word cliffhanger. What are you waiting for? Start binge watching now!
It’s been brutal leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election, what with scandals at every turn, viscous name calling, and news coverage that sounds straight from The Onion, if not a horror movie. It has created an environment of great anxiety, animosity, and sadness among our fellow Americans. But with every tragic twist and turn the Trump vs. Clinton trail has lead us, there has always been a group of heroes to help lift our spirits and give us hope. And by that I mean the Late Night heroes of Comedy!
You know who I’m talking about - Colbert, Bee, Noah, Meyers, McKinnon, so on and so forth. For every tear we shed for the state our country, they were the ones who helped turn our pain into laughter, if not just for a moment, while in our pajamas half-way through a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. And as the dreaded day of November 8th approaches, here is your guide to every late night election special and comedy coverage to get through this troubling time.
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live’s 42nd Season is one of the most watched in years - mostly due to their hilarious political debate sketches starring SNL cast member Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton, and guest star Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. The series will be airing The 2016 SNL Election Special on November 7th, the eve of Election Day, at 10:00pm on NBC - which will include a compilation of all the political satire and “Weekend Update” election coverage bits from this season, as well as a select few from last. Who knows - maybe one of the candidates will make a special appearance on the show, or we could see the return of Larry David as Bernie Sanders! It’ll be a night of nasty woman and bad hombre jokes to remember.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Though Noah has had a rocky start succeeding the not-late-but-great Jon Stewart, the past few weeks of election coverage on the comedy news show have been nothing but excellent - highlighting the Halloween special that aired this week, surrounding an entire episode on what a post-apocalyptic America would look like if Trump does become president. Spooky! The Daily Show will have a one-hour live election special on November 8th at 11:00pm, where Noah will breakdown the post-election results with the rest of his hilarious news team.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Samantha Bee may be new to the late-night line up, but she sure doesn’t act like it. In a world usually run by white males, Bee has proven herself to be a fierce competitor - what with her snarky wit, confidence, and epic takedown segments. Her piece on the theory that Donald Trump can’t read is definitely worth watching! You can catch Samantha’s pre-election episode on Monday November 7th at 10:30pm on TBS, and then watch her take on the traumatic aftermath Wednesday November 9th, also at 10:30pm.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Oh, Stephen. What would politics be without you? As you may know, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is no stranger to going live, having covered the Democratic and Republican conventions, as well as the presidential and vice presidential debates in real-time. You can get more live Colbert in the days before and after the election on November 7th and 9th at 11:35pm on CBS. Not enough Stephen? No problem! There will be a November 8th Election Day live one-hour special called “Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going to Clean Up This Sh*t?” on Showtime at 11:00pm. The special will be filmed at the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC where The Late Show is shot, where Colbert can give an un-filtered take on the election results as they roll in. To quote Stephen, “It’ll be all the political comedy you love from my CBS show, with all the swearing and nudity you love from Showtime”.
Late Night with Seth Meyers
While Seth hasn't announced any plans for an election special or live showing, it’s hard to talk about the presidential race without the Late Night host. Though it was a tricky transition from SNL to his new hosting gig, Meyers found his footing behind a familiar desk with a show that feels right at home with “Weekend Update” styled segments. In particular, Seth’s “A Closer Look” has become a smash hit among viewers. Using satire and intense fact checking, the segment has become a reliable, hard-hitting, and hilarious staple on the show. Seth isn’t afraid to tell it like it is, unlike other late-night series such as The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon that try to appeal to all sides of the political spectrum. After Trump banned The Washington Post from having press credentials to his campaign rallies, the Late Show reacted by banning Trump from ever coming on their show in the name of freedom of the press. Check out Late Night with Seth Meyers weeknights at 12:35am on NBC!
Carol Burnett is back and more fabulous then ever! The American comedian, actress, and writer will be returning to television to star in a new ABC multi-camera original comedy series, alongside Amy Poehler. The show is about a family who has the opportunity to buy the unaffordable house of their dreams, under one very unique condition and circumstance - they must live with the current owner, played by Burnett, until she passes away. From the sound of it, we can expect a very odd, unique, and laughable new sit-com coming our way.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the actress’s work, Burnett was the star of The Carol Burnett Show - an American variety/sketch comedy classic that ran for eleven seasons on CBS from 1967-1978. She’s been Tony-Nominated for her work on Broadway, including Once Upon a Mattress (1959) and Moon Over Buffalo (1995). Carol has also been nominated for 22 Emmy’s, and has won 6 of them. Her career spans over 6 decades, and she recently won an SAG Lifetime achievement award in 2015, naturally presented to her by her longtime admirers - Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
The ABC untitled show will be written and executively produced by Michael Saltzman, known for his EP work on “Murphy Brown,” “Man Men,”“Hell on Wheels,” and most recently “Halt and Catch Fire.” According to deadline.com, Saltzman can thank Burnett for his career. Growing up, Saltzman idolized and admired Burnett, and it just so happens they met while he was trying to break into the television writing industry. Burnett praised the young writer and offered him a check with no string attached to write anything he wanted. “I’d always wanted to pay her back in some way, and reward the faith she placed in me,” said Saltzman, “but the stars never seemed to align…When I was free she was busy and vice versa.”Now with the new show in development, Saltzman will finally have the opportunity to give back to Carol after all these years.
Other Executive Producers of the show include Dave Becky, Michael Pelmont, as well as Brooke Posch and Amy Poehler herself. Poehler and Posch will be producing through their production company Paper Kite, as part of the Universal TV deal that was penned this summer. Paper Kite is also the studio that brought you the new comedy classics Broad City and Difficult People, so you know Burnett’s sit-com debut will be (hopefully) just as high-ranking. There’s no word yet on when the show will be released, but we’re all anxiously anticipating the long-time coming of Carol Burnett’s comeback, and her sit-com debut. Good luck, Carol!
Your favorite musical comedy about a crazy lawyer looking for love is back! That’s right, the highly anticipated season two of Crazy-Ex Girlfriend returns to your television set this Friday, October 21st. Can’t wait ‘till Friday to get your Crazy-Ex fix? Not to worry. The show recently released the game-changing new season two theme song, and a parody music video that we can expect to see during the premiere.
For those of you unfamiliar with the smash hit, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend is about a woman named Rebecca Bunch, played by Golden Globe winning actress, writer, and comedian Rachel Bloom. Rebecca left her job at a prestigious law firm in New York City after catching up with her first love from summer camp, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), who just happens to be moving back to his hometown of West Covina, California. Rebecca then convinces everyone throughout the season she moved to West Covina after receiving an amazing job offer, when she really moved there in pursuit of a rekindled romance with Josh, with the hope of finding happiness in her life again. After a season of making new friends, hookups, and impressing parents, Rebecca finally gets together with Josh during the season one finale, where she admits she moved all the way to West Covina just for him.
Originally, the entire plot of season one was summarized in the cartoonish opening theme with a jingle that most fans know by heart. Although we’ll miss the Disney-esque versions of all the characters, and the talking sun that sings “She’s so broken inside!”, the new season two opener is too awesome to pass up. The song is called “Just a Girl in Love,” and it features Rebecca with a group of showgirls in dazzling red costumes. The theme is reminiscent of Hollywood’s showstopper-musical numbers from the 20’s and 30’s, and it focuses on how “in-love”Rebecca is - which means she “can’t be held responsible for her actions.” You can’t call her crazy anymore, only crazy in love. To quote Rebecca, she has “no underlying issues to address,” is “certifiably cute”and “adorably obsessed,” the first being obviously false. It was also revealed that each season forward will feature a new theme song, which is something we can all look forward to in the years to come.
One of Crazy-Ex Girlfriend’s biggest audience appeals are the 2-3 parody musical numbers they feature every episode, which usually spoof a certain song or style of music in accordance with the plot of the episode, or a certain character’s feelings. Last season alone featured a total of 49 songs, with some of the highlights including Rebecca’s Nicki Minaj parody “I Give Good Parent,” and Greg’s (Santino Fontana) emotional ballad “What’ll it Be”- a tribute to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” The first of its kind for season two was recently released, entitled “Love Kernels,” which is a giant video production in dedication to Beyonce’s famous “Lemonade.” The song is about Rebecca’s obsessive love and her desperation for Josh’s “love kernels,” or the “little compliments here and there that I stockpile in my women brain.” She is literally “thirsty”for any scrap of care and affection she can get out of her now-boyfriend. Obviously, Rebecca still has some issues to work out on the road to health and happiness. That aside, the production value of this video is the best Crazy-Ex has achieved yet - which they joke about in the song. The video literally “ate our production budget,” and they can only afford to have Daryl (Pete Gardner) played by a broom on a stand with googly eyes and a mustache. Poor Daryl!
Curious to find out what happens to Rebecca and Josh? Will Greg ever admit his feelings to Rebecca? How are things between Daryl and White Josh (David Hull)? And what are Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) and the Grocery Clerk with Half an Eyelid up to? Find out this Friday at 9:00p/8:00c on The CW.
On Tuesday night, worlds collided when the California-Cool cast of New Girl mashed with the hot cops of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. For anyone who's a fan of the two the comedies, Fox’s one-hour special should have been a dream come true. Watching the ever immature and hilarious Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) banter with quirky girl Jessica Day (Zoe Deschanel) over beat up cars and spilled soup was such a refreshing and charming interaction, you would think the two stars already have a third comedy show just waiting for us to binge-watch on the side. Unfortunately, the episode didn’t deliver, as the creators chose to play it safe, rather than push the boundaries of creativity and primetime television.
This was New Girl’s 4th episode of their 6th season, called “Homecoming.” We start off with the LA gang traveling to NYC for Schmidt’s (Max Greenfield) high school homecoming reunion. While Nick (Jake Johnson) and Winston (Lamorne Morris) split from the group to be “men of means”in search of the perfect New York lunch, Jess and Cece (Hannah Simone) go with Schmidt and his mother back to their Long Island home.
While each of the New Girl characters are faced with strong storylines, this episode seemed more “cameo”than “crossover”on Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s part. The Jess and Jake car interaction was by all means fun for the audience, but it fell a little short on time. Sure, Jess had equally funny moments with the other Brooklyn cast members when she visited the 99th Precinct Office, but it would have been so much more satisfying for the entirety of both casts to be interacting on a much larger scale, with an even deeper-woven plot.
Other than Jess meeting most of the Brooklyn cast, the only other characters to crossover with one another were Nick and Winston with Detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) at a New York Subway Station. While our two guys from New Girl sadly attempt to give the passersby a “show”in order to earn enough money for two tickets home, Boyle stands to the side cheering them on and pumping up the crowd. This B-story line was utterly absurd and brilliant, the highlight being Nick’s “flight”over a pile of trash and other miscellaneous items, but it stilled failed in combining the two comedies together. The characters don’t even learn each other’s names, never mind the writer’s actually crafting a story that successfully interweaves the two worlds together. As an LA cop, why couldn’t Winston have combined forces with his NYPD brothers in blue? What about Nick meeting the lovely Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero)? Or Schmidt and Cece engaging in a scary scuffle with Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz)? For whatever reason, these once-in-a-show’s-lifetime opportunities were missed, and the best cameo of the night came from Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) during the after credits scene.
The most redeemable moment was probably when Jess finally meets Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher). It’s from this scene we are transported back to the very first episode of New Girl, when Jess remembers why she hates NYC so much. She had decided to head home early from her last visit to surprise her then-boyfriend Spencer. As you may remember from the Pilot episode when Jess discovers Spencer cheating on her with another women. It’s this sequence of events that causes Jess to leave her boyfriend, and move in with her now best friends - Nick, Schmidt, Coach, and eventually Winston! It’s this sweet interaction between Jess and the Captain that stays true to the hopeful and big-hearted qualities the two comedies posses.
Overall, it was a decent episode that checked off enough marks to be considered a passable crossover. Hopefully the series creators will learn from their mistakes, and we can look forward to better New Girl / Brooklyn Nine-Nine combos in the future. Note to writers: You can find inspiration from the best-ever crossover of all time, Disney Channel’s 2006 classic That’s So Sweet Life of Hannah Montana. Keep up with more New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine onTuesdays at 8:00/7:00c and 8:30/7:30c on Fox!
Lin-Manuel Miranda is having one of the best years of his life, and possibly one of the funniest too! But lets back it up for second - who is Lin-Manuel Miranda? In case you’ve been living under a rock your whole life, Lin is one of biggest stars of this generation. He’s best known for creating, writing, composing, and staring in the Broadway hits In the Heights and Hamilton: An American Musical. Lin is also the recipient of three Tony Awards, two Grammys, one Emmy, a MacArthur “Genius”Award, and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama. He’s a self-proclaimed feminist, a good friend of the President, and a talented hip-hop/rapper free-stylist. Though Lin may excel in the drama department, he’s been slowly taking over our television sets to show us he has comedic chops, too!
This week Miranda is dominating late night TV. On Tuesday night, he was featured for the second time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Miranda and Fallon have a bromance too cute for words, which was on display as they caught up with each other and gushed over their fathers meeting for the first time. The best part of the night was, of course, “Wheel of Freestyle”- a game featured on Tonight that highlights Lin’s ability to freestyle rap when given three randomly selected words. In the first round, Lin was given the words “Robot,” “Corn Maze”and “Harry Potter,” displaying his best improvisational skills with the rapped line “I'm Sirius Black, I got my magic wand! And oh yeah, there is nothing you could do to harm us, Avada Kadavra and yo! Expelliarmus!”You can watch the full video below:
Aside from having a grand old time on The Tonight Show, Miranda will also be hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time on October 8th, with musical guest Twenty One Pilots. Miranda has always been a huge fan of SNL, taking to twitter to talk about his favorite episode in 1990 with host Fred Savage, in which he tweeted “Couldn’t believe a kid my age was on SNL. And SO GOOD.” The first set of promos for the anticipated night of comedy have already been released, where Lin sits down with SNL cast member Cecily Strong to discuss his lack of power in getting Hamilton tickets, and his thoughts on Cecily’s impression of himself during last week’s episode.
This isn’t Lin’s first time getting some laughs on the small screen, either. Miranda has also starred on The Late Show with Steven Colbert, where he and Steven rapped in a one-song-musical about the lesser-known founding father, Button Gwinnett. Amy Schumer dragged Lin onto her show Inside Amy Schumer last spring to hilariously propose her hip-hop musical about Betsy Ross, and Billy Eichner confronted the musical genius in the second season of his Hulu show Difficult People, which premiered this July.
What’s next for the award-winning, quick-witted, fun-loving mega star? You can catch him slurring passionately about his alter ego, Alexander Hamilton, when he narrates an episode of the Emmy-nominated series Drunk History on November 29th! Still not enough Lin? Not to worry! You can also watch and listen to his most-anticipated work on Disney’s Moana, out this Thanksgiving, in which Miranda composed and provided his vocal talent to the film’s soundtrack. The massive PBS Hamilton documentary premieres October 21st as well, and he begins filming the sequel to the classic Mary Poppins with costar Emily Blunt later this week (phew!).
With all that Lin-Manuel Miranda has accomplished, it’s hard to imagine what more he can bring to the table for the future. But if asked the question, the performer would most likely respond by quoting Hamilton: “There’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait, just you wait…” We’ll be here waiting patiently, Lin!
In case you missed it, the 68th PrimetimeEmmy Awards
aired this Sunday night - packed full of laughs, cringe-worthy moments, and all
the emotional acceptance speeches you would expect from the television
spectacle of the season. While host Jimmy Kimmel gave a passable night of
zingers (save for a Bill Cosby appearance fake-out. Really, Jimmy?), the true
heroes of the night were the always-amazing women of comedy!
Before the show even began, Amy Schumer graced the red
carpet with ever-honest hilarity. When Giuliana Rancid of E! News asked
the classically boring “Who are you wearing?”
Schumer took no hesitation in responding “Vivienne Westwood
[dress], Tom Ford shoes, and an O.B. tampon.” Thanks for keeping
it real, Amy!
The first big win for funny females went to the talented and
lovely Kate McKinnon - for Best Supporting Actress for her work
on Saturday Night Live. After being nominated in the same category for
both 2014 and 2015, this is Kate’s first Emmy win - and deservedly so.
McKinnon has been entertaining us for the past several years with her on-point
impressions of Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber, and now presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton. Jokes aside, it was an emotional win for McKinnon, who ended
her acceptance speech by thanking her late father for introducing her to SNL
when she was 12 years old. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler looked like proud parents
as they watched from afar.
Kate McKinnon’s good friend and SNL
co-worker, Leslie Jones, also took to the stage for a few good laughs.
During the annual explanation of how the award results are safeguarded until
the envelops are opened on stage, Leslie interrupted to point out there are
more important things that need protecting - in reference to her website
and twitter accounts which were hacked earlier this year, and the racist
harassment she has endured. “Y’all
over here using your skills to protect best voiceover in a French sitcom,” Jones
quipped,“Meanwhile, I’m butt-naked on CNN. I just wanted to
feel beautiful, y’all! Can a sister
feel beautiful?” Leslie received a round of applause
for her incredibly hilarious and tastefully done joke that shed some light on
the harassment twitter users face everyday.
The next big win for women was for Best Directing in a Comedy
Series - which went to the amazingly bad-ass Jill Soloway for her
work on Amazon’s Transparent, in a category that has traditionally
gone to the men of the industry. Soloway also historically won Best Directing
at last year’s Emmy’s, but that didn’t
stop her from delivering another unforgettable speech. “I’ve always wanted to be part of a movement…[and] this
TV show allows me to take my dreams about unlikable Jewish people, queer folk,
trans folk, and make them heroes. Thank you to the trans community for your
lived lives.” Jill also ended her speech in the most feminist way
possible - by reminding the audience and viewers to “topple the
patriarchy.” Will do, Jill!
To top off the night, the Best Actress in a Comedy Series was
chalk full of incredibly talented and funny women - Ellie Kemper, Amy
Schumer, Lily Tomlin, oh my! But it came to nobody’s
surprise when Julia Louis-Dreyfus won for her role as Selina Meyer in
the political satire Veep. This is the comedic legend’s
9th Emmy win and 22nd overall nomination, but whose counting? Julia took the
time to apologize for tearing down the wall between comedy and politics, as
well as blurring the line between fiction and reality. “Our show started
out as a political satire, but now it feels more like a sobering documentary,” said
Louis-Dreyfus, in reference the campaign of presidential nominee Donald Trump, “I
certainly do promise to rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.” Julia
closed her acceptance by dedicating her award to her father, who passed away
last Friday at the age of 84. She was “so glad he liked Veep, because
his opinion was the one that really mattered.” Congratulations
Julia, and our hearts are with you and your family.
That about wraps up the night for these comedic women of
television - we can’t wait to see what they bring to the
table next year at the 69th Emmy Awards!
This Netflix Original will take a closer look at the lives of the bad-ass Los Angeles women who performed on this zany, glitzy, and tough wrestling show. It will also star Allison Brie - best known for portrayal as sweet and quirky Annie Edison on the NBC cult favorite Community (2009-2015). Brie will be playing Ruth - an actress at the end of her rope, who takes a chance on G.L.O.W to help propel her to fame. Ruth must compete with former soap actress Debbie Eagan, played by Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie), who is returning to the scene after she left to have a baby. And all of the 14 women competing and starring on G.L.O.W will be lead by a beat down, washed up, former movie director named Sam Sylvia - played by stand-up comic Marc Maron (Maron, Almost Famous). 
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