ICYMI: Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon! Is Musical TV at Its Finest
Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+ TV Features What to Watch
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In comparison to the days of Glee and Smash, there is a surprising lack of musical TV series in our oversaturated media climate. There was this year’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, but it was unfortunately canceled and subsequently removed from Paramount+. And even though Only Murders in the Building did have a musical slant in Season 3, it’s just not the same. However, there is a shining beacon in the music-less ether, and that is Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon!, which aired its second season earlier this year.
The series, which comes from creators Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, follows couple Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) as they discover the secret world of Schmigadoon (a play on the classic musical Brigadoon), where their already-rocky relationship is put to the test thanks to the walking musical cliches that populate the town. After sorting through their communication issues, Melissa and Josh get married, but at the start of Season 2, they have grown dissatisfied with their relationship, and now venture once again in search of Schmigadoon. However, what they find instead is the seedy world of Schmicago (a la Chicago), where the characters are edgier, the streets are meaner, and the musical numbers are somehow even better.
Schmicago is, first and foremost, a genuine delight to behold. Airing across just six, half-hour episodes, the performances throughout the season pay homage to everything from Annie to Sweeney Todd to Jesus Christ Superstar, all in service of bringing Melissa and Josh back together once more. While the first season followed the couple as they fractured and split apart, the second season allows each of them to grow both separately and together. Melissa finds her confidence and her voice in the Cabaret-esque Kratt Klubb, meanwhile Josh hones his leadership skills during his time with a group of hippies hell-bent on creating change in Schmicago. A mustache-twisting villain in Octavius Kratt (Patrick Page) allows the series to lean even further into its theatrical references and undeniable camp, allowing multiple threads to converge by the time the finale rolls around.
More than anything, the performances (both acting and singing) are admirably ambitious, striking a close resemblance to the art of theater that the series lovingly lampoons. From the magnetism of Jane Krakowski in “Bells and Whistles” to the unhinged Sweeny Todd-Annie mashup of “Good Enough to Eat,” each musical number featured in Season 2 is a testament to the strength of the performers at their center, as well as the clever brilliance of the lyricists and choreographers. Even during the season’s most pared-down number, Strong’s performance of “Maybe It’s My Turn Now,” the star-power at the epicenter of the song is undeniable. While Strong is, of course, an incredible comedic talent who did iconic work on Saturday Night Live, Schmigadoon! is a showcase of the very best of her versatility, cementing her as a criminally underrated actress deserving of the spotlight this series provides. And in the more bombastic performances, Jane Krakowski, Kristen Chenoweth, Titus Burgess, and Dove Cameron all elevate the already catchy and moving musical numbers to even greater heights.
Even beyond its success both as a musical series and as a loving satire of the genre, Schmigadoon!’s hopeful storytelling gets to the heart of humanity at every turn, its grader musical ambitions tied to a relatively simple exploration of the human condition. While its musical moments may be eccentric and campy, the connection between Melissa and Josh grounds the series, especially in its second season. When the two of them are together, the series thrives, exploring in its first outing the fragmentation of relationships and the work it takes to maintain them, and in its second, examining the trials and tribulations of life itself, and the value of having someone by your side through those challenges. As the curtain closes on the second season, Schmigadoon! posits that life is meant to be difficult, but that working through those challenges with those we hold dearest are life’s finest moments—in spite of the momentary obstacles. In each season, when Melissa and Josh finally make their way back home from each magical, musical realm, they are always entering a world filled with anguish and fear, but also hope and love, each time reclaiming the beauty of uncertainty as they move into the next chapter of their lives together.
At its heart, Schmigadoon! is a love letter to humanity, to connection, and to the magic of theater and art. Its commentary on the value of music and theater bubbles just underneath the surface, as each musical moment allows Melissa, Josh, and the Schmigadoon/Schmicago denizens to explore their deepest desires through song. In its original weekly release schedule, its episodic delights emphasize the importance of each outsized musical number, but in a binge format (each season comes in at a quick 3 hours), Schmigadoon! feels more akin to its Broadway peers than a TV series. Its weekly hijinks become segments of its various acts, threading the needle of its overarching story in a way that feels built for the stage. But even in its similarities to traditional theater, its episodic charm is not lost along the way, remaining delightful in both formats.
Unfortunately, Schmigadoon! has yet to be renewed for Season 3, and that is a damn shame. This series is loving and heartfelt yet strikingly ambitious and real even in its sickeningly sweet hopefulness, and I would hate for this series to bow out before its time—it hasn’t even had the chance to satirize Cats yet! But even if Season 2 was Schmigadoon!’s final curtain call, the series remains one of TV’s best musical outings, and a show worth catching up on.
Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and her unshakable love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you can follow her @annagovert.
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