I can almost guarantee that there is no other show on TV today that is as ridiculous, funny, cringe-worthy, and intelligent as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The title itself put me off from even giving the show a chance two years ago. I was not going to invest time watching a show that victimized women or that highlighted how terrible her romantic relationships were for the comedic benefit of us viewers. However, after one really boring day of figuring out what to watch, I went on Netflix and pressed “play”. I was struck by how intelligent the show had crafted itself after the traditional archetype of a women terrible at finding love, but that elevated this story-line to develop a larger understanding of how all love bonds (relationship to parents, friends, etc.) inform and determine the look we seek from others and ultimately ourselves. The show takes on the genre of musical comedy to illustrate the emotional and mental processes that the leading character must undertake in order to escape the toxic relationships she has cultivated throughout the years. The show’s creators, Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, also do an incredible job at producing a show that features three original songs per episode to propel the story-line.
In the very first episode, we are introduced to Rebecca Bunch an ivy-league educated New York lawyer, with incredible intelligence and talent as an attorney, but who is generally miserable with the circumstances in her life. She accidentally bumps into her childhood sweetheart, Josh, on the street and during this encounter learns that he is moving back to West Covina, California. This encounter offers Rebecca a slight feeling of optimism and happiness during a time in her lifer where everything is grime. She finally decides to quit her job and move across the country to West Covina, California to follow Josh. This cringe-worthy decision might sound like its just another terrible romantic comedy, but as the show progresses you begin to see how this search for love and validation from men, starts a process to learn how to love herself. Moreover, the development of strong female friendships are not only notable, but admirable throughout the show.
In Rebecca Bunch’s journey to analyzing and determining how this concept of love has defined her life, the writer’s of the show are brilliantly able to touch upon subjects of childhood development, the relationship one has with their parents, to the states on mental health that each person must learn to deal with. The show takes the common phrase, “Crazy Ex,” and turns it on its head, to examine what one truly means by that word crazy.
There is so much to love about this show, but truly you will just need to give it a chance for yourself. In all of this show’s outlandishness, it remains relatable and resonant because as human beings we’re all still learning how to fortify healthy, stable loving relationships. This show offers its viewers a sense that you’re not alone, nor “crazy,” for making mistakes when going through this process.
-Justine Mekonen
The Junction Journal 