When it comes to televised content, musicals can be a tough sell.
Many of you will remember the ill-fated ABC series “Cop Rock” that ABC unleashed on the public in 1990. It was a police procedural wrapped in a musical (from the creator of “NYPD Blue”).
I recently reviewed Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger’s memoir “The Ride of Lifetime” and he talked about his decision to greenlight (and ultimately cancel) “Cop Rock” when he was president of ABC’s entertainment division.
In recent years, musicals have seen a resurgence at the theatrical box office. Movies like “La La Land” (read my review) and “The Greatest Showman” (read my review) have found enthusiastic audiences at multiplexes around the globe.
It is in that spirit that NBC has launched the new series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.”
Bridget and I thought this one looked cute when we saw the promos for it last winter. The pilot episode was on Hulu in January (a month before the show’s launch) and it showed a lot of promise.
We just sat down and spent the past week finishing the 12-episode first season.
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” follows Zoey Clarke (Jane Levy), a coder for smart device company SPRQ Point (located in San Francisco).
Zoey is gearing up to apply for an engineering manager position at SPRQ Point as the show begins. The self-effacing programmer doesn’t see herself in a managerial role as she interviews with boss Joan Bennett (Lauren Graham).
“I’m not really comfortable with anything,” Zoey tells Joan. “That’s why I became a coder.”
In addition to her work life, Zoey also juggles family demands. Her father Mitch (Peter Gallagher) suffers from a rare neurological disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Her mother Maggie (Mary Steenburgen) cares for her husband and keeps the family’s landscaping business going.
On a visit to see her father, Zoey complains of headaches and eye pain to her mother. Maggie suggests Zoey get an MRI to alleviate her concerns.
So she does.
During the procedure, an earthquake causes the MRI machine to malfunction. At the same moment, the technician's Spotify playlist goes haywire and plays dozens of songs simultaneously (bookended by the R.E.M. song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”).
Afterward, Zoey “sees” other people expressing their emotions through musical performances (featuring pop songs and dance routines). At first, she finds herself experiencing the innermost thoughts of random people. Eventually, her mind hones in on specific targets.
Levy is no stranger to series television (she starred on the ABC sitcom “Suburgatory”) and crafts a likable protagonist.
It would have been easy for series creator Austin Winsberg to position her as an angst-filled hipster. They manage to avoid millennial cliches. Zoey has a likable vibe and look (her wardrobe includes jean jackets and an endless supply of sweaters).
“I am a mutant,” Zoey says of her ability. “I am the X-Men meets ‘The Voice.’”
In many respects, Levy’s character shares a certain kinship with Emma Stone’s character Mia in “La La Land” — a young professional trying to find her place in the world.
Speaking of “La La Land,” I have to believe that movie served as some sort of inspiration for “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Whether it was intentional or not, both shows share similar DNA.
As a result, the show might elicit strong opinions one way or the other.
The series is planted firmly in the “dramedy” genre, navigating through the show's funny, poignant, and serious moments with relative ease. The writers manage to strike a fairly good balance in this first season.
An undercurrent flowing through the plot involves Zoey figuring out whether or not she has feelings for co-workers Max Richman (Skylar Astin) and Simon Haynes (John Clarence Stewart).
One of the better supporting characters is Howie (Zak Orth). The rumpled caregiver of Zoey’s father proves to be grounded and likable (and has a nice little plot thread involving his deaf daughter Abigail — played by Sandra Mae Frank).
Through all of her musical exploits, Zoey finds a confidante “sounding board” in neighbor Mo (Alex Newell), a DJ who lives across the hall in her apartment complex.
One of the strengths of the show is the clever way they found to incorporate music into the story. Zoey finds her new ability as awkward as we do, and it allows viewers to willfully suspend their disbelief. The musical numbers make sense in the overall flow, and work better than they did in a show like Fox’s “Glee.”
The dance scenes are choreographed by Samantha Jo “Mandy” Moore (who also choreographed the dance sequences in “La La Land”). Moore also serves as a producer on the series.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but one of the highlights for me was “The Boy is Mine” musical sequence from the 10th episode (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst”).
Overall, I had a good time watching “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” I thought it was a nice change of pace from the standard network, cable, and streaming fare these days.
Stay with it. It is a show that takes a few episodes to find its beat, but when it does, it is a pretty compelling mix.
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