The first season of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was one of the biggest surprises of 2020 and easily ranked among my favorite shows of the year. It was filled with so much heart, joy, and emotion that it was infectious to watch. I love a good dramedy and I love a good musical show that knows how to utilize its musical numbers in unique, creative, and emotional ways. Everything about the first season of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was—pun intended—extraordinary, and I couldn’t have been more excited when a second season was confirmed. However, one big question lingered: could a second season maintain the energy, heart, and originality of the first without feeling stale? Well, having season the first three episodes of season two, I can safely say that the answer is a resounding yes! Season two of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is a perfect continuation of the first season. It pushes the story and characters into new exciting and emotional directions while maintaining the show’s heart, joy, and emotional introspection. (4.5 out of 5 wands.)
(NOTE: This review will be as spoiler-free as possible. However, your mileage may vary; read at your own risk.)
(more…)Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist – Season Two
In its second season, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” continues to explore the feelings we keep buried on the inside, the human impulse for connection and the undeniable healing power of music and dance. Following a tragedy, Zoey (Jane Levy) and the Clarke family begin to recalibrate and navigate their new normal. As she finds herself in a new dynamic at work and in her love life, Zoey’s musical powers will continue to both awkwardly complicate and inform her worldview as she attempts to rediscover joy and connect with those around her.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I love a good musical. There’s something that’s just so fun about musicals. Something so heartfelt about that. I’ll also be one of the first to admit that it’s incredibly difficult to pull off a TV show that’s also a musical. Musical films are a little easier to do, but musical shows seem unable to find a way to balance all of the necessary elements in a way that’s sustainable in the long term. Glee came the closest, but its writing quickly fizzled out after a few seasons and both SMASH and RISE failed to attract a large enough audience to justify their existence. But along comes Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, a show that owes a lot to those previous attempts at musical tv shows. Having seen the first four episodes of its first season, it seems that Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist might have found a way to balance all of the elements of a good musical with the necessary elements of a long-running TV show. But the question still remains if it can find an audience and/or maintain its quality writing and energy in the long term. All of that aside, these first four episodes are pretty darn good, though.