TV #19 of 2019:
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, season 4
On the one hand, it’s a little frustrating that this is the second season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in a row to immediately walk back its lead-in cliffhanger. On the other hand, the batch of episodes that follows is probably the strongest since the first, and I really appreciate its overall message that your personal happiness doesn’t have to look like other people’s ideas of success. This series has always grappled honestly with issues of mental health — far more than the glib title would suggest — and it’s nice to get more of the healing side of that after the darkness and poor life choices of the year before. It’s also, as always, an incredibly funny program populated with all sorts of catchy original tunes.
Reintroducing/recasting a certain character is a gamble that pays off well, and the whole season builds confidently to a perfect moment of catharsis for its heroine. I’m gonna miss this quirky musical (even with its extensive songbook already loaded into my streaming library), but it’s a real thrill to see a show I love going out at the top of its game.
This season: ★★★★☆
Overall series: ★★★★☆
Season ranking: 1 > 4 > 2 > 3
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