Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: "I Am Ashamed"

Premiered October 19, 2018

It's a few days before Halloween and Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) is happily munching on candy corn and decorating for the spooky season, when her friend Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) stops by and asks if she's been online at all today.

Rebecca learns that her recent mental health exploits,  like accidentally pushing someone off a roof and other not-so-good things from her past, have become fodder for a local gossip website. 

She's very upset by this and by the comments section on the article, but also acknowledges that most of what is being said happens to be true.   She experiences agoraphobia and is unable (or unwilling) to leave the house as she is afraid that everyone will judge & revile her. 

Her friends try to get her to come out to a special Halloween cemetery screening of Hocus Pocus - Kathy Najimy is even going to be there!  But even this is not enough to shake Rebecca out of her shame about her past. 

Rebecca receives a video message form her favorite witch:Kathy Najimy!

Additionally, the house that Rebecca and roomie Heather (Vella Lovell) are living in was the site of a grisly series of murders back in 2015.   Rebecca finds a book on the history of the town that has mysteriously fallen off the shelf and opened to an account of the murders.  She decides that this is a sign from the spirit of Devon Lee (Valerie Yu) - one of the murder victims whose demise was rather ... messy and embarrassing.

She enlists the enthusiastic aid of Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) and holds a seance to contact the spirit of  Devon.   Heather and Paula are less enthusiastic about the prospect, but play along because they love their friend and want to do what they can to help snap her out of her agoraphobia.

Meanwhile, back at the law firm where Rebecca worked,  Halloween costumed drama is brewing between Nathaniel (Scott Michael Foster) and no-longer-silent-partner Bert (Michael Hitchcock).

Additionally,  Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) finds a koala bear costume for Darryl's (Pete Gardner) baby Heabecca,  and White Josh (David Hull) -- who hates Halloween -- gets roped into babysitting and handing out candy to trick or treaters.

Josh dresses up as a "weatherman" for Halloween!

Will Rebecca and Valencia make contact with Devon's spirit?  Will Nathaniel find dirt he can use against Bert?   Will there be dancing in a graveyard with J. Castleman (Patton Oswalt)?

RigbyMel says:

Full disclosure:  I was super-excited to learn there was going to be a Halloween episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.  One of my favorite TV shows taking on one of my favorite holidays, what could be better?1?  I was delighted that "I Am Ashamed" did not disappoint.

Vampire Paula!

I loved the way that the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend writers used the Halloween setting to highlight that sometimes the scariest things of all are things from our past that haunt us.

Maya (Esther Povitsky) dresses up as Katy Bear-y!  Get it?

This show is a musical, and the episode's 2 songs are great.  "Seize The Day" is a peppy number that's ultimately about Rebecca's inability to do so and we get a great "Monster Mash" takeoff in the form of "The Cringe," a song about foot-in-mouth moments set in a graveyard.

Patton Oswalt returns as creepy cemetery guard J. Castleman and does a creditable Bobby "Boris" Pickett impression.  Plus, the choreography and costuming are just fabulous.  Take a look, you won't regret it! :



I also love that other Halloween accoutrements are woven in, such as the "Friendtopia" favorite Hocus Pocus, seances,  ghosts, and costumes. 

Moreover, everything ties into Rebecca's journey to becoming a better person with all the "two steps forward, four steps back" that this sometimes entails.

Darryl's daughter Madison (Olivia Edward) goes trick or treating dressed as "Snailor Swift."

"I Am Ashamed" is a fun episode of a great series and it (and the whole Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series) is highly recommended.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 jack o'lanterns!

J.A. Morris says:
I don't have a lot to add, I'm in agreement with my co-blogger about "I Am Ashamed."  It's an excellent Halloween episode of a great series.

Tim (Michael McMillian) REALLY gets into the Halloween spirit! 

All the principles in the main cast are great and Patton Oswalt makes a very memorable guest appearance.  "The Cringe" is one of the best songs written for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and that's really saying something.

This episode also contains a brief cameo by Hocus Pocus star Kathy Najimy.  Her cameo is literally phoned in:

I loved "I Am Ashamed" when it first aired a year ago and I believe it'll be part of my annual Halloween viewing in the future.

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 jack o'lanterns!

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “My Mom, Greg’s Mom, and Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves”

Premiered November 30, 2015.

“Man, the holidays blow when you're old.  I'm not even allowed to sit on Santa's lap anymore.”
-Josh Chan

As Hanukkah approaches, Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) is preparing for her a holiday visit from her mother Naomi (Tovah Feldshuh).  Since her mother is Jewish, Rebecca takes down all her Christmas decorations...

 and replaces them with symbols of Hanukkah.

She is afraid her judgmental mother will not approve of her friends and her new life in West Covina, California.  Rebecca most definitely doesn’t want Naomi to know she gave up her high-paying job in New York and moved to West Covina in romantic pursuit of Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III).

She is also hoping that her mother will give her the Garfinkel ring, a family heirloom.

Elsewhere, Josh tells his friend Greg (Santino Fontana) that he no longer enjoys the holiday season because he has too many adult responsibilities, like working double-shifts at his job.

Greg isn’t happy either, he’s dreading the annual lavish "Christmas Eve Eve" dinner at his mother Shawna’s (Mel Harris) home in Beverly Hills.  He believes Shawna left him when he was a kid and has never forgiven her.

Greg later runs into (Rebecca’s neighbor) Heather (Vella Lovell), who is working as an elf at the mall. Heather says she loves big holiday gatherings and wants to attend the dinner.  Greg agrees to bring Heather, so someone besides him can witness his mother’s monstrosity.

Will Naomi blow up at Rebecca and ruin their Hanukkah celebration?  Can Greg make it through dinner at his mother’s house?  Will Josh find a way to enjoy the holiday season?

Plus, Darryl (Pete Gardner) gets upset when he’s the only one in the office who is observing National Christmas Sweater Day!

RigbyMel says:

This episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend leans into holiday anxieties and contrasts between childhood and adulthood.   Rebecca desperately wants to impress her mother and is willing to go to extremes with her “level 5 Mom pleaser” tendencies. 

She goes so far as to enlist her best friend Paula to pretend to be a British Jew in order to impress Naomi.   In point of fact,  Donna Lynn Champlin -- who plays Paula -- hits this scene out of the park!  “Tea and matzo, anyone?”

Greg is dealing with familial awkwardness of a different sort and his feelings about his mom turn out to be unwarranted.  Heather has to shake him out of his lack of appreciation in her inimitable deadpan fashion -- plus she gets to enjoy free food. “The whole reason I came here was because I thought you were cute and they were going to be terrible.  But YOU’RE terrible and they’re cute.”

Josh grows up a bit when he learns that a group of teenage hip-hop dancers worship him as "Mr. Chan," since he danced for the same dance troupe in high school.  This makes it easier for him to enjoy the holiday season.

The holiday setting provides great opportunity for songs (the show IS a musical, after all) - including Tovah Feldshuh’s klezmer inflected “Where’s The Bathroom?” and the appropriately Beach Boys-esque “California Christmastime,” which features the entire cast singing and dancing its way through the West Covina Mall.

“My Mom, Greg’s Mom, and Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves” is charming, witty and hilarious and is highly recommended as is the entire Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series.

RigbyMel’s rating:

3 and a half candy canes and 3 and a half dreidels. 

J.A. Morris says: 

I agree with most of what my co-blogger wrote.  This is one of my favorite episodes of this great series. 

One thing I appreciate about “My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!” is that I think it could work as a good introduction to the series, which isn't always the case with holiday episodes.  The storylines about difficult family interactions and holidays being less fun as we age are certainly relatable to a lot of people.  So this episode can be enjoyed without knowing all the backstories of the characters.

It’s also nice to see another holiday episode that includes Hanukkah and acknowledges that not everyone celebrates Christmas.

Both songs in the episode are very catchy and funny.  “California Christmastime” has become one of my favorite modern Christmas songs.  The closing performance of the song always makes me smile and it’s been on my holiday playlist every year since this episode aired.

And Tovah Feldshuh's performance of "Where's The Bathroom" is hilarious.

As the episode's title promises, Vincent Rodriquez III, who plays Josh, gets to show off his "sweet dance moves."

Fans of the 1980s series thirtysomething will appreciate that Greg’s mother Shawna is played by Mel Harris, who played Hope Murdoch Steadman on that series.

"My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!” is highly recommended for all fans of Christmas and Hanukkah programming and it gets my highest rating  If you’re not already a fan of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, this episode will make you a fan!

J.A. Morris’ rating:

4 dreidels and 4 candy canes!

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “My First Thanksgiving With Josh!”

Premiered November 15, 2015

"It's the holidays, Paula.  People don't always get what they want." 
- Rebecca Bunch

Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) has recently re-located to West Covina, California to stalk Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III).  She and Josh had a relationship ten years earlier during summer camp.

Thanksgiving is approaching and Rebecca isn't looking forward to spending turkey day with her mother in New York.  She runs into Josh and hears that his entire family is coming to town for Thanksgiving.  Rebecca is envious and wishes she was spending the holiday with Josh and his family.

However, Josh is in a relationship with mean girl Valencia Perez (Gabrielle Ruiz), his girlfriend since high school.  Valencia doesn't get along with Josh's family because they think she's "dumb."  Every time she visits the Chan family, Valencia and Josh almost break up.

Rebecca's friend from work, Paula (Donna Lynn Champlin) sees the tension between Valencia and the Chan family as a "boulder" they can use to crush Valencia and Josh's romance.

As Thanksgiving approaches, Paula arranges for Rebecca to literally bump into Josh's mother Lourdes (Amy Hill) at a grocery store.  Rebecca and Paula tell Josh's mom that Rebecca  has no where to go for Thanksgiving dinner.  They mention Rebecca's Ivy League education and Lourdes invites Rebecca to dinner.

Before leaving for the Chans' house, Paula outfits Rebecca with an owl broach.  It contains a video camera and microphone that will allow Paula to remotely watch Rebecca's triumph.

At Thanksgiving dinner, everyone enjoys Rebecca's presence.  She's the life of the party. 

As she sings in one of the show's musical numbers,  Rebecca "Gives Good Parent."  Josh even comments that she's making his father smile, something that rarely occurs.

The exception is Valencia, who sees right through the charade and accuses Rebecca of sucking up.  Valencia tells Rebecca that she should forget about ever getting back together with Josh.

Meanwhile, Rebecca's maybe/maybe not other love interest/Josh's friend Greg (Santino Fontana) plans to quit his bar tending job and go back to business school, but a family emergency may well get in the way.

How will the Thanksgiving festivities pan out?   Will Rebecca and Paula succeed in pushing Valencia out of Josh's heart?

J.A. Morris says:
For those who haven't seen it, I should mention Crazy Ex-Girlfriend features elaborate song-and-dance numbers in every episode.

This a great episode of one of my favorite current series.  In Thanksgiving episodes, it's common for characters to dread the holiday and the family gathering. However, in "My First Thanksgiving With Josh," Rebecca goes out of her way to weasel an invitation and has a good time at Thanksgiving dinner, until...well, I won't spoil the ending.  Let's just say that after charming the Chans, Rebecca's Thanksgiving takes a turn for the worse.

The high point is Rachel Bloom's performance of the song "I Give Good Parent."  Bloom dances in a turkey costume with "Pilgrim" back up dancers!  It's a sight to behold.

I also appreciated the jokes that centered on the National Dog Show, which has become a Thanksgiving television tradition.  Rebecca mentions that she normally spends the holiday with her mother "body shaming dogs."

If there's anything wrong with this episode, it's that the subplot that focuses on Rebecca's on-again/off-again boyfriend Greg takes time away from the Thanksgiving portion.

I don't know that I'll watch this episode every November, but it's fun and worth watching at least once.

J.A. Morris' rating:

3 and a half pumpkin pies.

RigbyMel says:
This is a fun episode of an excellent series.   As tends to happen in real life, holidays like Thanksgiving often tend to kick interpersonal drama up a notch.    In this episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,  we get to see that Turkey Day doesn't turn out so well for any of its main characters.   Rebecca horns into the object of her affection Josh's family celebration  in an attempt to break up his relationship with Valencia but things do not go quite as planned.     Her on-again-off-again friend/love interest Greg also experiences a rough Thanksgiving of being stuck at work and caring for his sick father.   Paula is vicariously joining in on Rebecca's adventures (with the aid of an owl shaped brooch that also happens to be a camera) rather than engage with her own family and disappointments.

 
So there are THREE Thanksgiving celebrations at play here as well as songs ... and poop jokes.  Many shows struggle to make an A story and a  B story work well without throwing in musical numbers, so kudos to the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend writers for pulling off an impressive balancing act.

As in any good musical,  the original songs in this episode are well written and tell us something about the characters and/or plot.    Rebecca's "I Give Good Parent" song is VERY funny, but also tells us a lot about Rebecca and her plans to kiss up to Josh's family with her authentic Filipino dish with an eye to destroying Josh and Valencia's relationship.   The song is all about what she visualizes as happening and bears only a limited resemblance to what actually happens.

This notion of what we visualize for ourselves vs. what actually happens in life is mirrored in Greg's solo song "What'll It Be"  is both a clever take on "Piano Man" AND an expression of Greg's frustration at feeling trapped in a dead-end job and not being able to do what he feels he needs to do to get on with his life. 

That being said,  neither song would work if we didn't have well-written, flawed and interesting characters making their way through good, thoughtful stories surrounding them.   

"My First Thanksgiving With Josh!" is a good holiday episode that both adheres to and slightly subverts Thanksgiving tropes (such as uncomfortable times with family and/or friends and cooking).  Fans of the series will definitely enjoy this episode -- if you're new to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend though, I'd suggest starting from the beginning so you can get your bearings.  Trust me, you'll be glad you did!

RigbyMel's rating:

3 pumpkin pies