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

1776

Premiered November 17, 1972

"A rebellion is always legal in the first person, such as "our rebellion."  It is only in the third person - "their rebellion" - that it becomes illegal." - Benjamin Franklin

We're going to depart from our normal format here on the presumption that most people have some understanding of the basic events of the American Revolution.

John Adams exhorts members of the Second Congress to "Vote For Independency!"

1776 is a musical film (based upon the 1969 stage musical of the same title) which dramatizes the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The story is framed around the Second Continental Congress with a focus on John Adams (as portrayed by William Daniels), Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard), and Benjamin Franklin (Howard DaSilva).

Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams contemplating the prospect of a new nation

RigbyMel says:

At first glance, it might seem incongruous to have chosen to treat the subject of the Declaration of Independence in a musical format,  but it works surprisingly well.

The stage version is definitely evident in the way 1776 was filmed.

Portions of the dialogue and some of the song lyrics are taken directly from things said or written by various participants in the Second Continental Congress.  The songs and the way the plot is structured serve to highlight the drama and debate involved in the decision to declare independence from the British crown.

That being said, 1776 should not be read as any sort of documentary film.  There is a lot of artistic license taken.   For instance, since the action takes place entirely in Philadelphia and mostly indoors, we need an antagonist, and John Dickinson of Pennsylvania (portrayed in the film by Donald Madden) becomes the primary villain for dramatic purposes.

John Dickinson vs. John Adams in the film

Dickinson did take a much more cautious approach to independence and abstained from voting to ratify the Declaration, but his objections were much more nuanced than his film portrayal would suggest.

The film incarnation of Dickinson leads the conservatives in singing "Cool, Considerate Men."

What 1776 does exceptionally well is to humanize the Founding Fathers and to unpack some of the major issues of the time.

For example,  we get this exchange between John Adams and Ben Franklin:

Adams:  "Mark me, Franklin ... if we give in on this issue [the question of slavery], posterity will never forgive us."
Franklin: "That's probably true, but we won't hear a thing, we'll be long gone.  Besides, what would posterity think we were?  Demi-gods?  We're men, no more, no less, trying to get a nation started .., First things first, John.  Independence,  America.  If we don't secure that, what difference will the rest make?"

"Virginia abstains." - Jefferson is less than pleased that he hasn't seen his wife in over 6 months. 

We also are shown that the Founders ... gasp! ... missed their wives and families and were separated from them for extended periods of time in service of the new nation.

There are only 2 roles for women in the film --  Adam's wife Abigail (Virginia Vestoff) appears via dramatized versions of the letters the two exchanged,  and Jefferson's wife Martha (Blythe Danner) serves as muse to her husband making a(n entirely fictional) journey to Philadelphia to (*ahem*) encourage him to write.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie involves the Declaration Committee's song "But, Mr. Adams" which involves Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Roger Sherman (Rex Robbins) and Robert Livingston (John Myhers) bickering over who will actually do the writing of the declaration whilst dancing up and down on the staircase of what is now known as "Independence Hall" -- a hilariously preposterous take on a serious subject.

"Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, refuse to use the pen!" 

Don't they look happy to not be the primary authors?

Another scene that is anything but funny but no less powerful is the "Molasses to Rum" song performed by Edward Rutledge of South Carolina (as played by John Cullum), which indicts the hypocrisy inherent in the northerners' opposition to the slave trade at the time since they, too, profited from the Triangle Trade.

If you only know John Cullum's work from Northern Exposure, ER or Mad Men,  it's well worth seeing his performance to hear what an amazing baritone voice he has and why he has been nominated for and won several Tony Awards over the years!

Richard Henry Lee (Ron Holgate) and friend.

From a pop culture history perspective, it is also interesting to note that the fountain that makes an appearance in "The Lees of Old Virginia" (a comedic showcase featuring Richard Henry Lee as played by Ron Holgate) can still be found on the Warner Studios back lot.   You may also recognize this fountain from the opening credits of 1990s TV sitcom favorite Friends!

Does this fountain look familiar? 

The same fountain as it appeared in the opening credits of Friends!

I was introduced to 1776 thanks to showings on cable TV in the mid to late 1980s.  I've geekily re-enacted bits of it on the staircase of Independence Hall and even did a song from it (Martha Jefferson's "He Plays The Violin") for my senior vocal recital in the mid-1990s.

RigbyMel (right) and her little brother doing our own version of a number from 1776 on a visit to the real Independence Hall!

The musical holds a special place in my heart and it continues to be required 4th of July viewing in our house.

Lobby card for the film

RigbyMel's rating:

4 American Flags!

Easter Parade

Hannah Brown:Oh look, the Easter Parade, isn't it beautiful?
Don Hewes:It's all right if you like Easter Parades.

Premiered June 30, 1948

Don Hewes (Fred Astaire), a Broadway star and showman, is walking through New York, exchanging wishes of "Happy Easter" with passersby.  Don visits his girlfriend and co-star Nadine Hale (Ann Miller). He's shocked when Nadine tells him she's leaving their dancing team ("Nadine & Hewes") and won't be going on tour with him. Nadine has received an offer to headline her own show. Don pleads with her, but she has already signed a contract to star in another production.

Nadine breaks up (professionally & personally) with Don.

Their mutual friend Johnny (Peter Lawford) also tries to get Nadine to stay with Don, but she rebuffs him too. It also appears that Nadine is attracted to Johnny and vice versa.

Don is crushed, until he finds showgirl Hannah Brown (Judy Garland) and believes she can replace Nadine. He offers her $100 a week to be his dance partner and tells her to come meet him for rehearsal later.

On Easter Sunday,their first rehearsal doesn't go well, Hannah is having trouble telling the difference between her left and right feet. Afterwards, they walk outside and stumble on the Easter Parade. Nadine is there too, she's is getting more attention than anyone else. Don tells Hannah that he will make her a huge star and that in next year's Easter Parade, Hannah will be the object of everyone's interest.

Later, Hannah gets caught in a rainstorm and meets Johnny, who helps her find shelter.  Johnny is immediately attracted to Hannah and decides to pursue her.  But Johnny is simultaneously pursuing Nadine.  Don also seems to be noticing Hannah, so a "love quadrangle" is created.

Can Don make Hannah a star? Will they fall in love? Will Nadine and Johnny get in the way of Don and Hannah, professionally and/or romantically?  Will Hannah be the star of next year's Easter Parade?

J.A. Morris says:

I'll state up front that I generally don't like musicals. There are a few exceptions, though, and this is one. Easter Parade contains 11 song and dance performances, only one ("The Girl on the Magazine Cover") feels pointless. The story is basically an excuse to showcase the production numbers, sandwiched between two Easter Parades.  And if you're going to watch a musical, you can't do better than one that stars Astaire and Garland with songs by Irving Berlin!

The absolute high point of the film comes when Astaire performs "Steppin' Out With My Baby".  Astaire dances with dozens of dancers in this show-stopping production number.  Director Charles Waters  does a great job super-imposing a slow-motion Astaire near the end of the scene. 

In addition to the classic title song, the film opens with Astaire singing a song called "Happy Easter".  I enjoyed that song and I'm sorry it never caught on as an "Easter song". 

Despite their 20+year age difference, Garland and Astaire have great chemistry.  It takes a little while for them to fall in love and it doesn't feel forced.

Ann Miller is also good in her role as Nadine.  She plays a somewhat thankless role, since she's an obstacle between Don and Hannah getting together.  Miller is not as well remembered as other stars of classic musicals, but this film shows that she was a fantastic dancer.  Miller's performance of "Shakin' The Blues Away" is another highlight of the movie.

Nadine shakes "the blues away".

Rounding out the main cast is Peter Lawford, who performs solid work as Johnny.  And Jules Munshin (best remembered as Ozzie in On the Town) has some funny scenes as Francois the maître d'.  

Francois tells Hannah & Don how "Salad Francois" is made.

Easter Parade is a classic Hollywood musical.  It's available on dvd, streams on Amazon and is probably the only "Easter" movie that has aired on television at Easter time for as long as I can remember, which makes it the "Citizen Kane" of Easter movies!  This movie is strongly recommended for fans of musicals and non-fans (like me!) alike!

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 Easter Eggs!  

RigbyMel says:

Unlike J.A. Morris, I am a fan of musicals generally.  Easter Parade is a very fun film to watch.  It falls more into the "musical revue" category, combining music, dance and vignettes -  the songs are there because they are great songs, not so much because they further the plot or give much in the way of character development. That being said, the film's plot carries convincingly throughout and the romance between Astaire and Garland's characters develops in an interesting and un-forced way, making this a cut above the average revue-type show.   

The production numbers are pretty wonderful and the dancing is amazing.  Some of the song and dance numbers are reminiscent of some numbers in Singin' In The Rain, which may or may not have something to do with Arthur Freed serving as producer for both films. (For example,  compare the vaudeville scenes in both films -  "Fit As A Fiddle" from Singin' In The Rain is quite similar to "The Ragtime Violin" in Easter Parade in terms of staging.  Both films also feature bits where magazine cover type images are staged with live models.)  I think one of my  favorite bits of the film is the "Drum Crazy" number.  The "We're A Couple of Swells" number is also great, silly fun.  You can't really go wrong with Irving Berlin music performed by luminaries like Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.     

This is a film well worth adding to your Easter viewing list.  

RigbyMel's rating:

 





4 Easter eggs