This year, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend produced one of the single most creative seasons of television I’ve ever seen. That’s why it’s extremely unfortunate that the show stumbled for the first time in what should be its finest hour: its season finale.
Season finales are special because they have the luxury of bringing all the year’s arcs together into one satisfying crescendo, and yet, this finale fizzled out in almost every way imaginable How did THAT happen?
Maybe it’s the fact that this ender was just so terribly predictable; was anyone here even surprised that Josh finally fell for Rebecca after Greg came into the picture? Crazy impressed me this year because it kept subverting my expectations at every turn; every time I thought the show was going one direction, it would make a full-on swerve and go someplace totally new. But this finale insisted on taking the easy way out, and left little room for surprises or any manner of bold storytelling.
The show tried to bring everyone together using the Chan wedding, and yet it felt like every scene kept dragging on and on, placing greater emphasis on Greg getting tipsy that anything more meaningful or worthwhile. The performances across the board were on point, but the writing left a lot to be desired. It was just all tremendously forgettable and meaningless.
But the highlight of the entire episode? Paula’s absolutely incredible (and tremendously angry) musical number. I loved everything about her musical rant, and if nothing else, Donna Champlin proved herself this season as the show’s MVP. Every single one of her scenes this season was incredible, perfectly encapsulating her unhinged loyalty to Rebecca and adorable obsessiveness. Plus the song allowed the hilarious character to recount every sneaky trick she pulled off Rebecca’s favor this season. Simply hysterical!
Also, as much as this finale annoyed me (Paula’s performance excluded), I will say that I loved the final moment with Rebecca getting everything she ever wanted (sex on the hood of a car with Josh), only to ruin it all by revealing she moved to West Covina for Josh. The look on his face? Absolutely priceless.
Bits & Ballads
– Hilarious moment: Valencia’s mini dance after Josh says he’ll start shopping for a ring.
– So did Greg really fart? How bizarre and oddly-placed.
– I was extremely amused by Rebecca “running into” Josh’s mom and getting herself re-invited to the wedding by giving that expensive gift.
– Odd but so very funny: the bird speaking and calling Rebecca a bitch.
– Darryl and White Josh were definitely a surprising highlight this season. More of them next season please!
– I died when Rebecca and Paula hugged each other and start giving each other sea princess compliments.
– The admittedly cool thing about Valencia and Josh’s fight is that they’re both somewhat right. He feels she doesn’t listen, and she really waited a long time for him.
– I don’t get why Rebecca didn’t sing a single song in the finale. Seriously? The aunt’s cheesy Disney tune was way too much for me.
– I know it wasn’t in the finale, but I have to praise that one scene a few episodes back in which Paula narrated the show’s theme song in a very organic manner as she fought with her husband. That was the most brilliant thing I’ve seen on TV all year, and that’s what makes this show so special. Watch it on repeat here!
Covina Quips
Paula: Rebecca, under Lourdes Chan’s car is a tracking device that is keyed into a beeper in my desk at the office. I had to smuggle that device in from Armenia. I know where that woman is every hour of every day.
Paula: Want to know all the things I’ve done for you? ♪ I broke into Josh’s old high school ♪ ♪ and made copies of all his grades ♪ ♪ I “bumped into” Lourdes at Starbucks ♪ ♪ and suggested you be a bridesmaid ♪ ♪ I blackmailed Valencia’s boss ♪ ♪ so now I control when she teaches ♪ ♪ that’s right, I make yoga class schedules ♪
Paula: After everything I’ve done for you ♪ ♪ that you didn’t ask for ♪ ♪ the least you can do is be honest with your mother ♪ ♪ I mean, friend ♪
Paula: You’re nothing without me ♪ ♪ and my creativity ♪ ♪ I created you ♪ ♪ you lived in my womb ♪ ♪ I mean, figuratively ♪
Heather: Okay, dude, so the moment you’re craving isn’t anchored in real emotion. It’s a script dictated to you by our society’s patriarchal love narrative.
Rebecca: Wow, that’s fascinating. Did you learn that in school?
Heather: No, actually that’s from this month’s Glamor.
Aunt: This is my gift to her. As God gifted me with my voice. Basically, I’m giving her a gift from God.
Mom: She’s registered. She needs dish towels.
Rebecca: So, I used your Armenian tracking device to follow Lourdes, and it worked like a dream.
Rebecca: Today you are gonna tell Greg that you want to start a life together, and it’s gonna be perfect. God, pep talks into a mirror do nothing but enhance the loneliness.
Conclusion
Predictable and far from exciting, this season finale was an unfortunate disappointment and ironically, the first low point of an almost-perfect season.
Nad Rating
C