Out of the ashes of 30 Rock (RIP, you sweet prince), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt arrives with Tina Fey credentials and probably way-too-heightened expectations.
To recap: I love 30 Rock, its whiplash comedic pace (i.e., pause every thirty seconds to laugh), and it cast of strange, zany characters that go just over the top enough to tell you it’s not real. 30 Rock was one of those shows like Arrested Development, which somehow linger in the realm between fanbase and cancellation until, one day, they just sail away and leave seven seasons of fun to which we return ever so often. However, you couldn’t keep that kind of show going on its way forever; that quality of writing doesn’t emerge all that often, and to rush it would feel wrong. So it is 30 Rock finally bit the bullet.
Then Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt comes along, on Netflix of all places; even so, it still feels like an NBC show. Apparently, NBC dumped it onto Netflix, and they saw a winner, thereby ordering two more seasons. The world is a strange place!
So, could we consider it as good as Fey’s previous creation? “Different” would seem more accurate to me. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt obviously has elements of a hyperreal fantasy land when it comes to the way people interact, along with some jokes, but I would consider it much more grounded than its predecessor. Well, excepting the premise, which may be one of the most absurd premises I’ve ever heard for a sitcom. We 29-year old Kimmy Schmidt as she adjusts to life in New York City after her rescue from an Indiana doomsday cult (which believes they caused the Apocalypse by their “dumbness”). The pilot opens with her rescue from the cult’s underground bunker, where Kimmy and three other women were held with the Reverend for fifteen years.
The “mole women”, as they’re called by the media, mostly shuffle off to Indiana, but not Kimmy; she decides to stay in New York and try to live life outside in the “real world”, so to speak. With a middle school education and tens of thousands of dollars in her bright pink backpack, what could possibly go wrong, right? If anyone was perfect for the role of “naive protagonist who exclaims wonder at all the things she doesn’t know about”, Ellie Kemper fits the bill. She did it in The Office’s US version as a secretary, and then again in Bridesmaids, but this role was seemingly designed for her from the ground up. She plays the part pitch perfect, making her seem determined without being completely, utter bananas (as 30 Rock tended to do with all of its caricatures…I mean, characters!). Plus, could anyone look happier playing a role like this? I think not… Liz Lemon is like the exact opposite character, which is what makes the transition interesting!
So, she ends up finding rooming with D’Fwan (from 30 Rock), here having an actual character and name, Tituss. I suppose we could say the term “gay roommate” is super, super overplayed in the sitcom space right about now, and I’m unsure what to think of him just yet. He neatly fits into every possible easy comedy stereotypes for the moment, which is somewhat predictable, but maybe things will change? It’s great seeing Carol Kane as the landlord, because what is Carol Kane NOT funny in, really? She has to play somewhat understated, but they gave her some great jokes so far. As well, Jane Krakowski appears yet again with the same vapid, narcissistic, self-important woman who is just awesome at all times. It does have the makings of a pretty great ensemble cast just from a glance.
The writing obviously has a lot to do with this, retaining the same wit from 30 Rock for a different end. Nothing seems as fast-paced as that show, but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (man is this name long) drives a serialized plot forward using the actions of its characters. Events derive naturally from what’s happening to the people on screen, rather than the hilarities of artifice. This, I think, is a welcome change of pace, since everything just occurs as a natural result of the previous things and not because it was just “funny”. Obviously, the occasional absurd joke seemed too good to pass up (horses, for example, being let free in the middle of New York City without anyone noticing, along with doll furniture…don’t ask), but everything stays surprisingly straight.
I’m curious why the cult part even exists, though, and I imagine that’s due to ignorance from only watching one episode. We still have no idea how Kimmy ended up in the cult at age 14 (ew), nor anything about her past. We only know her as determined to do whatever it takes to succeed. I assume this show will get much more complex as we proceed forward, though keeping comedic momentum at the same time might prove a difficult gambit for anyone. Still, I’m hopeful the show will take some unexpected directions, and novelty is really all I want, not a 30 Rock copycat.
Of course, these are all just observations from watching exactly one episode of the 13 episodes in the first season. At least it doesn’t seem to suffer from what I affectionately call “Netflix binge syndrome”, where people suddenly believe they can write overly long, badly paced television shows just because you can stream it. This first season clearly functions well on normal television, but will the lack of constraints keep things punchy for the next? Are the characters actually complex, or do first impressions deceive? What made Kimmy Schdmit Unbreakable, anyway? I suppose time will tell!
