A whimsical musical comedy that mostly works

Schmigadoon! is a light-hearted comedy that parodies musical theatre using the format it satirizes. A New York couple trying to rekindle their relationship through an outdoor camping excursion stumble upon an idyllic town straight out of a Broadway musical set in pre-war, midwestern America. These outsiders, Melissa and Josh, are welcomed in whimsical songs (sometimes to their chagrin) and learn about love while also making an imprint on the townspeople with their modern, inclusive ideas.

Featuring stars from stage and screen, such as Tony-award winter Aaron Tveit and Emmy winner Fred Armisen, this show tells a delightful story with homages to beloved productions such as Oklahoma and Sound of Music. The show contains plenty of talent to go around, with a cast that includes Broadway and film stars such as Kristin Chenowith and Jane Krakowski. The two leads, Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, may have been chosen more for their popularity in comedy and television than their vocal proficiency. Still, they hit the perfect balance of disillusionment and enchantment.

The show effectively contrasts the modern liberal values exuded by the hero and heroine and the traditional values held by the lively but uptight townspeople. To me, however, the execution of this tension ultimately becomes its biggest weakness.

Some of the show’s humour stems from the dissimilarity between people who like musicals and people who don’t, manifested in Melissa’s adoration of musical theatre tropes and Josh’s discomfort with spontaneous song. Having a constant background chorus ready to turn their relationship into a gleeful diddy or dance brings out their underlying issues.

The satirical songs also reveal how tension can arise in those nostalgic for past musicals: they don’t always hold up to contemporary values around gender inclusivity, racial equality and sex positivity. For instance, one song escalates into squirmy territory when the chorus cheerfully enacts domestic violence. Even with chipper lyrics about consent, the casual treatment of aggression towards woman is reminiscent of well-loved movies with troubling scenes, such as Eliza Doolittle being stripped and shoved into a bath in My Fair Lady.

Another source of tension arises in the town’s rejection of an unmarried couple who are expecting. The doctor refuses to support them for fear of being seen as supporting extramarital sex, so OBGYN Melissa gladly steps in. Riffing on Roger and Hammerstein’s “Do-Re-Mi,” Melissa teaches them the anatomically correct terminology for the birds and the bees in a knee-slapping scene that could find a home in sex-ed classes.

The strength of the show lies in the sharp contrast between contemporary values and an outdated xenophobic, puritanical and misogynist culture. However, dropping modern characters into a bygone world easily engenders a familiar self-righteousness; we watch with a sense of incredulity about how picturesque closed-minded communities like this one could have ever seemed ideal. Mildred, the minister’s wife, is a well-worn caricature of the conservative Christian, leading “the concerned citizens of the Mothers Against Future.” She leads a fantastic song about how these “city folks” are bringing sin into the town. Mildred is a satisfying stereotype to watch – the uptight, fundamentalist shrew, a comedic staple found on shows such as Parks and Rec and The Office. Christians might do well to consider why these portrayals are so rampant in pop culture. However, this type of easy villain can quickly elicit a cheap, sanctimonious attitude in viewers.

Schmigadoon! misses the opportunity to do what good art does well: draw us into empathy, even with our enemies, and invite us into the complex reasons people resist change. In true sitcom fashion the plot rapidly resolves centuries’ worth of prejudice instead of grappling with the true reasons behind conservative values, nostalgia for “the good ol’ days” or attention to how difficult it is to change a community.

Perhaps the newly released second season of the series will manage to dig deeper into such topics while maintaining the whimsical elements that I found so entertaining.