Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: The Complete Second Season (DVD Review)
- Review Date: Dec 27, 2017
- Format: DVD
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Director
VariousRelease Date(s)
2016-2017 (October 17, 2017)Studio(s)
The CW (Warner Archive)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: A-
- Audio Grade: A-
- Extras Grade: C
Review
Among the bevy of CW superhero and supernatural-type shows, occasionally something uncommon crops up from time to time... such is the case with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a show ripe for cult appeal but somehow quietly thriving (and by that, I mean managing to stay on the air). A blend of social anxiety, musical outbursts, and character-driven humor, it tells the story of Rebecca (Rachel Bloom), a neurotic and anxious young lawyer who suffers from depression brought on by a childhood complex from being dumped at summer camp by her ex-boyfriend Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III). Suddenly running into him later in life and realizing that he is the key to her happiness, she tosses her career at a New York law firm away and moves to West Covina, California in an attempt to reconnect with him, albeit in a humorously obsessive manner.
In the vein of shows like Jane the Virgin, Pushing Daisies, and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is like the softball of whimsical, romantic comedy shows. It never quite achieves full-on greatness, but it does enough right to keep you interested in Rebecca’s plight. Both her adventures and misadventures as she connects with new people along her journey towards her singular goal of once again capturing Josh’s heart keeps the show lively, sometimes veering into outright sentimentality perhaps a little too often. Regardless, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has managed to gain enough popularity to reach a third season, which is no small feat. Bloom seems to have enough charisma to keep the show afloat amongst its many twists and turns, especially through this season as things start to become even more complex. A tale of an obsessed young woman and her newfound relationships, romantic or otherwise, may come across as too schmaltzy for some, but for others, lighthearted, funny, and engaging.
Warner Archive’s DVD release of The Complete Second Season of the show comes equipped with all of its 13 episodes, including Where is Josh’s Friend?, When Will Josh See How Cool I Am?, All Signs Point to Josh... Or is it Josh’s Friend?, and When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone? on Disc One; Why is Josh’s Ex-Girlfriend Eating Carbs?, Who Needs Josh When You Have a Girl Group?, Who’s the Cool Girl Josh is Dating?, Who is Josh’s Soup Fairy?, and When Do I Get to Spend Time with Josh? on Disc Two; and Will Scarsdale Like Josh’s Shayna Punim?, Josh is the Man of My Dreams, Right?, Is Josh Free in Two Weeks?, and Can Josh Take a Leap of Faith? on Disc Three.
The picture quality is excellent. As it’s HD-sourced, it features strong colors, some surprising depth, and high levels of detail. Blu-ray is obviously more ideal for this kind of material, but even in standard definition, it’s represented well. No complaints here, nor are there any for the audio track provided for each episode: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, which is good because this is a show that demands multiple channels of audio. Dialogue is perfectly clean and clear while the score and musical numbers have real depth and room to breathe in the surrounding speakers. It has an abundance of life to it and is quite satisfactory. Unfortunately, no subtitle options are available, but there are some extras this time around, something that the first season DVD release didn’t have. On Disc One, there are audio commentaries for Josh Just Happens to Live Here! from Season 1 and Where is Josh’s Friend? from Season 2 with Rachel Bloom and the show’s co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna. On Disc Four, there‘s a Season 2 gag reel and deleted scenes from Season 1, Episode 1 and Season 2, Episodes 1, 4, and 13.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is bound to appeal to certain demographics more than others, especially those with a particular romantic comedy bent (who are likely to get something out of it more than most). Thankfully, the show isn’t completely lost to the broadcast and streaming worlds only. Although Blu-ray is the clear choice, it’s good to have the show represented on disc in any capacity. Warner Archive’s presentation is commendable, and with a few extras this time.
- Tim Salmons