Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Seasons 1 & 2)
After my experience with The Office, I was looking for something different to watch. I needed a break and was feeling like something quirky. On my friends' recommendations, I decided to give Netflix's original sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt a try. I knew that Ellie Kemper, who plays Erin in The Office, was in it, and I liked her character a lot, so this seemed like an idea that might fly.
I was not prepared for what ended up coming my way.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is, without a doubt in my mind, one of the most unique things I've seen on "TV" ever. It's also one of my personal favorites now.
What makes Kimmy such a good show is Kimmy herself. Ellie Kemper is delightful in her portrayal of this Indiana woman who was held captive for 15 years by the leader of a doomsday cult in an underground bunker. The character reminds me of Leslie Knope because of her optimism and, well, unbreakable spirit. She's deliberate, determined, and always positive. Kemper plays Kimmy in such a quirky yet upbeat way that it's hard to not like her. In a show like this, that's a key thing. She is a bit naive, but it comes with this child-like sense of wonder and curiosity that is amusing and refreshing.
As for the supporting main cast, there's a lot to like there as well. Tituss Burgess plays a struggling gay actor who Kimmy shares an apartment with that is surprisingly funny and quite likeable, while Carol Kane portrays their anti-gentrification, anti-hipsterization landlady. However, the real standout here is Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline White. She is a Manhattan socialite that hires Kimmy as a nanny and is a perfect fit for her role. Krakowski is incredibly over the top and condescending and has some really interesting things in her character's backstory as well, including her parents being Lakota Native Americans and her rejection of her people. However, Jacqueline throughout the course of the series becomes an incredibly human character that wants to relate both to her past and present situations better and enlists Kimmy's help in figuring out her life.
One other thing to note about the cast is the tremendous recurring cast and guest stars. The show's creator Tina Fey appears multiple times, once in season one with Jerry Minor in a clever spoof of the O.J. Simpson trial as Kimmy's lawyers in the trial against her kidnapper (who himself is played by the tremendous Jon Hamm), and once in season two as an alcoholic psychiatrist that Kimmy goes to for therapy. The former is just laugh out loud funny, but the latter is one of Fey's best moments I've ever seen on any size of screen. She is both hilarious and deeply thought-provoking at the same time, which is something that sitcoms like Kimmy often lack. Lisa Kudrow also makes a surprising entrance as Kimmy's mother in the last episode of season two and is brilliant, maybe even (dare I say it) topping some of her work as Phoebe in Friends. Other notable names in the show include Fred Armisen, Martin Short, David Cross, Amy Sedaris, Jeff Goldblum, Ice-T, and Kenan Thompson. If that's not loaded, I don't know what is.
One last thing I want to mention about Kimmy is its content. You'd think with a Netflix original that it would be riddled with tons of more adult content, especially thinking about shows like Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards. Here's the thing: this is no worse than any other sitcom airing on TV today and is actually far cleaner than most. You may wonder why I'm mentioning this, so let me explain: I found The Office, the last show I binged, quite laborious because of the humor used by one main character. On the contrary, this was one of the easiest binges I've ever done because the show is just so optimistic and clean and still incredibly funny. It is incredibly quirky (think New Girl with a big shot in the arm of Leslie Knope's optimism) and wears it on its sleeve in a really cool way. As far as sitcoms go, this may be the beginning of a new era and a new king of the hill. For me, Kimmy surpasses nearly everything else currently airing or streaming anywhere because it's just too fun and innocent to be disliked. I cannot recommend it enough to those of you who have Netflix. It's a quick little binge, but I'll guarantee it to be one of the best ones you'll ever do.
My recommendation: Embrace its quirkiness and enjoy it for all its worth.
My grade: 80
Where to find it: only on Netflix, as it is one of their original shows.
One other thing to note about the cast is the tremendous recurring cast and guest stars. The show's creator Tina Fey appears multiple times, once in season one with Jerry Minor in a clever spoof of the O.J. Simpson trial as Kimmy's lawyers in the trial against her kidnapper (who himself is played by the tremendous Jon Hamm), and once in season two as an alcoholic psychiatrist that Kimmy goes to for therapy. The former is just laugh out loud funny, but the latter is one of Fey's best moments I've ever seen on any size of screen. She is both hilarious and deeply thought-provoking at the same time, which is something that sitcoms like Kimmy often lack. Lisa Kudrow also makes a surprising entrance as Kimmy's mother in the last episode of season two and is brilliant, maybe even (dare I say it) topping some of her work as Phoebe in Friends. Other notable names in the show include Fred Armisen, Martin Short, David Cross, Amy Sedaris, Jeff Goldblum, Ice-T, and Kenan Thompson. If that's not loaded, I don't know what is.
One last thing I want to mention about Kimmy is its content. You'd think with a Netflix original that it would be riddled with tons of more adult content, especially thinking about shows like Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards. Here's the thing: this is no worse than any other sitcom airing on TV today and is actually far cleaner than most. You may wonder why I'm mentioning this, so let me explain: I found The Office, the last show I binged, quite laborious because of the humor used by one main character. On the contrary, this was one of the easiest binges I've ever done because the show is just so optimistic and clean and still incredibly funny. It is incredibly quirky (think New Girl with a big shot in the arm of Leslie Knope's optimism) and wears it on its sleeve in a really cool way. As far as sitcoms go, this may be the beginning of a new era and a new king of the hill. For me, Kimmy surpasses nearly everything else currently airing or streaming anywhere because it's just too fun and innocent to be disliked. I cannot recommend it enough to those of you who have Netflix. It's a quick little binge, but I'll guarantee it to be one of the best ones you'll ever do.
My recommendation: Embrace its quirkiness and enjoy it for all its worth.
My grade: 80
Where to find it: only on Netflix, as it is one of their original shows.
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