Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
When we talk about streaming culture, we’re usually enthusing about what’s new, but one of the best things about streaming is how it’s made old and obscure cult hits available to a new generation. Presenting Cult Corner: your weekly look into hidden gems and long-lost curiosities that you can find on streaming.
Netflix subscribers got a sweet surprise this past weekend. The first season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend snuck onto the streaming platform without fanfare or announcement. In fact, most pop culture pundits didn’t even know it was there until its star, Rachel Bloom, tweeted about it:
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has had an interesting year. When billboards for the series started peppering the streets, feminists sneered. The title – coupled with the image of a “crazy-eyed” Bloom – evoked numerous negative stereotypes about women, the mentally ill, and the broken hearted. It was meant as a tongue-in-cheek joke, but without the context of the show, the punchline was lost.
Fast forward to the show’s debut: Critics were immediately begging readers to give the show a shot. It was a bright, brilliant, and heartfelt exploration of what it means to be a modern woman looking for love, all while confronting real mental health issues. Oh, and there were original musical numbers that skewered pop culture like a shish kabob tucked into every episode. By the time the Golden Globes rolled around, Bloom was a dark horse contender for Best Actress In A TV Musical or Comedy — and then she won. The CW quickly had a plan in place to lure viewers to its quirky critical hit. That plan? Streaming. The show lived on Hulu for a while before making its post-finale jump to Netflix…where, thanks to a brand new Netflix/CW deal, it’s going to live for a very long time.
Even if the sweet siren song of earnest musical numbers has never called to you, you have to give it up for Rachel Bloom. The show’s star, creator, and mastermind literally creates new music — in a variety of styles — and pitch perfect satiric lyrics on a weekly basis. It’s a creative feat akin to being the Michael Phelps of musical comedy.
Now it’s time to see what the all fuss is about. You have no excuses! It’s summer! You want something deliriously fun to binge-watch! You want to get hip to all the cool new shows! Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend!
