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PILOT REVIEW: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST









Starring: Jane Levy, Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, with Peter Gallagher and Mary Steenburgen

Created by Austin Winsburg
Written by Austin Winsberg, Directed by Richard Shepard

I watched the premiere of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist immediately after watching the premiere of FBI: Most Wanted and talk about two shows that couldn't be more different. FBI: Most Wanted was basically as standard as it gets while Zoey is unlike anything I've watched. I honestly don't know what to make of this wildly whimsical show. I feel like I oscillated between thinking it was utterly ridiculous and ridiculously charming. There were times it worked really well and other times it was a little manipulative and corny. But I have to give major props to NBC and the show for trying something different. After seeing a by the books procedural, this was a breath of fresh air for network TV.

Zoey's plot plays out as crazy as it sounds: Jane Levy stars as the title character, a software engineer in San Francisco who is suddenly able to hear everyone's innermost thoughts and dialogue, but through songs. The cast is stacked with veterans Peter Gallagher and Mary Steenburgen as Zoey's parents, compelling performances from the other supporting actors (including a funny turn from Alex Newell) and the great Lauren Graham in a recurring role as Zoey's boss.

Even with the strong cast, this is clearly Levy's show and she keeps the fantastical show grounded. I was a fan of Levy on Suburgatory years ago, even when I didn't love the show. And this is a pretty perfect vehicle for her. She plays perplexed really well with a dry sense of humor. This is truly a star turn for her and I hope it works out but if it doesn't, I hope people will notice her and given her another show soon.

The show also has high production values and a sunny feel to it. It might remind people a little bit of many of the fantasy-driven ABC shows of the late 2000s. I'm sure there will also be comparisons to Glee, a show everyone always thought I would like and I never did. I actually think comparing this show to Glee is a cheap comparison just because of the infusion of choreographed pop songs. But they serve such a different purpose here. For good or bad, it's not the same show. For me, that's a good thing. I think the show teetered on the edge of not working or falling apart all the time but it didn't and when it has a premise this ridiculous, that's no small feat.

WILL I WATCH AGAIN?
Yes, knowing it doesn't premiere until mid-February. I am definitely intrigued enough to see where this show goes and hope it can strike the right tone.
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