Fall Finales: Schmigadoon! - Seasons One (Binged) & Two

A two for one special right now. Across 12 episodes I have completed Apple TV+'s musical series, Schmigadoon! 

Created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, season one premiered back in July 16, 2021, right after my birthday.

The series stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as Melissa and Josh. The very musical cast includes Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski & Ann Harada.

The first season, set in the bucolic small town of Schmigadoon, blends elements of various Golden Age musicals of the 1940s and '50s.

Then the second season relocates the action to the gritty city of Schmicago and incorporates the darker, edgier themes and musical styles of 1960s and '70s musicals.

Barry Sonnenfeld directed the first season, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli, with Cinco Paul winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Corn Puddin'".

The second season premiered just left month with the sixth and final episode aired earlier this month.

In the first season, two New York doctors, Melissa and Josh (Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key), go on a backpacking trip in an attempt to patch up their failing relationship, only to find themselves still arguing. 

They get lost and soon discover a magical town called Schmigadoon, which is perpetually trapped in a Golden Age-style musical, and soon learn that they cannot leave the town until they find "true love". The title and concept parody the 1947 musical Brigadoon.

In the second season, Melissa and Josh, now married, find their lives monotonous as doctors in New York City; they search for the quaint village of Schmigadoon but instead arrive in Schmicago, a world that pays satirical homage to sexy, dark 1960s and 1970s musicals; to escape, they are told, they must reach a happy ending.

The name of the setting, Schmicago, parodies the 1975 musical Chicago. As in the first season, the last episode reaches beyond the time period of the rest of season 2 to reference later musical styles.

In possibly the series finale (let's be honest musical series don't usually last forever, excluding Glee of course!) Melissa is about to be married to Kratt and Josh is tied up in Kratt's power plant. 

Kratt instructs Rivera to kill Josh, but Josh stalls by regaling Rivera with "parables" based on his favorite movies. Dooley determines to rescue Josh, as do Topher and Jenny, with help from the tribe. They arrive, and Jenny is reunited with her father after Rivera admits that he framed Dooley for the murder of his wife.

They all attempt to stop the wedding. Dooley throws his cleaver at Kratt, but it misses, pinning Kratt's tuxedo tail to the floor. Miss Codwell releases a chandelier that falls, killing Kratt. Madame Frau takes over the cabaret, where Rivera becomes a drag performer, and the now-business-minded tribe, aided by Bobbie, help to run Kratt's empire. 

Jenny and Topher run the orphanage, and Miss Codwell works with Dooley at the shop. Josh and Melissa are free to go, but the Narrator and the Schmicagoans tempt them to stay. 

The doctors explain that they want "Something Real". Leprechaun and his brother reveal that there are no "happy endings", but every day can be a "happy beginning". Back in New York, Josh cheerfully teaches medical students, and Melissa is finally pregnant.

This was a fun, easy twelve episodes (all up) series to smash (remember that short lived musical series?) while all my other shows are wrapping and well the writers strike is turning out to be a bigger deal than we first believed.

Schmigadoon! streams all episodes right now on Apple TV+