Musical Muse Clues: Mix Tape of the Mind

Clockwise: The Beatles, 1; Beck, Odelay; Better Than Ezra, Greatest Hits; The Black Keys, El Camino

One of my favorite new(ish) TV shows is Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.  Not to be confused with the movie Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, this NBC hour-long dramedy is in its sophomore season and is about an endearingly dorky coder named Zoey (Jane Levy) who goes into an MRI machine and emerges being able to hear people's feelings as songs.  As if having an MRI weren't traumatic enough without that added emotional baggage!  

This is probably a good time to mention that when it comes to musicals, I'm usually like, what, people randomly bursting into song?  Pass!  But instead of coming off as a gimmicky Broadway device, the songs in Zoey are real cries for help that add depth to the characters -- and underscore Zoey's responsibility to them.  Zoey's powers are all the more meaningful because they help her connect with her dad (Peter Gallagher), who's dying of a disease that prevents him from speaking, and empathize with her mom (Mary Steenburgen).  Her powers also become valuable as she steps up to boss lady status in male-dominated Silicon Valley, a gig that's fraught with stress and challenges.  Finally, being a mind reader is uber important as Zoey navigates the sometimes-murky-sometimes-rose-colored waters of dealing with love interests Max (Skylar Astin, who was made for this show) and Simon (John Clarence-Stewart).  Max is an earnest and sweet fellow coder that Zoey's known for years, and Simon is a suave yet brooding marketing whiz who understands the pain of losing a father.  When it all gets to be too much, Zoey confides in her annoying neighbor-turned-bestie Mo (Alex Newell), a no-nonsense trans woman with wigs for days.  

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist appeals to me because it's very much like a book.  Layered and character-driven, it opens a window into people's heads and hearts that usually remains firmly closed.  Fortunately, the heaviness of the revelations is offset by the jazziness of the dance numbers.  

Needless to say, I was psyched when I heard that Jane Levy is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Musical Series or Comedy.  In a world where streaming services reign supreme, that's a rare feat for an actor from a network show.  Which means that this nom is -- yes -- something to sing about!  Award category notwithstanding, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is still more dramedy than comedy (because you have to be jump-off-a-cliff depressing to qualify as a drama for any award).  It hits all the high notes of the genre, including colorful sets and costumes, romance, heartache, and a sometimes-lighthearted-sometimes-stirring spotlight on self discovery and personal growth.

Zoey doesn't always get it right.  She's as mixed-up as any of us, or indeed as any mix tape made from a radio top ten list circa 1995.  But she's trying and she's learning, and her journey shows us that it's always worth it to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

Or, at the very least, to listen to a song on someone else's playlist.