Crazy Ex-Girlfriend struck a chord with its fans. Its mixture of comedy and mental health awareness allowed people to simultaneously relate to the show and get a good laugh out of it. That wasn’t the only appealing factor about the show, though. Unlike many television series today, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a musical, and usually featured at least two songs per episode.
The show’s unique approach to mental health, catchy songs, and clever jokes led it to become many peoples’ favorite series, and it ran for four seasons before the final curtain call. Fans have often debated over their favorite moments from the series, and it has led to many deep discussions online.
10 The Show’s Characters Are Appealing And Fun
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend features a wide array of characters, many of whom are unforgettable. The show’s main character, the obsessive and anxiety-ridden Rebecca Bunch, is not exempt from this, as her bubbly personality and relatable dialogue shine through the screen.
Paula Proctor, Rebecca’s best friend and coworker, also has an interesting story and the two share an incredibly problematic but entertaining dynamic that fans love. When fans mention the show and its appealing features, one of the first things they talk about is the way the characters changed over the seasons.
9 The Show Constantly Pokes Fun At Itself
While Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has many enjoyable aspects, the main story – Rebecca Bunch is a lovesick woman on a mission to win back her ex-boyfriend, despite the fact that he’s dating someone else unquestionably cliché.
The show knows that the overarching plot is cliché, though, and constantly makes fun of itself and its overdone theme. Several of the characters often comment on how overly common their TV problems are and point out the obvious tactics Rebecca employs to try and get Josh to love her.
8 The Show Features A Diverse Cast And Has Great Representation
Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh-McKenna, the show’s creators, once said that when they were writing Crazy Ex-Girlfriend they were trying to represent the world, and to do that they knew they had to represent its diversity. The show certainly reflects that in its cast of characters, who are not only racially diverse but also provide great LGBTQ+ representation.
Darryl Whitefeather, Rebecca’s boss, discovers early on that he’s bisexual and gets an entire song about coming out. Josh Chan, the man Rebecca moves across the country for, is Filipino and often makes references to his culture. There are many more characters that can serve as great examples for the show’s dedication to diversity, including Valencia Perez, Heather Davis, and Rebecca Bunch herself.
7 Every Character Grows Throughout The Course Of The Show
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has often been praised for its cast of characters and the journey those characters take throughout the show. At the beginning of the series, many of the characters are introduced as specific clichés – the mean girl, the best friend, and the sarcastic side character, to name a few – but over time the show allows them to become their own people.
Valencia Perez, for example, starts out as Josh Chan’s girlfriend whose only real purpose is to stand in Rebecca’s way, but by the end of the show, she becomes a regular character and one of Rebecca’s best friends.
6 The Comedy Always Lands
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend mixes a variety of genres into the story, but it mainly sticks to comedy. The show’s over the top characters make for an entertaining and hilarious series, especially when they find themselves in the many odd situations Rebecca’s schemes create.
One of the more comedic approaches is the show’s relatability, whether in day-to-day situations of Paula’s family or the wilder moments, like when Josh and Greg sang about all the places they had been intimate with Rebecca in her house.
5 The Songs In The Show Are Great
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend usually features one to three original songs per episode, and the few songs that don’t land as well as the others are still memorable. The musical choices that go along with each character always match their personality and situation perfectly, and the lyrics are consistently creative, funny, and insightful.
A perfect example of how well done the songs can be is “Greg’s Drinking Song,” sung by Santino Fontana. This is a catchy tune that perfectly balances humor with the very serious issue of the character’s struggle with alcoholism.
4 The Show Accurately Portrays Several Parts Of Modern Judaism
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Like show co-creator and star Rachel Bloom, Rebecca Bunch is Jewish, and her religion and heritage are an important part of her character across all four seasons as the character works to become a better person. While she is no longer religious herself, Rebecca still clearly takes pride in her Jewish identity and makes a point of mentioning it often.
Her mother, played by Tovah Feldshuh, often brings it up as well, and the song “Remember That We Suffered” takes a comedic approach to Jewish holidays and traditions.
3 The Portrayal Of Mental Health Is Done In A Respectful And Informative Way
Rebecca Bunch’s mental health is not shied away from in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. There is no debate that she has several unaddressed mental health conditions, and she goes to a therapist, Dr. Akopian, several times throughout the series. Towards the end of the show, Rebecca is diagnosed with BPD, or borderline personality disorder.
After that, the show makes a point of normalizing the condition, and many fans have come forward to thank the production team for their devotion to properly portraying mental health in the beloved characters.
2 The Songs Often Come Back As Leitmotifs
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is well known for its many incredible songs, but not all fans realize that the songs often return as leitmotifs throughout the show. “Settle For Me,” one of Greg’s first songs in the series, is later played for any character who feels they’re settling–whether for a job or a person.
“I Have Friends” can be heard whenever a character is feeling lonely or, quite the opposite, when someone feels particularly grateful for their friendships. On a more comedic level, “Where’s the Bathroom” normally plays when Rebecca’s mother is about to show up, or when a character generally has to go to the bathroom.
1 The Show Doesn’t Shy Away From Female Issues
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Many shows that appear on network television often refuse to mention anything related to the female body or everyday experience, but Crazy Ex-Girlfriend does not fall into this category. The show’s female characters often mention things that would not appear on other shows, such as periods and abortions.
In fact, Paula becomes pregnant in Season 2, Episode 4, and decides to get an abortion. Many fans have praised the show for its accurate portrayal of the ordeal and claim that it is one of the best representations of abortion on television.