Schmigadoon! is an American musicalcomedy television series created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, who also serves as showrunner.[4] The series airs on Apple TV+ and premiered on July 16, 2021.[5] The series has been renewed for a second season.[6]
In season 2, filmed in 2022, and premiering on April 7, 2023,[9] Josh and Melissa will find themselves in Schmicago, a world yielding a similar satirical homage to 1960s, 1970s and 1980s musicals.[6][10]
Background
Cinco Paul had the idea for the show over 20 years ago, that it would be funny if two men, like the backpackers in An American Werewolf In London, stumbled upon a musical, instead of a horror story.[11] According to Paul, the concept only fully came into focus for him when it changed to "a couple who are stuck there until they can find true love".[12] Paul has said that even though Schmigadoon's musical style, characters and satire are largely based on 1940s and 1950s musicals, the sets and costumes reflect 1910s America, like the setting in The Music Man.[13]
Premise
In the first season, two New York doctors, Melissa and Josh, 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.[12][14]
In season two, Melissa and Josh arrive in a world that pays similar satirical homage to 1960s, 1970s and 1980s musicals; the title parodies the 1975 musical Chicago,[6][10]
Mildred Layton, the preacher's wife, whose great-great-grandfather founded Schmigadoon,[15] based mainly on Mrs. Shinn from The Music Man.[14] (season 1)
Liam Quiring-Nkindi as Carson, a boy with a lisp, who announces scene changes.[16] Emma says that Carson is her kid brother, but it turns out that he is her son.[21] He is based on Winthrop Paroo from The Music Man.[19] (season 1)[17]
Bijou Brattston as Tootie McDonough, one of Farmer McDonough's seven daughters
Kyra Leroux as Carrie, one of Farmer McDonough's seven daughters
Darcey Johnson as Innkeeper Harvey.
Amitai Marmorstein as Pete, the cheerful Milkman, who is often the subject of offscreen violence, such as from Farmer McDonough's shotgun or a rock attempted to be skipped by the Mayor
Scott Patey as Larry the Fireman
Pedro Salvin as Old Doc Lopez, Doc Lopez's father
Michelle Rios as Mrs. Lopez, Doc Lopez's mother
Garfield Wilson as Henry the Iceman
Cassandra Consiglio as Nancy, Freddy's pregnant girlfriend. She is later revealed to be the Laytons' daughter.
Alex Barima as Freddy, a sailor, Nancy's boyfriend
Melissa Gimble and Josh Skinner, doctors in New York City,[24] meet when kicking a hospital vending machine gives them all the candy in the machine. Four years later, their relationship has become strained, so they go on a backpacking retreat to shore it up. They become lost and cross a stone bridge through the mist to find a seemingly idyllic town, reminiscent of River City, called Schmigadoon, where everyone acts like they are in a musical from the 1940s and 1950s. Melissa plays along, since she is a fan of musicals, but Josh does not like it. Melissa also takes a liking to Danny Bailey, a carnival barker, like Billy Bigelow. The next morning, Melissa and Josh discover that they cannot leave the town. A leprechaun tells them that they cannot leave Schmigadoon until they find "true love".
Immediately after discovering they cannot leave Schmigadoon, Melissa and Josh get into an argument, not helped at all by the singing townspeople, which ends in them breaking up. Melissa goes on a walk where she finds Schmigadoon's Mayor Aloysius Menlove, who cheers her up with a song heavily implying that he is in the closet. Meanwhile, Josh becomes interested in flirtatious young waitress Betsy, who offers her picnic basket at the auction later. During the auction, Melissa becomes intoxicated on spiked punch, and Josh wins Betsy. Melissa auctions herself off and is won by Danny. Later that evening, Josh becomes uncomfortable because Betsy appears to be a minor. The evening is cut short by Betsy's father and his shotgun.
The next morning, Melissa wakes up to find Danny making her breakfast. But she sees him as a one-night stand and leaves while he is still soliloquizing about his future offspring. Meanwhile, Josh is quickly engaged to Betsy. Mildred Layton has Josh and Melissa banned from the inn because of her prejudices against them. Josh attempts to cross the bridge with Betsy to see if she is his true love, but he fails, so he tries again with other women, to no avail. Melissa seeks help from the Mayor's wife, who implies that she is frustrated by her husband's sexual orientation. Farmer McDonough chases Josh, who seeks sanctuary in Reverend Layton's church. Inside, he notices Emma Tate, Schmigadoon's schoolmarm, who did not cross the bridge with him. Melissa asks Doc Lopez for a job as a nurse and is instantly smitten with him.
4
4
"Suddenly"
Barry Sonnenfeld
Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio and Kate Gersten
July 30, 2021 (2021-07-30)
In a flashback, Josh and Melissa flee an Off-off-Broadway play that their friend is starring in; they express their love for each other. In Schmigadoon, Josh becomes Emma's new handyman in exchange for lodging; she is stern but encourages him to believe in himself. She also saves him from Betsy's father. Melissa starts work as a nurse, but Lopez is tyrannical and conservative. He refuses to assist Nancy, a pregnant young woman, and her boyfriend, so Melissa gives them a sex-education lesson, and she and Josh help to deliver the baby. Mayor Menlove shares a romantic moment with Reverend Layton at the bake sale and later comes out to the townsfolk. Reflecting on this and his growing respect for Melissa, Lopez softens his absolutist outlook and declares his love for her, while Emma admits her love for Josh after he kindly aids her lisping little brother's confidence.
In a flashback, Josh is passed over for a fellowship. Melissa comforts him, but he mocks her for a misspoken cliché, apologizing that night. In Schmigadoon, Mildred incites a moral panic against the "strangers" and announces her candidacy for mayor. Meanwhile, Lopez's glamorous fiancée, Countess Gabrielle von Blerkom, returns unexpectedly from the city. Melissa expects the Countess to graciously step aside, as in The Sound of Music, but instead she takes Melissa for a drive and abandons her at gunpoint in the countryside. Melissa discovers that the symbolic heart she thought Josh lost had been in her backpack all along; she dismisses a dream ballet in its opening moments. Emma confides in Josh that she is Carson's mother, and her parents disowned her for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Carson overhears and runs off. Josh searches for him in the woods, where Danny ambushes Josh and knocks him to the ground, where Josh finds the symbolic heart that Melissa threw across the lake.
6
6
"How We Change"
Barry Sonnenfeld
Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio
August 13, 2021 (2021-08-13)
Josh finds Carson and they discuss how good relationships take work. Emma arrives and proposes that she and Carson cross the bridge to start a life with Josh. Lopez retrieves Melissa, declaring that he has chosen her over the Countess, but she wants to save her relationship with Josh. Meanwhile, Josh realizes that he wants the same thing. In town, Mildred is about to win the election. Melissa arrives, followed by Josh, interrupting the vote. She apologizes for their breakup, and he offers his love in song. The two dance together and kiss. Mildred denounces the New Yorkers, but Emma says that they have taught the townspeople to accept their true selves. Emma announces that she is Carson's mom, and other townspeople reveal long-held secrets; for example, Mildred is Nancy's mother, and Rev. Layton has feelings for Mayor Menlove. Mildred throws a tantrum and the Mayor is reelected in a landslide. Melissa tells Mildred that it is not too late to change, and the town celebrates its progress with more modern musical stylings. Hand in hand, Josh and Melissa step onto the bridge, but it is not revealed whether they are able to leave Schmigadoon.
Barry Sonnenfeld directed the season and also executive produced. Besides starring, Cecily Strong served as producer, and Ken Daurio served as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer also executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.[4] The musical numbers were choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.[27] In addition to Paul and Daurio, Allison Silverman, Julie Klausner, Kate Gersten and Bowen Yang were writers on the show. The first season was written in the summer of 2019.[28] The season consisted of six episodes, although it was originally planned to be eight episodes.[13]Bo Welch serves as the series' production designer.[29] Filming for season one began in Vancouver on October 13, 2020, and concluded on December 10, taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.[30]
The series has been renewed for a second season, also consisting of six episodes,[9] with all of the main cast returning, except for Armisen and Quiring-Nkindi; Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page will join the cast.[17] By June 2022 filming of season two had begun,[31] and it was completed in July 2022.[32] The second season writers include Paul, Josh Lieb, Jonathan Tolins, Raina Morris, and Klausner.[2]
Music
Cinco Paul wrote all of the original songs for the series and also serves as showrunner. The underscore was composed by Christopher Willis.[3] Soundtrack albums were released by Milan Records as each episode was released.[33]
Schmigadoon! Episode 1 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack) track listing[34]
A trailer for the series was released on June 25, 2021. The first two episodes aired on Apple TV+ on July 16, followed by one new episode each subsequent Friday until season 1 ended with episode 6 on August 13, 2021.[5]
The first two episodes of the second season will be released on April 7, 2023, with episodes continuing to be released weekly until May 5.[9]
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Schmigadoon! holds an approval rating of 89% based on 79 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Schmigadoon!'s clever inside-theater jokes may not be for everyone, but there's no denying the joy of seeing this talented ensemble sing (and dance!) their hearts out."[40] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the series has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[41] In The Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert noted the show's "underlying affection for musical theater [though it] makes ruthless fun of the conventions of show tunes. ... There is plenty of snark afoot. But the songs are also wittily written, and catchy. The choreography is top-notch and well-shot. And the cast members ... have an infectious enthusiasm."[42]
