NBC
The first episode/pilot of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist dropped recently, presenting a world that tweaks on magical realism. The always welcome Jane Levy, she of the astonishingly expressive eyes and the late lamented Suburgatory, plays Zoey, a software programmer living in San Francisco. Oddly enough, the actual technical terms used are mostly correct, which is always a mild plus.
Zoey’s father Mitch (Peter Gallagher) has contracted a severe neurological disorder and can no longer speak, so his wife and Zoey’s mother Maggie (Mary Steenburgen) take care of him. And the disorder may be genetically passed down, so Zoey gets an MRI to check for potential issues. This is the tragic backstory to inform the rest of the show.
But an odd accident happens in the MRI with a song playing when it shouldn’t, and then we are introduced to the show’s conceit. Zoey can now hear the ‘thoughts’ of people around her in the form of them singing popular songs, starting with a few little cute jokey lines and then culminating in a huge dance number of ‘Help’ by The Beatles. It’s pretty good, but you hope that the show didn’t just blow its budget on the first episode.
The underlying idea seems to be that people literally need Zoey’s help, which is the sort of magical realism concept seen on plenty of other shows — the one person who gets a magical gift and needs to solve problems. So Zoey wonders if she’s crazy, but gets the classic ‘friend who gets it’ support from her neighbor Mo (Alex Newell from Glee). Another classic trope.
But the episode doesn’t make it so simple. Zoey has an overall arc in the episode as she ponders whether or not she would be a good manager and wants to convince herself and her boss (Lauren Graham) that she can hack it. So the realization at the end of how to solve the ‘big problem of the episode’ is through her empathy and helping someone.
That someone is a senior manager of some sort at her company, Simon (John Clarence Stewart), who she catches singing a haunting, beautiful cover of ‘Mad World’. Jane Levy’s emotional response to Simon’s emotional singing is honestly breathtaking. Did I cry a little when she did? Hmm.
NBC
When she mentions later that it felt like watching something too intimate, we get it. Her underlying chemistry with him doesn’t feel romantic though, even if the episode tries to push that in the love triangle trope with him and Zoey’s ‘platonic’ friend and coworker Max (Skylar Astin).
But the episode, although it gets a bit long in places, knows exactly where it needs to land the perfect emotional punch. It’s a bit predictable that Zoey’s dad will use song to finally communicate with her, but coming after her emotional confession, the perfect use of ‘True Colors’ provides another tearfest moment. Peter Gallagher may not be the best singer cast on the show, but his singing feels honest and sincere, and it hits so hard.
The truth is, the pilot is so good, it could almost be a short Netflix movie with an ambiguous, engaging ending. I haven’t seen a pilot this good since The Good Place, but this is really more of a pure drama. The show returns for the rest of the season starting February 16th, and it alone among all the new shows has engaged me with tears and laughter. They’ve hooked me for a while at least.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist airs Sundays at 9:00 PM on NBC.
What did you think of the pilot? Start a conversation in the comments section below.
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