"Bright lights, big Schmidty."
Note: this is a mostly spoiler-free review of the third season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which is available to stream now on Netflix.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt really came into its own in Season 2. As the first season specifically designed for streaming rather than broadcast TV (given Season 1 was originally meant to air on NBC), the show was free to take more risks and let the run-time play out a bit longer. The result was a hilarious season that took more risks and didn't shy away from the darker side of Kimmy's post-bunker life. That's why it's so bizarre to see Season 3 play it safe. Much of what makes the show work is still plainly apparent this year. But that's the problem, really. We're getting more of the same in Season 3, and little sign that the show is still willing to venture outside its comfort zone.
There's probably no better example of the relatively stagnant approach to this season than the fact that Kimmy's (Ellie Kemper) story shifts from her quest to earn her GED to her quest to attend college. That's basically her entire, defining struggle for the season. The show is quick to reunite her with flamboyant BFF/roommate Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), whose newfound career as a cruise ship performer is cut tragically short in the first episode. Season 3 also maintains a steady focus on landlady/aspiring city councilwoman Lillian Kaushtupper (Carol Kane) and billionaire divorcee Jacqueline Voorhees White. Those rock solid character dynamics are back in play, but there's a disappointing sense of familiarity that begins to creep into the picture in the early episodes.
Though to the show's credit, at least there's no attempt to shoehorn another love interest into Kimmy's life along the lines of her bland romance with Dong (Ki Hong Lee) in Season 2. This season does introduce a new friendly face in the form of struggling philosophy major Perry (Daveed Diggs), but Perry is more the Frank Grimes to Kimmy's Homer Simpson than anything else. There's plenty of romantic drama to go around when it comes to the rest of the show's main quartet, though. The superhumanly self-centered Titus continues to try to form a lasting relationship with his construction worker boyfriend, Mikey (Mike Carlsen). Lillian meets a new rival (albeit a very pleasant one) in the form of upscale grocery store owner Artie Goodman (Peter Riegert). And Jacqueline's storyline this year is as much about navigating the murky waters of the Snyder family as it is achieving her dream of renaming the Washington Redskins.
Both Lillian and Jacqueline's respective story arcs have their problems (particularly with the lack of resolution on Lillian's end), but at least there's a sense that they both grow and evolve as characters this year. Kimmy doesn't experience a huge journey this year. Sure, she faces the usual bumps in the road, including dealing with a divorce request from Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) and an unexpected meeting with his new fiancee (Laura Dern). But compared to the issues she dealt with in the latter half of Season 2, Kimmy's story feels pretty tame this time around. That's all the more disappointing given the occasional references to the trauma she experienced in the bunker. The season had a chance to do something very interesting and risky with Kimmy this year, but it never seizes the opportunity. There's always an appeal in seeing the eternally chipper and naively optimistic Kimmy embrace her new world, but again, I'd like to see Tina Fey and Robert Carlock take more chances with their plucky heroine.
More than ever, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt really feels like Titus' show, to the point where they might as well rename it "Extremely Fragile Titus Andromedon." Burgess is as hilarious and eccentric as ever this year. As in Season 2, there's an increased focus on musical numbers, each of which offers the chance for another dynamic performance from Burgess. An early episode features a recurring parody of Beyonce's "Lemonade." Titus also performs a hilariously stupid ear-worm of a song called "Boobs in California" that becomes one of the season's many recurring gags. Composer Jeff Richmond might just be the true unsung hero of the show.
But for all of Titus' wacky behavior, he also experiences the strongest and most significant character arc of the season. He's often forced to confront his own selfish, self-sabotaging behavior and the fact that he so desperately needs Kimmy as a stabilizing force in his life. Not that this stops him from using her as a patsy in his feud with a stingy convenience store owner, but Titus gonna Titus. The point being that Titus arc this season is the most well-rounded, satisfying and often bizarre of any character. Heck, the first episode opens with Titus washing up on a beach, and the question of just what disaster unfolded on that ill-fated cruise trip is one of the driving mysteries of the season.
If the show generally lays it safe this season, at least the usual Kimmy Schmidt formula has plenty going for it. The show still has a razor-sharp sense of humor, with a penchant for the absurd and recurring jokes that regularly build up momentum over the course of the season, Arrested Development-style. The pacing is solid as well, as rarely do the episodes wear out their welcome despite the 30-minute+ run-time. The season leans a little too much on soon-to-be-dated Trump humor and jabs at stereotypical Millennial behavior, but those moments are drops in the bucket overall.
The season also boasts a pretty impressive lineup of guest stars and new addition. Riegert's Artie Goodman is among the strongest of the new additions, as his deadpan delivery makes him a great foil to more hyperactive characters like Lillian and Titus. Other standouts include Judah Friedlander as Titus' psychologically unbalanced musical partner Gordy and Maya Rudolph doing a bang-up impersonation of Dionne Warwick. I only wish certain guest stars were given more to do this season. This is especially true for Hamm and Dern, as their characters basically drop out of the picture with no closure. Diggs also feels a bit underutilized, despite having a decent amount of screen-time in the first half of the season.
The Verdict
Season 3 isn't the strongest for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. After a second season that took risks and fully embraced the Netflix format, the show seems content to take it easy and mostly rest on its laurels this time around. More than ever, Titus is really the driving force of the series. But even with some flat story arcs and a lack of closure for certain characters, the show's sharp sense of humor is more than enough to warrant another binge marathon.
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