Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Roundtable: Pilot

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist premiered this week and it is an immediate hit with The Nice Girls. Roz and I (and occasionally Mel) will be covering each week with the things that were Music To Our Ears and the things that were more Nails On A Chalkboard. Join us won’t you?

An introverted computer programmer living in San Francisco, begins to hear the innermost desires of the people around her through song.

Music To Our Ears
Roz: I love how all these songs work to help to have Zoey understand emotions. She’s very much not an empathetic person but after listening to Simon sing “Mad World”, she starts to understand that there are other things in the world that she can understand besides code.

Leah: Oh this was fantastic! I love the character of Zoey and I really like how, as Roz said, the music helps her understand emotions. I like that the writers made the across the hall neighbor (Alex Newell) Zoey’s confidante. Music is such a great equalizer, it makes you feel so many things and is so connected to memories. I can’t wait to see where this show goes.

Mel: I don’t consider myself much of a music person because if I listen to anything it’s almost always classical/instrumental. I’m a synesthete who sees color when listening to music plus I’m deaf in one ear so can’t really “hear in stereo” and get overwhelmed when there’s too much aural chaos, which all adds up to defaulting to classical music. But I’m a big fan of Jane Levy and like most of what Skylar Astin’s done and then there’s Lauren Graham – so I had to give this show a try. And it was lovely. It’s pretty and peppy with some real warmth and depth. This could feel unbalanced in tone, but Jane bridges the gap ably. I liked how the music was integrated into the show and am happy to suspend disbelief that an earthquake during an MRI would result in Zoey hearing songs that reflect what the people around her are feeling. I’m looking forward to following Zoey’s journey as she applies her newfound musical intelligence to her life.

(Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)

Nails On The Chalkboard
Roz: Peter Gallagher and Mary Steinberger are both great actors and I wish they each had more to do in this episode. Peter is a great singer too, and while we did get that one number, I would love more of it. Sure, his character has a reason to be silent, but is he the best actor to cast in that role?

Leah: There are so many notable actors on this show – how are we ever going to get enough of each of them? I am going to just have to find some patience but I’m dying to see everyone sing! I could, and this is very early to make this judgment, do without the overly bearing boss who is rude and a little cliche.

Mel: Zoey’s brother was the only real clunker for me in the pilot. I didn’t love Zoey’s male co-workers but see the potential for the show to address some important topics about women in the workplace through them, so they get a pass for now. But her brother…ugh. 

(Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)

Music
For a truly sad song, “Mad World” is the nearly perfect look at isolation, fear, and pain. (I prefer Gary Jules, but Tears for Fears will work. TFF has too much beat to sound as sad as it is.)

Follow along with our coverage here.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist will be back Sunday, February 16 at 8/7c on NBC.

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