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Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye”

By Rueben | May 17, 2021

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist aired the season finale for its second season this week. Let’s first find out what this episode was about.

Here is a synopsis for this finale episode entitled “Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye:”

Zoey must face a difficult goodbye.

Join Nice Girls Roz, Rueben, and Karen as they share their thoughts on this latest, new episode of the second season [spoiler alert]:

Karen:

Apparently, this show’s mission is to make me ugly cry once a year.

My one big criticism, and you guys know where I’m going with this, is that the girl programmers weren’t really a feature this season. Mackenzie was just a placeholder for making Tobin a more likeable person. So frustrating. Even Zoey was not really a “programmer” except to hack into her dad’s email account. So NBC, if you renew, please do better. We were treated to a huge inclusivity storyline, and women just weren’t included. Especially important when we’re trying to get more women into STEM fields with equitable pay. Bechdel Test passer, it is not.

Okay, my soapbox has been stowed under the desk now. Sorry for that.

Now, ‘Goodbye’ was crazy good. The music outstanding, performances exceptional, and we even got a little twist at the end. It was nice to see Zoey making decisions on her own, and then modifying after seeing a heartsong. It meant that she knew her mind, but wasn’t going to make a decision based solely on herself.

And seeing Mitch again? LOVED that. Peter Gallagher can show up anytime and anywhere as far as I’m concerned. I think Zoey was already at that place in her head, but she needed her dad’s guidance to see it. Not sure if y’all agree, but that’s the message I got. And the fact that Max showed up in that same ‘dream’ was really telling about their connection.

It was cute that David is so protective of Maggie. A really great plot point – it’ll make things easier on the matriarch of the Clarke family moving forward. Seeing Mo and Perry get back together was also fantastic. That little shot of them together with the kids – *chef’s kiss*.

Of course, that last sequence between Max and Zoey was, just like last season’s finale, a show-stopper.

Season 2 was at least as good as season one, and arguably some higher notes than the last. So many polls have had Zoey’s as the most popular of the bubble shows, so let’s hope that NBC takes notice. I really want a Season 3.

RELATED: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

Roz:

I’ll start at the end and maybe work my way back to the start – I love Max finally hearing Zoey’s heartsong and thinking that there’s room for both of them to hear each other in a future season (please have future seasons NBC!) and I think that hearing those songs can be a point of confusion. Clearly the airport song was Max thinking of Zoey not Rose, but she didn’t know that until he showed up at the park.

I’m so glad that Peter Gallagher had more than one episode to shine again! I love all those moments he had with Zoey and what it means for her and her mental health.

Simon worries me a little – he’s taking on his mentoring role (so so important!) but will it mess up anything for Zoey and the rest of the team on the 4th floor? He seems to both be a subordinate to her but also not so that all confuses me. He also deserves all the support for figuring out that what he and Zoey shared isn’t as romantic as it could have been and to end the relationship between either of them got really hurt.

Rueben:

OMG! I loved this episode so, so much!!

Just like Karen said I really enjoyed all the songs featured, the musical numbers – especially the one between Zoey and her dad (it was so terrific to see Peter Gallagher again!!) in her dream – and, of course, that twist of an ending. Just watching Max’s expression as the music started and Zoey began to sing, and how he watched in sheer amazement that he was experiencing her heartsong. He finally got to see for himself what she has been experiencing for the past two seasons; but how is this happening? Is it because Max chose her instead of Rose – probably not; is it because Zoey finally gave in to the universe (through her dream with her dad), maybe??!! But how did the power transfer or morph over to Max? Will they share the power now? I know we’ll all want to know what’s next. Please, please NBC give Zoey’s another season at least.

I love that Simon went to Danny Michael Davis with the incubation program to help people of color with their small business, but I agree somewhat with you, Roz, that I have to wonder how that will play out within the walls of SPRQ Point. Will he no longer be a part of the 4th floor? Will he step back from any of his PR responsibilities to just focus on this new program? Will he still be there for the board to help them be more inclusive for all people of color? Just a lot of questions that need answers to.

Seeing Emily in such a better place because of the “happy pills” prescribed by her doctor, giving her “hope and optimism” was not only a funny moment to witness as she said those lines with such certainty and a little discomfort; but so great to see that she is getting better. And, I’m glad that she was so supportive to Maggie over the Facebook “stuff” with Maggie’s old high school boyfriend. I hope that Zoey and David can get on board of their mother thinking about the possibility of putting herself out there again. It’s not going to happen over night, obviously, but good for her that she wants them all to “keep living ‘their’ lives.”

I really enjoyed Mo and Perry’s duet at the goodbye dinner and seeing them at Mo’s apartment with the kids. So sweet to see them back together.

I have to agree with Karen that it would have been better to see the girl coders get more storylines other than just Mackenzie being there to make Tobin a slightly more tolerable character. I still don’t like Tobin, but Mackenzie did make him a little more likable; but the girl coders deserved better. Let’s hope there is more of a focus on the girl coders, giving them better and more interesting storylines than girlfriend should the show get renewed.

Speaking of renewal, the show hasn’t been renewed but it also hasn’t been cancelled so it could go either way at this point. But, given that the show has topped nearly every “Save One Show” poll conducted by big and small entertainment outlets, NBC should at least give it one more chance. Make the viewers and fans happy, NBC!!