AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon is a love letter to classic musicals and theater itself

Look, there’s every chance that AppleTV+’s new musical comedy series Schmigadoon! might not be so emotionally affecting in a world where we’d had access to live theater for the past year and a half. And, as it is, the show has its issues: The characters are often too broadly drawn to really make an impact, there’s a lingering sense that perhaps the central couple played by Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong might actually be better off apart than together. And yet, it’s hard not to grab on to the confectionary delight of this show with both hands, rolling and reveling in the sincere joy it takes in the idea of the musical as both an art form and necessary emotional touchstone.

A send-up of classic shows from the Lerner and Lowe and Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogs, Schmigadoon lovingly recreates everything from characters (Jane Krakowski plays what is essentially the Baronness from The Sound of Music) and plot devices (The Music Man’s trombone) to specific songs  (“Oklahoma,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and “Ya Got Trouble” are perhaps the most recognizable, but they are by no means alone).

That it does so while pointing out the problematic nature of many of these classic stories – including misogyny, casual racism, and puritanical views toward sex – is part of its charm, managing to acknowledge their flaws, even as it celebrates their virtues. Schmigadoon! isn’t here to tear down the classic musical, but rather to remind us why we still love these stories in the first place. Much like the classic musicals it mimics, Schmigadoon! is almost entirely sincere in its belief in love and the power of song. And that’s why, for the most part,  it works.

The story follows New York couple Josh and Melissa, a couple who’ve been together for several years but whose relationship is languishing in the weird liminal where they’re generally happy together (maybe?) but they’re not sure if they should take the next step into marriage. While on a couples retreat, the two get lost on a hike in the woods and stumble into the strange and obviously magical town of Schmigadoon, where they’re greeted by a squadron of townsfolk dressed in gingham who perform an opening number.

Melissa, who loves musicals, thinks all of this is charming – Josh doesn’t and distinctly does not – at least until she discovers that they can’t leave. Apparently, the only way out of Schmigadoon is to cross back over its charming footbridge with your true love, but when Josh and Melissa attempt this, they fail. Are they not meant to be together? Was their magical meet-cute over vending machine candy a fluke instead of a sign? The two must delve into the true feelings for one another (and what they want out of life) even as a bevy of townsfolk pelt them with a variety of equally hilarious and familiar-sounding tunes.

The cast is peppered with recognizable Broadways stars like Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, and Aaron Tveit, who throw themselves into their archetypal roles with the sort of gusto that only the most committed theater types can manage, giving entertaining depth to characters ranging from the waspish town scold (Chenoweth) to its welcoming and well-meaning, if somewhat repressed mayor (Cumming).

But the reason Schmigadoon! is ultimately so satisfying is that despite its self-referential and occasionally self-indulgent tone, as a series it’s almost completely without cynicism. This is a show that is not just full of big, bold emotions, it’s a constant reminder that we should embrace our big, bold emotions – and whether that means singing them or just talking to the people who mean the most to you.

And just as Melissa and Josh’s journey changes the two of them, it also changes Schmigadoon itself, introducing wild modern-day ideas that leave the town and its residents better than they found them. Proof that everything old can indeed become new again.

The first two episodes of Schmigadoon premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 16 with weekly episodes to follow thereafter. Are you planning to give this series a look? Sound off in the comments.