Schmigadoon! season 1 episode 4 review: Suddenly in love

This week’s episode of Schmigadoon! finds Josh and Melissa with the potential key to two separate paths out of the musical town.

Last week’s episode ended with the former couple each finding a new partner who could unlock the key to Schmigadoon’s “true love” spell.

Josh, despite all the advice he’s been given, is determined to approach falling in love with Emma Tate (Ariana DeBose) like a logical puzzle rather than an emotional relationship. This leads him to seek out Melissa for her advice again since she’s the expert on musicals out of the two.

While Melissa is still annoyed with him due to everything, she brainstorms possible musicals he could be reenacting with Emma, including The Music Man, leading Josh to befriend Emma’s little brother.

Of course, even Josh can’t help but see that these are real people and be affected when Emma is moved by his kindness, making his master plan morally gray.

But things are a bit more complicated for Melissa, who finds herself demoted to nurse working for Doc Lopez (Jaime Camil) and struggling to fit in with Schmigadoon’s regressive standards. When Lopez refuses to help a pregnant, unwed patient Melissa goes rogue, leading to what may be the show’s most standout song yet.

Though Lopez forbids Melissa from helping the young soon-to-be mother, she forges ahead and seeks out Nancy’s house to provide her with some basic gynecological information, the basis for “Va-Gi-Na” in the style of The Sound of Music‘s “Do-Re-Mi.”

It’s one of the show’s most blatant parodies but works so well because of the stark contrast of the song’s subject matter and Cecily Strong’s straight-faced delivery. Not unlike Claire in Outlander, Melissa is determined to provide modern medical advice to people out of time, and Schmigadoon! doesn’t miss a chance to make it funny.

“Suddenly” also builds up more of the background characters’ lives, including the mayor and Reverend, who appear to have a blossoming friendship, much to the dismay of the Reverend’s wife (the hilariously severe Kristen Chenoweth).

Melissa’s modern influence goes so far as to encourage the mayor to come out (another fantastic musical moment), which will absolutely have repercussions in the final episodes.

By the episode’s end, Josh and Melissa have both gotten what they need–a declaration of love from a Schmigadoon resident that could guarantee them passage over the bridge. But is it the true love their hearts want?

What did you think of this week’s episode of Schmigadoon!? Tell us in the comments below!