The Unicorn Scale: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

Hey there, Unicorns! So I have a confession to make: I don’t always watch shows in good faith. But that’s most often because 1) I wasn’t planning to watch them as Unicorn entries in the first place, and 2) I was watching for a completely different reason.

Yes, I do consume a lot of queer media. But longtime readers also know I’m a screenwriter and novelist as well as a writer for this site. That work includes brainstorming and drafting lots and lots of ideas. And sometimes, those ideas I’ve outlined end up having very similar stories that end up getting greenlit — just not mine. 

For example: A few years ago I had an idea for a show where a Beverly Hills Elle Woods-esque concierge has a Jerry Maguire-esque breakdown, writes into one of those online essay contests where if you win you get the deed to a bed and breakfast… and wins. She moves and brings her sunny, plucky attitude to a taciturn seaside town in Maine to get the shoddy building back into fighting shape. Sounds fun, right? Yeah. Then a few months ago I saw the preview for Falling Inn Love. 

I must have screamed at my TV for about five minutes. It scared my cat. But my dear friend, Greg Machlin (himself an accomplished screenwriter) gave me great advice on when this happens: it doesn’t mean your script is a failure. It means your ideas are marketable.

So no, my inn idea wasn’t meant to be. (And to be clear, I’m not accusing anyone of plagiarism). But if I see something get screen time which is awfully close to an idea I had but needed to table, often I watch it to see what worked. (And yes, sometimes to hate-watch a little bit.)

“What’s this big wind-up about, Jennie?” Well, for one — to show y’all that the person behind these reviews is human, and has other parts to her life, and can be a little petty just like everyone else. BUT ALSO. This is why I was originally watching the new NBC musical comedy Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. 

You see, a decade ago when I wanted to create a webseries, I wrote a few drafts about an introverted young woman who, through an extraordinary event, wakes up to the people in her life around belting their feelings like they were in a musical — and she hates to sing. So when I came across this new show...  I got a little bitter. (Hey, my songs were original; Zoey’s are top 40 hits. Truly — there are plenty of differences in execution so I’m really not that bitter.)

Anyway. Why am I going on and on about this ad infinitum? I’ll tell you why in a few…

Disclaimers! First and foremost, there will be SPOILERS to this new show (but only the first four episodes because that was all that was available as of filing time). Ooh, and if you aren’t familiar with how I am judging and gauging the material, you can click here for a quick write-up on what the Scale is all about?

Still with me? I promise I won’t bring any baggage into my review after this sentence. Onward!

What I Liked:

Zoey’s new best friend, Mo (Alex Newell) is very casual about his queerness when he brings it up. In the third episode, when Zoey (Jane Levy) mentions there are no “teams” as far as the two men in her life she insists she’s not romantically interested in, Mo replies: “And yet I play for both teams!” 

What’s key here is Mo saying “play,” not “root” as if he were cool with either Max or Simon, the men in question, to end up dating Zoey. He’s making light fun of his own orientation without making himself the butt of a joke. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one. And boy does Mo go on a steamy romantic journey.

I also really love the fact we are starting to see main cast members of network television not only be gender non-conforming like Mo, but have character development and not serve as a punchline. Also, it’s kind of fun to hear the “not into labels” schtick getting applied to gender identity and not sexual orientation on a show — it kind of puts the phrase on its head for this bi lady who’s used to hearing it for people who experience fluid attractions.

In our world that still loves its binary thinking, most people would assume Mo is not only just one gender, but that that would be the only nuance given to his character. The fact that Mo is queer — and that it is not the sole purpose his character serves in the story— is nothing short of a breakthrough in modern television. One does not have to be one gender, or any gender, to acknowledge they are attracted to more than one gender. And Mo displays that truth with incredible self-acceptance and style. 

It’s also worth noting that the main storyline in the fourth episode revolves around Mo’s crisis of faith. While Mo knows his preacher accepts him as gender non-conforming, he is afraid of how the rest of the congregants will react if he presents as female at a big performance because of similar rejection in the past. It’s crucial to show this type of conflict in a queer person’s life — especially for a queer person of color — since so often in the United States non-straight people often experience judgment and exclusion from their religious communities. To see that reflected in a big-budget show like this one not only fleshes out Mo’s character but also highlights another common facet of the life of a queer person that rarely gets displayed on screen. 

What I Didn't Like:

Of course, as always, I’d love to hear more than a joke or a nod to someone being queer on a show and just use the term “bi” or another bi umbrella term. Especially in 2020. Not just in terms of queer representation, but as a writer (as Gaby Dunn noted in my interview with her) it gives a lot more options for the characters instead of us as viewers easily calling who we think will end up with whom.

Also, I have to admit I did have some hesitations when Mo first came onto the screen. Much like another critic expressed, I was scared someone as talented as Newell was going to be relegated to “sassy black friend” territory. But luckily with what we’ve seen of the series’ progression so far, I think it has better plans in store for all the characters. At least, I hope it does.

The Rating:

Mo, like the rest of the show, has lots of potential. We’ve seen him explore his gender fluidity, and we’ve been with him as he went on a spiritual journey. Zoey’s isn’t afraid of going deeper than a frothy musical comedy usually allows, and I’m here for it. Let’s just make Mo’s next “heart song” all about one of his new love interests. He’s already proven himself to be far more interesting than just a second banana.