Arts and Entertainment
Coronavirus Coverage
Creative Writing
Education
Featured
Food
News
Opinion
Photo/Video
Podcasts
Sports
Tina Fey’s newest sitcom has finally been released. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”’s highly anticipated first season is now available to those with a subscription to Netflix. This newest Netflix Original Series follows the life of Kimmy Schmidt, a woman who was kidnapped by an apocalyptic cult when she was in the eighth grade. After escaping, Kimmy must make use of her fearless optimism and unbreakable spirit to navigate her new life in the Big Apple. This dark premise seems as if it could hardly be part of a comedy; however, Kimmy Schmidt’s humor lies in its characters and the hilarious actors who play them.
The show’s cast is led by Ellie Kemper as the bubbly and slightly naive Kimmy. Kemper is no stranger to the field of comedy; you may recognize her from TV shows such as “The Office” or movies such as “Bridesmaids” and “21 Jump Street”. However, in her current role, Kemper has truly found her place. Her rendition of Kimmy Schmidt is delightful. Her hilarious facial expressions are reminiscent of those of a middle schooler (a testament to her character’s lack of life experience), and the sheer vivacity of her character injects fun into the show. She breathes life into her vibrant and perky character without allowing her to become unrealistic or cartoony.
Kimmy’s eccentric roommate Titus Andromedon is played by Broadway regular Tituss Burgess. Although this is Burgess’s first venture into the comedy genre, his depiction of Titus is spot on. He hilariously brings his character to life through nuanced facial expressions and characteristic mannerisms such as singing certain phrases and using funny hand gestures.
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, though only in its first season, is already a home run. Its clever and witty writing style (due to Fey’s comedic genius) combines with its all-star cast to become one of the best new shows of 2015. If you are lacking a Netflix subscription, now would be the perfect time to invest in one; this is a show that you are not going to want to miss.
– Rachel Baldauf
