Have you ever thought about what it would be like to know most inner problems and anxieties of the people around? NBC’s new series, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, tackles just that in a joyful and quirky way, with a heaping tablespoon of color. Full of spontaneous singing, on-the-spot choreography, and overwhelming emotions, this series is like a Broadway show with popular music from all decades come to life. This cheery and optimistic show will definitely captivate you and make you want to sing along with all the characters. It’s also a bit of a tear-jerker, so please be prepared to break out the Kleenex. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The show follows the life of Zoey Clarke, a programmer, who is shy and has a hard time expressing her feelings, especially now that her father is dying from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). She fears that she may be developing PSP as well, so she schedules herself an MRI to be sure (because this is what rich white people have the time and money to do). While in the machine, she experiences an earthquake while listening to a curated Spotify playlist. Her world was never the same. Zoey starts hearing people sing out loud in public places, but nobody else can hear them. She realizes after encountering several of them and a little help from her flamboyant neighbor (played by the amazing Alex Newell) that these songs, what she later calls “heart songs,” are an expression of emotions that the people are too afraid to convey. Her life slowly becomes intertwined with people she would have never talked to and she learns to overcome her fears of speaking out and being honest about her emotions.
Episode three, entitled “Zoey’s Extraordinary Boss,” is my favorite. Zoey hears her boss sing the song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones, and she realizes that her boss is complaining about her failing marriage. Not wanting to overstep into her privacy, Zoey decides to not help her. What she did not expect was that she would start hearing the same song; haunting her everywhere she went, from the elevator music to a whole marching band. What she then learns is that running away from “heart songs” will only make her rehear the song over and over until she gets over fears and helps the person who sang it first.
Each episode will have you laughing, singing, and crying at the same time. So if you’re a music lover and need a break from all the dismal things happening around you, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is right for you. The whole first season is available to binge-watch on Hulu right now. Watch it, you won’t regret it.
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