Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Zoey's Extraordinary Boss
Inga Parkel
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It was all about girl power on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Season 1 Episode 3.
Joan and Maggie struggled with marriage trouble, and Zoey stepped out of her comfort zone to aid them both.
As Zoey put it, her many years of relationship experience, sarcasm heavily included, made her a qualified couples therapist.
Joan performed Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones, and initially, Zoey assumed it was in response to the team's performance when in actuality it was in retaliation of her broken marriage to her terribly narcissistic husband Charlie.
Already a show focused on female empowerment, it resumed this message successfully and with immense poise. Lorelei Gilmore would never have let a man take over her life.
Joan just needed a bit of a reminder and clear lenses to see that her husband's flawed behavior was unacceptable and deserved a proper send-off.
The song Satisfaction provided an interesting duality. The two women weren't satisfied with their marriages as a result of their husband's relentless dissatisfaction and unappreciation of their wives.
I've never witnessed a more perfect casting choice until Justin Kirk stepped foot into the office as Charlie.
His chiseled face and undeniable silver-foxiness made him the perfect portrayal of a self-obsessed prick.
Additionally, his theme song Superstar, from Jesus Christ Superstar, was the most on the nose choice of songs.
It worked too well, and the way the men of the company gawked over his presence was laughable.
His characterization, although extremely exaggerated for a strong effect, enabled pure distaste.
Zoey said it best when she referred to him as a dick. I'm glad Joan dropped him, and I really hope she doesn't go back to him.
Zoey: Do you just make these statistics up?
Mo: Thirty-five percent of the time.
A man who can't support his wife, let alone give her his full attention when she's trying to propose an idea, requires a heavy wake-up call.
It was powerful to see Zoey and Joan join forces as the only women at SPRQ Point. Empowered women empower women!
After configuring a program that allowed Mitch to communicate more directly with the family, Mitch's first word was "lemonade."
Previous episodes have led up to Maggie's meltdown on aisle 5. Anybody who's cared for a loved one suffering from a major debilitating disease knows the emotional toll it takes.
People focus so much on the person suffering they forget to check in with the main caretaker. In this instance, Maggie felt underappreciated by Mitch seeing as his first communicative words after months of silence was a demand rather than a "thank you" or "I love you."
I did question if lemonade had an underlying meaning, but apparently, it didn't. Except for maybe those sorority girls throwing a Beyonce themed party.
Any time the family gets together late in the evening you can almost always expect a real tear-jerker.
There's been a radical shift in the way I perceive the world.
On another note, who else felt as indecisive and torn between Team Max and Team Simon? Mo's continuous team-flipping was the exact roller coaster I was on.
Although, I admit I lean much further toward Team Max. Nothing against Simon, but I will always root for the underdog and the initially friend-zoned best friend.
As predicted, Zoey is feeling some sort of way for Max, especially seeing his attention spent on Autumn and their handsy relationship.
In her words, she's not jealous, she's simply aware.
Zoey: Is it ok for him to be air-spanking her like that?
Simon: I think it's alright. Those look like consensual spanks to me.
Plus, Simon is in a more serious relationship, whereas Max's relationship is only budding.
I can't help but assume Max is still in love with Zoey and using Autumn as a distraction.
Zoey's involved in a mini love triangle with two unavailable men. It seems more like an inverted love triangle. Nevertheless, she persisted.
By the end of the first season, Zoey will have claimed one lucky contestant. Team Max or Team Simon?
Zoey continued honing her new skill and found that no matter how much she wanted to ignore someone's inner-monologue there was no way around it.
To begin with, her power presented as uncontrollable, and she would hear private thoughts of anybody around, but it has since evolved to only present itself in moments that will ensure Zoey proper character growth and equip her with secret intel to the feelings of those around her.
So that she may offer her own form of support.
Who do you think will be the next person in need? I have a feeling Mo may be the next focus for Zoey.
We still haven't been offered much insight into Mo's life. They sometimes remind me of a fairy-godparent, appearing to Zoey during times of confusion.
Mo not only presents as a sounding board of sorts, they additionally offer a bulk of the show's humor.
Undoubtedly the best character and we're only three episodes in.
Additional Side Notes:
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Zo-loft, Mo is too good with these play-on-words. What will they think of next?
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The writers of the show are so seamless in addressing important topics. Namely, Mo's gender non-binary status. Although, I do have to call out Simon for using the pronoun "he" later on in the episode.
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The song choices successfully bring back old classics and repurpose my originally perceived understanding of them. Or provides a greater meaning of the lyrics that I hadn't even considered while mindlessly singing along. Roar by Katy Perry, what a perfect song for the exact scenario of Joan's liberation from Charlie.
- I'm fairly certain Joan gifting Zoey Louboutin's is completely fantastical. No boss casually gifts a nearly thousand dollar pair of heels to their employee. Unless any of you aren't phased by that. Then please leave a comment below of your company. I might have to shift my career path. Thanks!
Please don't forget to leave your comments and thoughts on the episode below, including your rating!
Inga Parkel was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the organization in June 2020.
