It’s the end of an era. The last episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend aired on Friday, April 5: an ep to conclude the show’s storyline and a live special filmed in LA. I’m so pleased the show’s creators were able to bring things to a close on their own terms, but it’s still hard to let go. While far from perfect, CEG is one of my favorite shows in recent memory, featuring a flawed heroine, a cast of memorable supporting characters, and messages about self-acceptance, mental health, sexuality, reproductive health, and the power of female friendship — all told through songs at once hilarious and heartfelt. I’m going to miss this show.
I’ve seen so many lists ranking the best songs of the series, but this is impossible for me to do. I’d still like to reflect on the songs and their importance to the show’s themes, so I’ll list some of my favorite songs by category instead. Here we go!
Female solidarity
“Friendtopia” – the Spice Girls parody/tribute is incredible here, and I wish more songs about girl power involved literal revolutionary action. Favorite lyric: “When my friends and I stick together, there’s nothing we can’t do / And when I say that I specifically mean we’re gonna stage a coup.”
“Let’s Generalize About Men” – the fab ’80s style is everything to me, and I appreciate so much how the show crafts songs that support women while simultaneously calling them out. Among other things, this song draws attention to the problematic gay best friend stereotype. Favorite lyric: “Gay men are all really great, every single one / They’re never mean, just sassy / They’re all completely adorable and fun.”
“Women Gotta Stick Together” – while I’m glad Valencia stuck around as a character and experienced growth, I love her thoroughly bitchy early songs. Though claiming to be about female solidarity, Valencia uses feminism here to remind others of their flaws, a smile pasted on her face throughout. Favorite lyric: “Women have the power, the power to make a change / Like this girl should pluck her eyebrows, and those jeans should be exchanged.”
“Feelin’ Kinda Naughty” – the show is great at pointing out the creepy underpinnings of so many relationships. While parodying the fetishization of lesbian relationships, CEG also highlights another way women can convince themselves their bad behavior is somehow female solidarity. Favorite lyric: “I want to kill you and wear your skin like a dress / But then also have you see me in that dress / And be like, ‘OMG, you look so cute in my skin.'”
Wallowing a little too hard at your own pity party
“You Stupid Bitch” – this was a real turning point in the show for me; I felt this song so personally and both appreciated that and felt way too exposed. Favorite lyric: “These shards are a metaphor for my soul / Can’t stop the self-pity ‘cause I’m on a roll.”
“Tell Me I’m OK” – I hate how accurate these songs are; Rebecca needing assurance from random strangers that she’s normal, and convinced that everyone else knows inherently how to come across as normal. Favorite lyric: “Seriously, Patrick, was I sick in school the day they taught you how to be a normal person? / It just feels like there’s something fundamental I’m missing out on / Like, is there an instruction manual?”
“Santa Ana Winds” – Rebecca uses the Santa Ana Winds as an excuse for her behavior rather than taking responsibility; she also manages to make herself the center of everything by convincing herself the Sana Ana Winds are out to get her personally. Eric Michael Roy’s performance absolutely makes this song. Favorite lyric: “I’m mystical but also carry dangerous spores / I bring whimsy and forest fires.”
“The End of the Movie” – another song I wish I didn’t relate to so hard; I just feel like life is supposed to make way more sense than it does. Plus the Josh Groban cameo is perfectly executed. Favorite lyric: “If you saw a movie that was like real life, you’d be like ‘What the hell was that movie about? It was really all over the place’ / Life doesn’t make narrative sense.”
“No One Else Is Singing My Song” – oof, this one hurts because I know I’ve been guilty of wallowing in my own self-pity to the point I’m convinced no one could possibly ever relate to what I’m feeling. CEG plays this up perfectly in this song, emphasizing that a lot of Rebecca’s isolation is self-inflicted. Favorite lyric: “Have you ever been far from home / So scared you had to roam / And now you’re beaten and tired with no one to call a friend (He doesn’t count).”
The power of self-delusion
“West Covina” – so many of Rebecca’s problems come from this place of seeing exactly what she wants to see while denying the reality of the situation. Favorite lyric: “My life’s about to change, oh my gosh / Because I’m desperately, hopelessly in love with…West Covina.”
“I’m a Good Person” – the uncensored version is everything to me. Once again, Rebecca looks to others for validation while completely deceiving herself. Favorite lyric: “Newsflash, fuckwads, I’m a good person / Do what I can for you all the time.”
“Nothing Is Ever Anyone’s Fault” – Rebecca gets so close to self-actualization here, recognizing that her trauma and mistakes have shaped who she is. Unfortunately, she and Nathaniel are blindly determined to blame their parents for all that has gone wrong in their lives. Favorite lyric: “It wasn’t technically Hitler’s fault / Hitler’s brother died and that made him super sad.”
“A Diagnosis” – getting an accurate diagnosis is a huge step for Rebecca, but it’s not going to be an easy journey. Again, she gets so close to the point, yet misses it entirely, believing that the diagnosis equates to a solution to her problems. Favorite lyric: “With a diagnosis, I’m ready to blow this joint / And by joint I mean my inner sense of confusion (You said that confusingly).”
“After Everything I’ve Done for You” – poor Paula is just trying to vicariously live out her romantic fantasies through Rebecca, so who can blame her for getting a bit upset when her scheming yields no results? As this song demonstrates, Rebecca isn’t the only character fixated on fairytale romance. Favorite lyric: “That’s right, I make yoga class schedules / There’s no limit to where my reach is.”
“Don’t Be a Lawyer” – I absolutely love the ’90s vibe of this, as well as what I consider (further) confirmation that my decision to work in libraries was the best of my life. Also shout-out to “I Want to Be a Child Star,” which is great and could have the alternate title “Don’t Be a Child Star.” Favorite lyric: “There are so many other professions that don’t turn you into Jeff Sessions.”
Toxic masculinity
“Fit Hot Guys Have Problems Too” – one of my absolute favorite songs of the entire show, this takedown of toxic masculinity never fails to crack me up. It’s obnoxious how a group of extremely privileged dudes is holding their own pity party, though at the same time, it’s really their own conception of masculinity holding back their free emotional expression. Favorite lyric: “Don’t look at us, we’re not dancing for you / Leave us alone, we have to twerk out our sad.”
“I Go to the Zoo” – playing against type, fuckboy Nathaniel reveals the illegal high he gets to forget about his broken heart: visiting the zoo after hours. Favorite lyric: “I look at the monkeys / Their eyes look like my eyes.”
“The Buzzing from the Bathroom” – the idea that Tim’s masculinity is threatened based on his wife’s orgasms is ridiculous, yet it’s a real fear men have. The Les Mis parody makes Tim’s fears seem all the more melodramatic while reminding us there’s a very simple solution here: just ask what your romantic partner likes. Favorite lyric: “Oh, the buzzing, cursed buzzing, that damn incessant hum / I used to think I was a hero / Can’t believe she didn’t come…to tell me that she needed so much more than I could give.”
Problematic narratives surrounding romantic love
“Love Kernels” – the Beyoncé tribute is brilliant, the costuming incredible, and the lyrics inspired. God, it hurts how desperate Rebecca is and how real it feels. Favorite lyric: “I’ll be patient until the kernels rain down like candy on Shaquille O’Neal in the movie Kazaam.”
“Fuckton of Cats” — again, the TV version is good, but the uncensored version is exquisite. Favorite lyric: “This is the future smell of my house / It’s the smell of my dreams that have died (and cats).”
“The Math of Love Triangles” – while love triangles are the bread and butter of rom-coms, they’re not as glamorous as Rachel Bloom’s Marilyn Monroe impersonation. Favorite lyric: “We’re starting to suspect you don’t sincerely want to know about triangles.”
“One Indescribable Instant” – Lea Salonga sings beautifully about fairytale romance in the vaguest of terms. Favorite lyric: “What, are you kidding me? / No, it’s for real-able.”
“Oh My God I Think I Like You” – this is surprisingly sweet and sad for a song that focuses so much on intense, no-strings sex. Favorite lyric: “Is there spermicidal lubricant that can kill the fluttering in my heart?”
“I Hate Everything But You” – I relate to Greg a lot sometimes, most clearly exemplified by this song. Favorite lyric: “I hate when people ask me if I’d ever get a tattoo / Hate combination conditioner and shampoo.”
Sexuality and sexual health
Cats songs: “Hungry Vagina Metaphor,” “Itchy Vagina Metaphor,” “Funky Vagina Metaphor” – it’s impossible for me to choose a favorite among these, though Fred Armisen’s cameo as Itchy Cat holds a special place in my heart. I’m impressed with the show’s commitment to exponentially increasing the number of songs written about yeast infections. Favorite lyric: “Funky cat is all the rage when something’s off with your pH.”
“I Gave You a UTI” – Santino Fontana’s performance here is so great, while the song breaks new ground with its subject matter. At least, as far as I know, there had never been songs about having a UTI until this one. Favorite lyric: “I’m so good at sex / Your maidenship got wrecked.”
The un-sexiness of sex
“The Sexy Getting Ready Song” – truly an instant classic. Right off the bat, CEG is interested in examining unrealistic beauty standards for women. This one focuses on the misconception that looking flawless comes naturally; actually, it’s quite a process that is really painful and often downright disgusting. Favorite lyric: “You know what? I gotta go apologize to some bitches. I’m forever changed after what I just seen.”
“The First Penis I Saw” – unlike other songs about first love, this one doesn’t hesitate to bring up the awkward, embarrassing side of a first sexual experience. The ABBA parody is brilliantly done, and Donna Lynne Champlin’s face acting is just so excellent. Favorite lyric: literally this entire song.
“Let’s Have Intercourse” – taking a romantic Ed Sheeran-style approach to this ballad, Nathaniel manages to make this seduction entirely about himself and his own gratification. Favorite lyric: “Sometimes my body wants things that my mind does not / My body wants things that make my mind go ‘Body, what?'”
“Strip Away My Conscience” – shattering all of our illusions about sexy stripteases, Rebecca’s number includes throwing a shoe at Nathaniel’s head and reminding him that her thong has just been up her butt. Favorite lyric: “Baby, it’s such foreplay / When you slither like a moray / EEL.”
Self-acceptance
“Gettin’ Bi” – such a fun song that captures Darryl’s enthusiastic personality while making important and valid points about bisexuality. Favorite lyric: “It doesn’t take an intellectual to get that I’m bisexual.”
“Anti-Depressants Are So Not a Big Deal” — I strongly feel this should be required listening for anyone taking anti-depressants or other meds to manage mental illness, as well as people who don’t understand why these medications are so important and necessary. Favorite lyric: “Some cry that in the past we didn’t medicate everyone / Cool, witch trials and the crusades / Sounded like so much fun.”
Bonus round
“Dream Ghost” — I absolutely love this song and don’t know what category to put it in. The Dream Girls motown tribute is so catchy in and of itself, while the meta commentary is sharp, and Michael Hyatt’s voice is so perfect for it. Favorite lyric: “This guy is deciding whether or not to leave his wife / This girl is wondering if she should terminate a pregnancy.”
“There’s No Bathroom” — the Weird Al cameo this show deserves with the reprise I never would’ve expected. This song is as bizarrely fun as the man himself (complete with accordion). Favorite lyric: again, this entire number.
Thanks for sticking with me through this behemoth of a post. Thanks for the memories, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend!
The Pink Panther Snipes Again 