Kimmy Schmidt is back as her overzealous self, but this time with a more cynical awareness of the world around her.
In 2015, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, both of “30 Rock” fame, provided audiences with a Netflix show that satirized divisive topics through rakish parodies. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” was lauded for its amusing, yet thought-provoking scenes that included quotes like, “I got treated better as a werewolf than I ever did as a black man.”
Friday marked the debut of its sophomore season with its far-out antics and amusingly exaggerated humor in tow.
Ellie Kemper (“The Office”) plays the titular character who, along with three other women, was rescued from a bunker after 15 years at the hands of a religious cult leader (Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”).
The second season, however, shows a Schmitt who is more attuned to the 21st century. Her childish innocence that the first season’s humor hinged on is dimmed. In its place, the show is now more conscientious in illustrating emotions. Kimmy briefly breaks when she follows through on her attraction to Dong, now her ex, who’s married.
That’s not to say the new season distances itself from its predecessor’s shenanigans, which Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess, “Good Vibrations”) mostly carries. Andromedon, Kimmy’s proudly gay — in both senses of the word — roommate concludes the first episode by horsing around to Paula Abdul. A later episode showcases his spine-tingling singing, which is dazzling enough to warrant a spin-off show.
Along the same lines, newly-single Jacqueline White (Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock”), formerly Mrs. Voorhees, tries to claw her way back into New York’s high society while also attempting to re-familiarize herself with her Native American heritage.
This back-and-forth serves as an intriguing segway to an honest discussion on racial misrepresentation and same-race discrimination. This complex duality is what continues to propel the show past its contemporaries.
A slew of guest stars further the wackiness. Fred Armisen (“Saturday Night Live”) plays the infamous Robert Durst, who Schmitt’s landlord, Lillian (Carol Kane, “Hester Street”), starts dating. Anna Camp (“Pitch Perfect”) acts as Deirdre Robespierre, the head honcho of New York trophy wives. Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park”) and Zosia Mamet (“Girls”) also make shock-and-awe appearances.
Unfortunately, this overemphasized humor also hinders the show, and the viewer will often want subtler comedy as a respite. At times the show offers this, and grapples well with reality. At one point, it parodies a news report of the rescue of a white woman with “Hispanic woman also found” as an afterthought.
The magnified satire serves well as a humorous counterpart to some of television’s more serious offerings. It is comfort after a disgustingly alluring Frank Underwood scheme or a Walking Dead bloodshed.
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If “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” does not shift more to this nuanced humour, though, it may fall into the deep pile of New York comedies that are out there today.
But for now, Schmitt’s inadvertent sass will suffice.
