Take Three: Galavant

Galavant: Season 1, Episodes 5 and 6 “Completely Mad…Alena” and “Dungeons and Dragon Lady” (B-)

After four introductory installments, Galavant finally got to the palace, and, like everything that led up to it, it’s entertaining but also highly odd and random. I do like that Madalena, not content just to be a damsel in distress or a spoiled princess, is taking some initiative and managed to get Galavant saved to help her achieve her own goals. I was not at all thrilled with the Xanax plotline involving Ricky Gervais, who was bound to show up eventually on this show, though it did at least seem to get King Richard back to a good place where he was ready to dismiss Madalena and throw her into the dungeon. Unfortunately, she was clever enough to call up his tough older brother, played by none other than Rutger Hauer, to return to talk or kick some sense into him and reclaim the kingdom. Maybe Galavant will end up siding with King Richard after all, Madalena notwithstanding, to help ensure that the lesser of two evils remains on the throne. Isabella hasn’t yet been able to truly articulate her feelings for Galavant and he hasn’t realized how he feels either, but they’re getting much closer to it with each of their songs. I was surprised to recognize Sophie McShera, who plays Daisy on “Downton Abbey,” as the handmaiden who Madalena pretend to set up with the chef so that she could get Galavant into her chambers. Daisy and Gwynne aren’t really all that different, and it’s fun to see McShera in a servant role in a more outright comedic context.