What I’m Watching: Galavant (Season Finale)

Galavant: Season 2, Episodes 9 and 10 “Battle of the Three Armies” and “The One True King (To Unite Them All)” (B/B+)

It’s very possible that what may be this show’s final two episodes were also its best. I’ve come to enjoy this show a lot, and I think it’s probably better than I give it credit for. I enjoy musical television shows, and given that this is about half of what’s on now – “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” being the other, superior series – I’m grateful for this show’s existence. These episodes, particularly the finale, made no secret of the fact that the showrunners and everyone involved never expected a second season, and the concluding song even proclaimed that this would be the last anyone would ever see of it unless it got another surprise renewal. I liked the introductory song at the start of the first episode recapping the battle that was about to begin, and this show really has done a fine job of telling its absurd narrative. Galavant showing up with a shockingly handy Richard and Sid appearing with his gay army to save the day were predictable but entertaining moments, and I love that Gareth immediately abandoned Madalena and stood by his friend Richard and that the former king refused to let his onetime bodyguard go into battle for him without being there by his side. Isabella delivered a great takedown of Madalena, and Galavant didn’t have to try hard to win Isabella back after the fart comment situation had been cleared up. Things were tied up in a pretty good bow, though the ending scenes with Madalena yearning for darker power and Richard finally seeing his dragon breathe fire were fun teasers for a third season that I’d really quite like to see.

Season grade: B
Season MVP: Timothy Omundson as Richard and Vinnie Jones as Gareth

What I’m Watching: Galavant

Galavant: Season 2, Episodes 7 and 8 “Love and Death” and “Do the D’Dew” (B-)

These were fun episodes, and there’s definitely a sense that the plot is picking up with just two episodes to go that will all but surely be this series’ final installments given its inability to muster any decent ratings in season two. Galavant being dead for nearly a whole episode was a little silly, and I think the best part of that plotline aside from the potion master singing a long song that delayed his healing help was Eddie Marsan’s appearance as Death. It’s a relief that Richard and Roberta have finally gotten together, and naturally their first kiss nearly happened just as Galavant came back to life a few seconds too early. Galavant commanding the army of the undead with charges of love is entertaining, though they’re definitely not easy to direct or control. I enjoyed the meeting and song duel between Madalena and Isabella, and the fact that Isabella didn’t want to accept Madalena’s brutal terms of surrender, which means that war is inevitable. Gareth and Madalena addressing the troops as a way to talk to each other about their feelings of love was fun, and it’s nice to see that romance brewing. I imagine that the final two episodes of this season will bring things together and set them right in some way, and given the direction that the ratings are headed, it will all probably be wrapped up in some neat bow so that it doesn’t have to end on an unresolved note. Two additional highlights from this pair of episodes: Roberta pointing out that it was awfully early in the season for Galavant to die and the “Grease” parody.

What I’m Watching: Galavant

Galavant: Season 2, Episodes 5 and 6 “Giants vs. Dwarves” and “About Last Knight” (B-)

These two episodes actually pushed the plot forward in a more productive way than usual, giving us plenty of absurd sensational fare along the way and quite a few decent parody musical numbers. I caught references to “West Side Story,” “Les Miserables,” and “Oliver” over the course of this hour, and I’m sure there were plenty more I didn’t notice. I enjoyed the fact that the giants and dwarves were fighting despite the fact that they were actually the same height, and Galavant and Richard couldn’t tell who was on which side when they brought their own little squabble into the mix and attacked the wrong people. Isabella getting her crown knocked off when she went to go see the unkempt princess put an end to the wedding planner’s devious plot that he couldn’t keep track of, and now, thanks to the Forest of Coincidence, he has helped Madalena give Gareth the perfect birthday present in the form of an unprovoked war. Sid did his best to talk Gareth out of romancing Madalena, but it seems that those two are rather well suited for each other, eager to please at the expense of all the peasants and servants around them. Galavant’s dad being a great guy didn’t help his case when he failed to mention his proximity to the starving crew that had to eat hobbits, and the visit ended up going much better than expected, save for that unfortunate sword toss that resulted in our hero being impaled with the sword, something he might get over but likely not without at least leaving a scratch and slowing them down a bit.

What I’m Watching: Galavant (Season Premiere)

Galavant: Season 2, Episode 1 and 2 “A New Season aka Suck It Cancellation Bear” and “World’s Best Kiss” (B-)

I’m still pretty surprised, along with the rest of the world, that this show got renewed for a second season despite mediocre ratings and no one really liking it. When I sat down to watch the double-decker premiere, I considered not bothering, but then I remembered that there is something about this show that I do enjoy. Its songs are clever and sometimes catchy, though just as often stupid and irritating. The new focus of King Richard being ousted from his kingdom and on the road with Galavant is fun, and it gives Richard a whole new role and opportunity to shine, since Timothy Omundson was always the strongest player on this show. I also like Vinnie Jones, and Gareth is doing his best to usurp his new status with much resistance from the queen who insists on throwing his dog paintings into the mud. The Skype-like device used with the amulet in the second episode set things off-course in a bad way, as Isabella now believes that Galavant called her a brown cow and that he never loved her, while he is sitting pretty and thinks their terrible kiss really wasn’t so bad. It’s no doubt going to be a bizarre, strange season, with two episodes flying at us every week for five weeks. I don’t see a reason not to tune in, though if Sunday nights get as crowded as they were this past fall, I may have to reconsider. Still, there’s something to be said for a show that pokes fun at being renewed for a new season in an opening number.

What I’m Watching: Galavant (Season Finale)

Galavant: Season 1, Episodes 7 and 8 “My Cousin Izzy” and “It’s All in the Executions” (C+)

It’s not often that shows address the end of their seasons directly in song. I’m not sure that these episodes were any worse than the six that came before them, but I did get the sense that they were emphasizing ridiculousness rather than actually getting anywhere. This has been an interesting and unique experience, if nothing else, and I still have “Come back for our next show” permanently stuck in my head. The story didn’t go where I expected, certainly, which I guess says something, and that does make it creative at the very least. Madalena is the opposite of what a princess would usually be, and she’s turned out to be infinitely more manipulative than before. Killing the king’s brother after getting both Galvant and Richard to leave was shrewd, and now she and Gareth will be able to rule the kingdom with just as much fervor as Richard but perhaps a bit more intelligently. Galavant kissing Isabella was a long time coming, though now they’re separated, and, puzzlingly, she’s imprisoned in a weird small house built by her tiny cousin. The music on this show was what made it most fun, and I also think that the cast, particularly Joshua Sasse (Galavant), Karen David (Isabella), and Timothy Omundson (Richard), were terrific. I’m not sure that this needs to come back for a second season and I certainly wouldn’t miss it, but I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this wacky, odd medieval musical comedy either. I don’t think its chances look good, but who knows?

Season grade: B-
Season MVP: Timothy Omundson

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.

Take Two: Galavant

Galavant: Season 1, Episodes 3 and 4 “Two Balls” and “Comedy Gold” (B-)

It’s hard to get some of this show’s tunes, particularly anything involving Galavant’s name (the words “our next show” are stuck forever), out of my head. I’m not convinced this is a truly compelling and terrific show, but it’s mildly enjoyable enough that I’m keen to stick with it. While some of its content could certainly be taken as offensive, I think that harmless is probably the most accurate way to describe this show. I wasn’t too fond of Sid’s return to his very Jewish home, though I’ll admit that Sidneyland as a name was pretty hilarious. Seeing Galavant be humbled by having to pretend to be Sid’s squire and Isabella jump at the chance to be an actress and really play up her fiancée role was entertaining. I like the relationship that is developing between Galavant and Isabella, which was enough for him to defend her mouth-breathing and for her to tell him the truth about what they were headed into, even if he was too busy looking ahead to hear what she had to say. I was pleased to see Hugh Bonneville, who is ever so serious on “Downton Abbey,” ham it up as a hapless pirate in a great guest spot. My favorite player is still Timothy Omundson, who is delightful delivering awful jokes and trying to be clever and likeable, ultimately succeeding in getting his wife to discard her jester lover even if he had forgotten that was his intention all along by the time it happened. This show definitely has spunk, and it has a unique and pretty wild vision.

Pilot Review: Galavant

Galavant (ABC)
Premiered January 4 at 8pm

It didn’t take long for 2015’s first show to premiere, and it’s quite an eclectic pick. Shows with regular singing in them are rare and usually not fondly remembered. Consider the short life spans of “Cop Rock” and “Viva Laughlin,” and look at how long it took for “Glee” to get old. “Pushing Daisies” has its share of singing, but that was really just an excuse to feature Kristin Chenoweth. This show embraces its musical comedy nature wholeheartedly, creating a medieval mockery that seems truly fitting for the stage. While it’s not particularly hilarious, it is somewhat charming and endearing. It’s certainly silly, but digesting two half-hours worth of this show every week for four weeks doesn’t seem like an awful idea. Of the cast, Joshua Sasse, Mallory Jansen, and Karen David, who I’ve never seen before, are great as Galavant, the spoiled Madalena, and the spirited Isabella, respectively, but I enjoy seeing two actors I know from other projects most. Timothy Omundson of “Psych” is the perfect person to play the king, and Vinnie Jones is a fantastic and unexpected choice to play his serious sidekick. I wouldn’t go so far as to classify this show as good, but it is a lot of fun and not nearly as grating as most other comedies on the air today. Taking it seriously is another question altogether, but I’d categorize this one as a pleasant if over-the-top surprise that I definitely wasn’t expecting to find memorable or worthwhile.

How will it work as a series? A second episode helps to paint a picture of what this show will be like on a regular basis, and it’s a promising one, since it adds considerable depth – or rather, surface levels of personality – to all of the characters. Eight episodes is not a tall order and is sure to fly by in just four weeks. Having John Stamos guest star in the second episode is a strong indicator of the show’s sense of humor.
How long will it last? All ratings reports term its debut “solid,” which suggests that it may just have the chance to outlive its initial set of episodes. I’m not confident that those numbers will last, though, and so I think that what was initially ordered is all we’ll get.

Pilot grade: B-