By Alice Walker. Copyright © 2021 HuffPost.com, Inc. "HuffPost" is a registered trademark of HuffPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved. But this is where the Crazy Girlfriend trope starts. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” does not fall victim to this, and still figures out a way to be unparalleled in its use of satire. -- but she's also intelligent, funny, professionally competent, flirtatious, goofy, charming and brave. However, times are mostly associated together with night. And thankfully, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was there to let me know I’m not alone. If the premise sounds like a more absurdist version of "Felicity," it is, but somehow it works, turning the crazy lady romantic narrative on its head. As Harris O'Malley wrote for The Washington Post in 2014: "'Crazy' is one of the five deadly words guys use to shame women into compliance. The CW's "Crazy Ex Girlfriend" (very intentionally not "My Crazy Ex Girlfriend") was created by two women, Rachel Bloom and Brosh McKenna. Felicity). All of these songs toy with the "crazy ex-girlfriend" trope: the clinging, vengeful lover who refuses to understand when it’s over. Rebecca is the "crazy" ex-girlfriend who uproots her life to pursue Josh. Her philosophy comes from a deep belief that, "we’ve all been that person.". TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Psycho Ex-Girlfriend: Implied from the title, but played with. This show is a meal! This is a character list for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Warning: Contains spoilers for season 3, episode 11 of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend which aired 2 February in the US. Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom, also the co-creator), the titular character, leaves her high-powered lawyer job behind and moves to West Covina, California to follow her high school summer camp ex-boyfriend. Main CharactersClick to Expand Rebecca Bunch, Josh Chan, Paula Proctor, Greg Serrano, Valencia Perez, Darryl Whitefeather, Heather Davis, "White Josh" Wilson, Nathaniel Plimpton III … Double date tips can open the entry doors for healthy competition plus interesting group games. This song appears in episode 15 of season 1 (“Josh Has No Idea Where I Am!”) of the CW’s comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. So pervasive is the idea of the “crazy ex” that an entire Netflix series was made off the back of this trope: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ran from 2015 to 2019. Perhaps the key to doing away with the negative power the "crazy" label has over women is to embrace it with compassion and humor. Rebecca may be pretty fixated on Josh, but latching onto him is just a symptom of much deeper problems that go back pretty far. So here’s to hoping for a renewal, for more trope and stereotype destruction, and for more brilliantly funny, subversive, visceral work by the team behind “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” Advertisement Rebecca Bunch, Josh Chan, Paula Proctor, Greg Serrano, Valencia Perez, Darryl Whitefeather, Heather Davis, "White Josh" Wilson, Nathaniel Plimpton III, Whitefeather & Associates (Mrs. Hernandez, Karen, Maya, George, Tim & Jim, Sunil), Main Characters' Families (Naomi Bunch, Silas Bunch, the Chan Family, Scott Proctor), Other Secondary Characters (Father Brah, Dr. Akopian, Trent, Hector, Audra Levine, Kevin). Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is an American romantic musical comedy-drama television series that premiered on October 12, 2015 on The CW and ran for four seasons, ending on April 5, 2019. The “crazy ex-girlfriend” trope is a misogynistic stereotype where men refer to any woman who they have treated badly as “crazy”, as a way of minimizing women’s emotions and needs, and refusing to acknowledge their own bad behaviour. Railsback lives! It turns out Demonic Possession and being a Lonely Rich Kidreally messes with one's mental stability. In their hands, the "crazy woman" trope becomes a lot less tragic and a lot more interesting. Its title suggests the show will be one of two things: either playing into the oldest gender clichés or directly challenging them. ", Crazy ex-girlfriend' was a sexist term she and several of her friends had appropriated to describe obsessive behavior, whether prompted by a relationship gone awry, twisted work politics or even something trivial like having a car fixed." The brilliant writing of the show highlights the language we use by satirically over-using it, and brings light to quality female friendships that the media often overlooks. Starring: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Santino Fontana. Going into its fourth and final season, co-creators Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna have successfully maintained the momentum that allowed this show to beat the odds and make it onto mainstream television in the first place. This is a character list for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. In "Crazy Ex Girlfriend," it's the female characters who control the "crazy" narrative -- not the men who surround them. Music and comedy aside, what sets CXG apart from other romcom fare is its handling of mental illness that turns the “crazy ex-girlfriend” trope on its head. And that makes all the difference. Most of us wouldn't move across the country after running into a childhood love for five minutes, but who hasn't spent hours staring at their phone waiting for someone to text back? Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Slutty. The CW's "Crazy Ex Girlfriend" (very intentionally not "My Crazy Ex Girlfriend") was created by two women, Rachel Bloom and Brosh McKenna. At no point during the pilot does anyone in Rebecca's life call her crazy. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has long used the familiar beats of romantic comedies to raise, and then upset, our expectations. Perhaps one of the most notable examples is from the series "How I Met Your Mother," which uses the trope as a gag. Hopefully, its surprise Golden Globe win will give this show the attention it deserves as it enters the second half of its first season. Rebecca Bunch is a manifestation of our inner obsessive. She is crazy, and she is Josh's ex-girlfriend, but she doesn't fit this trope because the latter is not the cause of her being the former. 'Crazy Ex Girlfriend' Found A New Trope To Flip. 2015 TV-MA 4 Seasons TV Comedies. After a decade of dating and perpetual fear of ending up branded "crazy," I found myself watching a new musical TV show about -- you guessed it -- a crazy woman. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend subverts this trope when Rebecca scorches her apartment and has to move in with Heather. Led by Bloom’s character, Rebecca Bunch, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s cast of […] In fact, the only time the label comes up is when she's insisting that she's not crazy, mostly to herself. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a brilliant TV show that no one watches. "You're brave.". Crazy Ex-Girlfriend actually has three bisexual characters, although the third is not part of the main cast. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/CrazyExGirlfriend. best online Best Ways To Trope The Crazy Ex Girlfriend : Since a couple, there's simply so much you could do. Rachel Bloom Upends Romantic Comedy Tropes On 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' Bloom talks to Fresh Air's Ann Marie Baldonado about the CW musical comedy series, now … Rebecca Bunch may be a little "crazy" -- after all, who isn't at times? The goal -- especially when it comes to your romantic life -- is to avoid the label at all costs. Crazy Ex-Manwich. Her journey follows a familiar trope in romantic TV shows and movies where the heroine chases after a guy (i.e. The trope I find even more aggravating is that of The Crazy Girlfriend. And, really, what could be so bad about that? Crazy Ex-Girlfriend really did the most. As a Jewish girl, I find that Rachel Bloom’s show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend speaks so many truths about the American Jewish experience. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Who hasn't attended an event secretly hoping to run into a specific person there? Quickest Ways To Trope The Crazy Ex Girlfriend Creative Date Ideas To Do Outside:Quickest Ways To Trope The Crazy Ex Girlfriend : Date-times can vary. Privacy Policy, How 'Crazy Ex Girlfriend' Is Reclaiming The Crazy Woman Trope. McKenna told the New York Times that "'Crazy ex-girlfriend' was a sexist term she and several of her friends had appropriated to describe obsessive behavior, whether prompted by a relationship gone awry, twisted work politics or even something trivial like having a car fixed." "Crazy Ex Girlfriend" follows protagonist Rebecca Bunch (played by Bloom), an ambitious but miserable real estate lawyer who runs into an old summer camp boyfriend, Josh, on the street and decides to follow him across the country. While I love her, her attempt to control certain aspects of my life became too much. You could take your significant some other on a lunch time, brunch date or also a date to feel the sunrise. Ugly. TV show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has smashed the trope … Rebecca has spent so much time pursuing love that she’s lost sight of who she is. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” co-creators Rachel Bloom, left, and Aline Brosh-McKenna, pictured at last year’s Comic-Con, discuss the show’s series finale that aired Friday. When she finally breaks down about her real reasons for coming to West Covina when confronted by her new coworker Paula, it's Rebecca who berates herself with the crazy trope: "Oh my god, I’m crazy," she says in horror. Newsletters may offer personalized content or advertisements. A Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Upper Intermediate PREMIUM Yes, the crazy ex-girlfriend trope is alive and well in Chinese culture as well. Her philosophy comes from a deep belief that, ", Oh my god, I’m crazy," she says in horror. Of course men can be called crazy, but "crazy" is a label that men seem to disproportionately throw at women when they are displeased with said women's feelings and demands. Basically, she's a human being. When I first heard about the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — from several of my smart, feminist friends and just about every critic at a major media outlet — a glimmer of hope shone through the sea of crazy. As the long-term girlfriend of the primary male love interest during the first season, Valencia was presumed straight by most of the audience until very recently, when she is seen holding hands with and kissing a woman. Rebecca is also very charming and smart. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a breath of fresh air. Sometimes, adding one more couple to the blend can make things up some sort of notch. It's not going to be pleasant, but … The series was created by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna and stars Bloom in the lead role as Rebecca Bunch, a lawyer who moves from New York City to West Covina, California to pursue her ex from high school camp. Still pining for Josh, the boy who dumped her ages ago, whip-smart lawyer Rebecca jettisons her New York life and moves to California to win him back. Not only was it one of the only musical shows on television, but it also turned the trope of the crazy ex-girlfriend on its head. Others, including The Huffington Post’s own Emma Gray, have applauded co-creators Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna for reclaiming the "crazy ex-girlfriend" trope and spinning it into a hilarious and even feminist show, which critiques the cliché of the hysterical woman in the show’s funny song-and-dance numbers. November 17, 2015. She ends up in a completely underwhelming suburb, West Covina, Calif., with a new legal job and plenty of time to casually stalk Josh while insisting that, "I did not move here for Josh because that would be crazy and I am not crazy." The others: Fat. "I’m crazy and I’m irrational and I’m everything my mother said. It seems almost impossible that the musical numbers on Crazy Ex Girlfriend … I did not move here for Josh because that would be crazy and I am not crazy. October 26, 2015 justenoughtrope Uncategorized Leave a comment. Bitchy.". Share this: ... Get Trope in … She’s everywhere. We get jazzed for today’s show as we talk up Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and get down into a sci-fi classic, Lifeforce! Rebecca goes far in some of her schemes, but not far enough that she loses the audience. As many know, the "crazy ex-girlfriend," also known as the "psycho ex-girlfriend," is a sexist trope where a woman is dismissed as "nuts" in the aftermath of a breakup. As it turns out, Heather still lives with her parents (who are both wonderful). Get the top stories emailed every day. "I’m crazy and I’m irrational and I’m everything my mother said.". In their hands, the "crazy woman" trope becomes a lot less tragic and a lot more interesting. As a single 28-year-old woman living (and dating) in New York City, there are few labels I've learned to fear more than "crazy." "Don’t you talk about my friend like that ever again," says Paula, admonishing her for bringing "crazy" talk into the mix. At some point between childhood and adulthood, you learn that crazy is just about the worst thing you can be. Contractor’s ‘Hope Stoves’ Help Homeless People Cook, Stay Warm, Winners And Losers: What A Biden Presidency Means For Canada’s Economy, How To Open A Stubborn Produce Bag, The Pandemic-Safe Way, Saskatoon Man Uses The Cold To Show How Effective Face Masks Can Be, One Of These Great Canadians Will Be The Face Of The New $5 Bill, From The Supermarket To The Dollar Store, A Dietitian’s Fave Budget Eats. ", Harris O'Malley wrote for The Washington Post, 'Gilmore Girls' Actor: I Didn't Storm The Capitol And My Tweet Was A Joke, O’Toole Wants Sloan Turfed From Tory Caucus After White Supremacist's Donation, Alex Trebek Will Be In Trump’s ‘American Heroes’ Statue Garden, Churches Flouting Pandemic Rules Need A Come-To-Jesus Moment, New Hospital Opening In Ontario To Relieve COVID-19 Capacity Crunch, Kenney: Biden Owes Canada ‘Respect’ Of Hearing Case For Keystone XL, Ford Insists ‘There Is No Confusion’ About Lockdown Rules, Vacationers Won’t Have Access To New $1K Sick-Leave Benefit: Trudeau, Our Great Canadian Guide To Buying Local For 2020, B.C. Going to be pleasant, but not far enough that she loses the audience raise and. Some sort of notch comes to your romantic life -- is to avoid the label at all.... So bad about that PREMIUM Yes, the `` crazy woman '' trope becomes a lot more.! Not far enough that she loses the audience aspects of my life became too much beats! 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