The CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend taught viewers one important lesson last season: Don't judge a TV show by its title. While the name sounds like it would lend itself to melodrama, the series is a musical comedy-drama that turned out to be one of the most refreshingly unique new shows on TV. And now in the heat of summer repeats, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is on Netflix, which means you can now rewatch all of Rebecca Bunch's best moments and songs from Season 1, or discover them for the first time if you missed out this fall. Personally, I think the entire first season is so strong, but there are a few episodes that manage to stand out above the rest.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend follows Rebecca (played by Golden Globe-winning co-creator Rachel Bloom), an Ivy League-educated lawyer who dumps a high-powered career in New York City when she runs into her high school ex-boyfriend Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) and she follows him to West Covina, California. But the series is so much more than that — it's filled with keen observations about modern life, clever and catchy songs, zany and well-defined characters, diversity, and hilarious bros (there is an actual character named White Josh). Most importantly, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend goes deep with its emotions, acknowledging issues about friendship, depression, anxiety, sexuality, and family.
So whether you're new to Rebecca's West Covina world or not, here are some important episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend you should check out now that it's streaming on Netflix.
"I Hope Josh Comes To My Party!"
In this episode, Josh's girlfriend Valencia bans him from seeing Rebecca solo. So what's Becks to do? She decides to throw a party, despite her crippling fears of throwing parties (stemming from a traumatic childhood memory) and not having enough friends (we've all felt like the song "I Have Friends" at some point). Not only is this episode so relatable, but it gives so many non-Josh characters time to shine: White Josh (David Hull), Heather (Vella Lovell), Darryl (Pete Gardner), and the hilarious Grocery Clerk With Half An Eyelid (Ben Siemon).
And then Josh gets his moment in the spotlight when there's a genius song called "A Boy Band Made Up Of Four Joshes," which consists of just that in Rebecca's brain.
"I'm Going On A Date With Josh's Friend!"
You can't go wrong when an episode contains a taco festival and a Hawaiian-themed tech store called Aloha's. Actually, Rebecca can and does when she inadvertently ruins Josh's job interview at Aloha's and wrecks her date with Greg at the festival, but it's fun to watch her pick up the pieces. Also, just try and get the song "Settle For Me" out of your head; it's been stuck in mine for months.
"My First Thanksgiving With Josh!"
Personally, this is my favorite episode of Season 1 for so many reasons. Rebecca manipulates her way into Josh's Filipino family Thanksgiving dinner, which is the first time the Filipino life has been featured on TV, according to Vulture. What's even better is that Rebecca goes full-throttle into embracing his culture and trying to impress the Chan family by learning Tagalog, cooking authentic dinuguan, and, as she says, "bask[s] in the warm embrace of a loving Filipino family" — which she tries to use to fill the void her own fractured family has left.
"That Text Wasn't Meant For Josh!"
Rebecca accidentally sends a text swooning about Josh to Josh and she goes to extreme — but semi-relatable — lengths to make sure he never receives it, including faking a robbery. Setting up the robbery helps save Paula's marriage, but it puts Rebecca and Josh in a weird place when it all backfires in spectacular fashion.
"Josh and I Go to Los Angeles!"
Viewers finally meet Rebecca's childhood nemesis Audra Levine and they dish it out in the incredibly creative "JAP Rap Battle." Viewers are left with the realization that Rebecca was probably a lot like Audra in NYC — and she's a much better person in West Covina. Meanwhile, Darryl goes all-in in his relationship with White Josh and it's too cute.
"Josh Is Going To Hawaii!"
Despite the episode title, Rebecca does not follow Josh across the Pacific Ocean — because she can't. She had thrown money around so much earlier in the season, but finally, this episode acknowledges that Becks is broke.
"Josh Has No Idea Where I Am!"
Rebecca hops on a plane back to NYC, gets seated next to the therapist she's been avoiding, and, in a dream, does some deep reality-bending introspection to her "dream ghost" therapist. In the meantime, everyone worries about Becks' whereabouts.
"Josh's Sister Is Getting Married!"
Rebecca gets reunited with the Chan family to be part of Josh's sister's wedding, but social media and Valencia get in the way of Rebecca's chances of staying a bridesmaid. Meanwhile, Greg tries to give someone else love advice.
"Paula Needs To Get Over Josh!"
Get ready for Season 2, which will premiere on The CW this fall, by rewatching the Season 1 finale, in which the Josh/Greg/Rebecca love triangle comes to a head and Rebecca reassures Paula that their friendship doesn't need a Josh obsession in order to survive. A lot was shaken up in the finale, which means Season 2 is bound to be even better than Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's already excellent freshman season.
Image: Scott Everett White/The CW
