Musicals! They are adored by the kids (in this context, “the kids” refers to “me”) and are impossible to suppress, even if their box office prospects are uncertain. Musical films and television shows are currently popular, thanks to the big-screen adaptations of “The Color Purple” and “Wicked,” as well as the Joker catching the song-and-dance bug. What better moment, then, for a show like “Schmigadoon!” to debut, lovingly parodying classic Hollywood musicals while also dishing out a fresh batch of foot-tapping tunes performed by some of the best theatre kids, um, adults, in the business?
“Schmigadoon!” season 1 received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics for its blend of adult rom-com and satirical sendup of the Golden Age musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. It also managed to appeal to a broad audience even though not everyone immediately understood all of the show’s theatre references and in-jokes. Ultimately, the musical shenanigans of the show attracted enough viewers for Apple TV+ to approve a second season. Here is all you need to know in advance about the streaming series’ encore release.
Schmigadoon! season 2 release date and where to watch it
Apple TV+’s greatest strength resides in its willingness to approve the kind of creator-driven shows that few other streamers are currently producing, even while it hasn’t yet attracted a major viewership player on the level of a “Wednesday” or “Yellowstone.” “Ted Lasso,” “Servant,” and “Schmigadoon!” have covered just about every genre or subgenre available, with shows like “Prehistoric Planet” leading the charge on the non-fiction side. High-art major swings “Severance” and “Pachinko” have added prestige to the service. There is a good probability that Apple TV+ will be able to scratch any itch you may have. This completes our unbiased PSA.
The second season of “Schmigadoon!” will thus be a part of what Apple TV+ undoubtedly hopes will be a successful year for the platform’s original content. The business revealed the new season’s premiere dates during its presentation at the 2023 Winter Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour: the first two episodes will air on April 7, 2023, and the remaining four episodes will air weekly on Fridays until May 5.
What is Schmigadoon! season 2 about?
“Schmigadoon!” season 1 is unique in that it’s a rom-com focused on two people who have already gotten together but are now attempting to decide if they should continue together or if they’re just incompatible in the long term. These two people are childless adults who are successful in their fields. The couple in question, OBGYN Melissa Gimble (Cecily Strong) and orthopaedic surgeon Josh Skinner (Keegan-Michael Key), decide to embark on a planned couples’ backpacking trip in an effort to mend their relationship. However, they end up straying into Schmigadoon, a magical town that resembles the setting of an old-fashioned musical like “Oklahoma!” and “The Music Man.”
Of course, “Schmigadoon!” is a straight parody of “Brigadoon,” the popular stage production that was adapted for the big screen in 1954 and starred Gene Kelly and Van Johnson. Season 2 will undoubtedly shake things up a little as it follows Josh and Melissa to Schmicago, “the reinvented world of ’60s and ’70s musicals,” where they rekindled their romance and grew as individuals over the first season. Season 2 will benefit from both a drastically altered style and a whole new set of satirical targets to help keep things interesting. This time, musicals from that era, such as “Jesus Christ Superstar” and, as the name of the place implies, “Chicago,” served as inspiration.
The cast and crew of Schmigadoon! season 2
The showrunner for season 2 is Cinco Paul, who also co-wrote all of the series’ original songs with his writing partner and “Despicable Me” co-scribe Ken Daurio. The two of them also co-created “Schmigadoon!”
Broadway superstars Ariana DeBose and Kristin Chenoweth, stage and screen legend Alan Cumming, as well as such talented people as Dove Cameron, Martin Short, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, Ann Harada, and Aaron Tveit, once again join Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key in the cast (this time as the undoubtedly colourful and eccentric residents of Schmicago rather than Schmigadoon).
Season 2 of “Schmigadoon” will also see the addition of two Broadway powerhouses to the cast in the form of Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page. Patrick Page originated the role of the raspy-voiced, Leonard Cohen-inspired monarch of the Underworld, Hades, in the smash hit “Hadestown,” and he has appeared in the stage musical productions of “The Lion King” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” Executive producers for the project are Micah Frank and Lorne Michaels, who also serve as co-executive producers.
