Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Review: Nathaniel Gets the Message (Season 3 Episode 9)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 9, “Nathaniel Gets the Message,” brings us the show’s 100th song, and it does not disappoint. It shouts to the rafters about the great futility, the great hope, and the great hilarity in romantic love.
“Without Love, You Can Save the World” is folksy-epic, more grounded than Valencia’s “This is My Movement,” but no less sweeping and swelling.
The song takes on the concept that love gets in the way of people saving the world from such plights as leukemia. Even though Rebecca bastardizes the advice given to her by Dr. Shin (who continues to be more of a friend than a therapist — bring back Dr. Akopian!), the song still rings out some truth kernels.
Rebecca Bunch is brilliant and a disturbingly adept researcher. Truly, if she was not besotted with her affection obsessions, she would be obsessed over something else, perhaps something that could save the world.
The ensemble comes together for the song, and it works out beautifully. The direction of the song is perfect, and the lyrics are deeply witty. “Without Love, You Can Save the World” is worthy of the being Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s 100th song.
“Nathaniel Gets the Message” features several very fun ties to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1’s “Josh’s Sister is Getting Married!”
First and foremost, the grocery clerk dramatists from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 are back on this episode! Sofia Gonzales as Ally, Hunter Stiebel as Marty, and Benjamin Siemon as Brody provide the platform for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s leads, especially Rebecca and Valencia, to suss out their own romantic woes and roles.
The reappearance of characters that previously highlighted Greg’s misunderstandings about romance is brilliant. The actors are all talented and manage to satirize the great escapade of a unevenly-loved couple, while also capturing emotional authenticity with simple admissions.
Marty knows about Ally’s two-timing, but still she makes him happy, and it’s enough. There is a strange honesty to the grocery clerks’ relationships that helps to make a greater point about the unrealistic expectations we put on romantic love.
Flawed and floundering is normal.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 9 “Nathaniel Gets the Message” also ties back to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1’s hip-hop/rock inspired song “Heavy Boobs” with is body-centric “Fit Hot Guys Have Problems Too.”
White Josh and Nathaniel, the glorious pairing I didn’t know I needed until it was there in front of me, find themselves staring at each other across a barrier of bar-tops and break-up fries.
They join together to reduce their body fat to sub-zero. When they decide to go out on the town and be hit on, they get called out for being a buzz-kill by some rowdy bachelorettes. White Josh, Nathaniel and then Josh Chan from the side stage, engage in a rousing and clubby performance, “Fit Hot Guys Have Problems Too.”
The dance and song is gut-bending funny, and also so true. Attractive, buff men often are perceived as made of steel. However, fit, hot men can be every bit as sensitive as anyone else.
The song is a big reminder of what is easy to forget: Josh Chan is HOT! Filipino men are not featured in leading man roles nearly enough. I love that Josh Chan the fireman is absolutely smokin’.
Despite the petulance many characters try to ascribe to Josh Chan, he is really a sweet, unassuming, and ripped guy, looking for meaning in his life. I look forward to more moments that deepen our understanding of Josh Chan.
The episode STILL does not address the impacts of Rebecca’s abuses on Josh Chan. She does mention her kidnapping when breaking up with Nathaniel. So, the momentum is in the right direction.
But, the eye-brow raising admission is sleeping with Greg’s father. This is a small, but important to note, repeated misstep. Sleeping with your ex-boyfriend’s father is not a great way to keep the relationship a possibility.
But it is not criminal. It is not slutty. It is likely evidence of acting out, not being a terrible person.
I have shared my opinion on this before, but I believe it bears repeating — our eyebrows should still be raised in concern at Rebecca’s past behavior, but NOT her choice to have sex with Greg’s dad.
Our eyebrows should be raised by Rebecca’s staking, kidnapping, poop-cupcakes, cyber-slander, and other criminal activities.Crazy Ex-Girlfriend may be inching towards that recognition, but I will continue to implore it to pick up the speed.
Valencia too has had her life torn apart by Rebecca. Her struggles in wedding planning have as much to do with Rebecca’s ridiculous lies as Josh Chan leaving Rebecca at the altar.
The forgiveness scene between Valencia and Rebecca is merely referenced during a discussion with Darryl.
I don’t know if this is intentionally skipped by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but I feel a deep longing to see Valencia and Rebecca reach a reckoning. Perhaps even more than a resolution between Josh and Rebecca, this friendship and these two characters are integral to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
It is time to give screen time to Valencia and Rebecca.
Other Thoughts and Observations:
Sofia Gonzalez’s delivery of the potentially trite line, “I just wanted to be married,” hits in the heart. How many of the characters on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and lets be honest, ourselves, worship at the altar of what we “should” have and be.
Gonzalez’s run as Ally is a testament to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s ability to make emotional points with very few lines.
The spikes on the SHREDFLEX machine that “scare the fat out of you” are a brilliant commentary on gym culture and toxic masculinity, and it’s just thrown in there like a bit of dust. It’s comedy gold.
“We’re only human.” “Are we though?” — they found it, the perfect dialogue.
Rebecca offering her egg to Darryl is a game-changer. With only 4 episodes left in the season, I hope it doesn’t become the focus at the expense of examining the past.
We should all say “Hundo P” to onion rings.
Mrs. Hernandez and the tiny peach is exquisitely random.
What did you think of this episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend airs Fridays at 9/8c on the CW.
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Janelle Ureta
Janelle Ureta is equal parts Veronica Mars, Raven Reyes, and Rebecca Bunch, but she aspires to add some Tammy Taylor to the mix. An attorney turned teacher, Janelle believes in the power of a well-told story. She is currently exploring how to tell short stories, 140 characters or less, on twitter. She loves to talk about TV, and right now she can't shut up about Timeless, Dear White People, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The 100, or Younger.
One thought on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Review: Nathaniel Gets the Message (Season 3 Episode 9)”
Yeah, that’s just what Darryl needs: An egg donated by an obsessive, possessive, controlling woman undergoing serious psychiatric care. In reality, this is the perfect setup to enmity and a decades-long tug of war for the child’s love.
Could be entertaining, though.
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