Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Review: Zoey’s Extraordinary Birthday (Season 2 Episode 8)
It’s Zoey’s 30th birthday on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 2 Episode 8, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Birthday,” and that means she’s getting the kind of birthday party her father would have loved for her to have.
Her family is still figuring out how to move forward, and throwing a party like this is a big step. It’s sweet how her family members all agree it’s a good idea and are willing to pitch in, but it does leave Zoey feeling insecure about how many friends might actually come.
It’s certainly a relatable feeling, especially around a milestone birthday and especially at that age. And this is something that seems to continue to come up for Zoey now. But the fact is, she actually has a lot of friends — and a few good close ones — even if she doesn’t necessarily feel like that way.
The same insecurities popped up on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 2 Episode 7, when she was desperate to find someone to ride with her to re-create that memory with her father. Now, she questions how many people would be willing to come to her party, and who she should actually be able to invite.
So when she has a conflict with Max (more on that in a moment) it leaves her feeling like cancelling the party is the better option. But that’s when she sees everyone at SPRQ Point is disappointed by the move. They do all want to be there to celebrate her.
I mean, they put together a special dessert bar in her honor, after all.
The dessert bar is an interesting point, actually, because it makes me realize I want to know more about Zoey as a person. For a character who is learning and growing so much — this show is largely about her journey of self-improvement — we don’t really know that many details about her.
Now let’s talk about Max. He and Zoey have stopped seeing each other for now, though what that means hasn’t been entirely clear. Meanwhile, an old crush of Max’s has arrived, and thanks to Zoey’s superpowers, she can see that Max and Rosanna have feelings for each other.
That insight into Max is what creates the most complicated part of Zoey’s relationship with him. She doesn’t have to guess how he feels about things or pick up on cues. She can just watch him singing with another woman and get the drift.
It’s an unfair advantage and it’s not a surprise that it makes Max uncomfortable. Still, it’s a bit frustrating to see them just set their feelings aside the way they do.
And Max’s birthday gift? That’s not a gift that’s just about Zoey. That’s “their” song, and it points to a key romantic moment in their relationship.
That said, I’m not mad at seeing Zoey have a romantic moment with Simon. And boy, is it a moment. Once again, music enhances the story that Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is trying to tell in a really powerful way.
In this case, it’s more sensual to see him singing and dancing along with Zoey. It’s another example of how the music can make a moment seem more even private, as though we’re being let in on a secret.
Though Simon’s not the only person with a song in his heart for Zoey on this episode. Oh, poor, sweet Aiden.
I like this guy, and I’m almost disappointed that Zoey turns him down the way she does. That song is… something, and the humor of having her brother singing it too, realizing only then who the song is about, is perfect. It makes a fun episode that much more delightful.
There’s one more romantic pairing that stands out on this episode, and it could be my favorite. Mo invites Perry, the “hot fire marshal” to Zoey’s party, and it’s obvious the two have great chemistry. But Mo is thrown a bit when he learns that Perry is divorced and has two children.
Usually, it’s Mo giving Zoey the tough love and good advice about what’s going on in her world, but Zoey returns that favor in this case. I’m really interested to see some growth on Mo’s part as he steps out of his comfort zone with Perry. This is a great opportunity for more character development.
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Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist airs Sundays at 9/8c on NBC.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.