Girls5eva Review: A Delightful Slice of Musical Nostalgia
Warning: This review contains spoilers for Girls5eva.
I’m a simple gal. I catch wind of a new Tina Fey show, I watch said new Tina Fey show. Girls5eva, Meredith Scardino’s latest comedic parody she produces alongside Fey and Robert Carlock, is right up my alley. Humorous, heartwarming, and bursting with original music, Girls5eva is akin to a steaming plate of comfort food.
From the start, we’re pushed headfirst into the world of a one-hit-wonder ’90s girl group. We see everything from their sold-out concerts to their appearances on TRL. Each character is introduced to us through this nostalgic lens.
It definitely appeals to my penchant for ’90s/early aughts aesthetics.
Girls5eva, like all of Fey’s past shows, is very location-specific. It’s chock full of NYC references that might not resonate with you if you’ve never lived or visited The Big Apple. Fey’s singular non-NYC series, LA-based NBC sitcom Mr. Mayor, doesn’t find its footing like Girls5eva, 30 Rock, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Perhaps that’s because Fey herself calls NYC home.
Renée Elise Goldsberry steals the show for me. Impressive vocal ability aside, Goldsberry imbues the ferocious and ambitious Wickie Roy with nuance. Wickie’s a diva in every sense of the word, but she’s not entirely a narcissist.
At face value, one might think that Wickie is high-maintenance and demanding with nary an empathetic bone in her body. But Goldsberry ensures that we root for Wickie to succeed every step of the way. Not to mention, she knocks it out of the park on the comedic front.
She makes sure that every line, and beat, lands. Nothing in terms of dialogue or action is inconsequential, which makes sense for the character. Wickie evolves over the course of Girls5eva, so she’s not a one-note-wonder (Get it?).
Bar none, Busy Philipps’ Summer has the best character arc on the show. Initially, she’s perceived as the “attractive airhead” of the band. However, the series never pokes fun at her about that, and Philipps also doesn’t approach her from that place. Summer is endearing and sweet.
Over the course of Girls5eva, Summer decides to seize control of her life and to give the boot to what no longer serves her. After a few episodes of Summer dragging her feet regarding her clearly closeted husband, Kev (Andrew Rannells), she divorces him. Summer even works toward expanding her education out of an innate desire to do so.
Girls5eva empowers our core quartet as they try to revive their music career. I’d say empowerment is at the crux of the show.
Summer is empowered to step out of her comfort zone, Wickie is empowered to ask for what she deserves, Dawn (Sara Bareilles) is empowered to be assertive, and Gloria (Paula Pell) is empowered to let loose and fave fun.
In addition to empowerment, Girls5eva delves into female friendships. It reminds us that, regardless of our career pursuits, it’s good to have a strong support system. It’s good to surround yourself with people who’ll bolster your confidence while simultaneously holding you accountable for the crappy things you do.
The women of Girls5eva weather storm after storm and manage to dodge every curveball the entertainment industry throws at them. Despite the multiple disbandments over a two-decade period, these characters always find a way back to each other. The power of female friendship is not one to be trifled with.
The highlight of Girls5eva is that it’s not meant to be taken seriously. It’s not a poignant award-winning drama on HBO — it’s a delightful musical comedy on Peacock. The objective here is to make you laugh, which the series succeeds at and then some.
That’s not to say there aren’t any tender moments. Philipps’ character, in particular, offers up plenty of vulnerability. Whether it’s her confrontation with Kev or the somber revelation that she’s not “good at anything else” besides music, Summer’s obstacles are all too relatable and resonant.
Additionally, the series tackles contemporary societal beauty standards, which deeply affects our group of 40-somethings as they try to make a comeback in music. The group’s magnum opus, “4 Stars,” pushes back against a world that tells women they have an expiration date in the entertainment industry. It’s about accepting the inevitable and embracing who you are.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Girls5eva‘s hysterical soundtrack. Bareilles and Goldsberry are well known for their musical abilities, so I knew even before watching that the songs would stick the landing. It’s a joyous homage to ’90s girl-group pop music.
The lyrics satirize the ’90s/early aughts, particularly the beauty standards of that time and rules on courtship. Soundtrack gems that will be in my regular musical rotation include the theme song “Famous 5eva,” “Dream Girlfriends,” “The Splingee,” and “4 Stars.”
Full disclosure: every single song on that soundtrack makes me snort-laugh like there’s no tomorrow.
Overall, Girls5eva is packed with humor and heart in equal measure with stellar performances across the board. Goldsberry is the clear acting frontrunner, but Bareilles also delivers consistent work on this show. She may not have as much acting street cred as her coworkers, but she’s a natural on camera. It’s an easy, breezy, and lighthearted outing that I’ll re-watch 5eva. Because 4eva is just too short.
Girls5eva Stray Thoughts:
- It’s fun seeing how many folks from previous Tina Fey shows appear here, notably Dean Winters as Dawn’s brother. Dennis Duffy is permanently etched in my brain. I keep waiting for him to call Dawn a “dummy,” and whip out his pager.
- Tina Fey as Dolly Parton is comedic gold. It’s something I never knew I needed.
- Stephen Colbert’s cameo is an unexpected, and welcome, surprise. Alf Musik 5eva!
- How do you know you’re watching a Tina Fey show? Listen for that signature “musical theater” sound. You know the one. There are loads of clarinets and trumpets to accentuate the action unfolding on screen.
- “Low-rise jeans with the one, two zipper. Eyebrows in, bronzer thicker,” is a line from “Dream Girlfriends” that instantly gives me war flashbacks to a darker time in ’90s/early aughts fashion.
- Wickie’s line about how she won’t adjust her walking pace for Dawn profoundly resonates with me as a short person. I will not adjust my pace for the Tall-ies of this world!
What did you think of Girls5eva? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Girls5eva is now streaming on Peacock.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.