Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Review: Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye (Season 2 Episode 13)

In a season finale that pulls out all the stops, the ending of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 2 Episode 13: Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye, offers an extraordinary twist. It’s a highly satisfying and emotional way to close the season while leaving us wanting much, much more.

If you haven’t watched the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 2 finale yet, please, go watch before reading the rest of this review! Seriously. Spoilers below.

“Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye” is largely focused on Zoey’s sadness over the fact that Max is leaving for New York. The opening number has the world joyously singing around her while she moves about in a daze. And her relationship with Simon takes on a similar tone.

We were spun through that one pretty quickly. While I wouldn’t have minded a little more time seeing Zoey and Simon together, it feels right that their relationship ends the way it does.

Plus, it works perfectly in terms of timing for the storytelling. Zoey blurting out to Max and Rose that she and Simon have called things off happens for a reason, even though she does it accidentally.

Add that to the fact that Max had packed the prototype from his first day with Zoey in his suitcase, Rose is seeing all sorts of clues — even before Max does. 

All of that leads the audience to wanting nothing more than to see Zoey and Max wind up together somehow. The foundation is there, even more so now that we’ve seen what their first day at SPRQ Point together was like.

Speaking of which, the secret gets out during dinner at Max’s going away party. It’s such an awkward moment, and it’s one that comes out so naturally.

Zoey gives a speech, noting how she got the job over Max initially, and the others all try to correct her. Danny Michael Davis (who, by the way, I’m loving more and more) sets the record straight, and Zoey’s initial reaction is one of anger and disappointment.

Of course she’s upset that she feels she didn’t earn the job on her own merits after all. As she should be. That reaction is more realistic, and one that suits Zoey’s character much better than say, if she’d just thanked him for making that sacrifice for her.

We also know it’s more complicated than that, with the fact that she’d done so much of the work remotely because she went to be with her family.

But Max tells her she did earn it on her merits. Even having just met her, he knew she deserved the job more than he did. He compliments her skills and intelligence, and it says a lot more about the connection they had from the start, even if they didn’t completely realize it at the time.

This all has Zoey thinking about Max even more intensely, but it isn’t just Max who shows up in her dream.

If there’s any musical number I’ll want to watch on repeat from this episode, it’s this one. Peter Gallagher makes yet another appearance, this time in Zoey’s dream.

He points out that she’s always looking up at the universe for answers — and just barely notes he’s part of that universe now. That in itself is a lot to unpack philosophically, but the main idea is simple. He says it all happens for a reason.

He has other words of wisdom too, noting how Zoey likes to be in control, but that life sometimes demands you take risks. And from there, instead of telling her what she should do, he tells her, in song, what he wishes for her.

He sings “I lived” while dancing with his daughter across the floor at SPRQ Point — the kind of performance that reaches down into your soul. It’s sweet, light, and deeply meaningful. It also gets at the most important relationship at the core of the show, which is the one between Zoey and her father, even though he’s gone now.

It’s no coincidence either, that both the Season 2 finale and the Season 1 finale feature a dance number of this nature between Zoey and her father. 

And thanks to that inspiration from her father, Zoey decides it’s time to take a risk and tell Max how she feels. There’s great comedy in Zoey and Mo’s rush to the airport, partly because it’s such a cliche in movies and television.

But Zoey doesn’t chase him down in the airport. She stops in her tracks when she hears Max singing “When a Man Loves a Woman.”

Too bad she didn’t realize he wasn’t looking at Rose when he was singing that heart song. 

Somehow, it still feels surprising when Max shows up and tells Zoey he didn’t go to New York after all. There are some details there that are a bit of a stretch, too. I mean, he was planning to go there to franchise his business.

It wasn’t something that necessarily had to be about Rose, not really. But we’re obviously meant to let all of that slide, because well, this is a love story. I’m okay with that — because it’s deeply satisfying after everything that’s happened this season to see them return to one another.

What’s even more satisfying, though, is what happens next. Maybe Zoey’s dad is part of the universe and part of what’s happening with Zoey’s powers. Maybe there’s a fairy tale, love connection sort of moment. But whatever it is, it doesn’t matter, because seeing the tables turn is probably the best moment of the entire season.

The look on Max’s face as he realizes Zoey is singing a heart song to him is one of shock, awe, and love. Jane Levy gets to show off her own musical talents once again as she belts out “I Melt With You,” making it clear to Max she’ll do whatever it takes to make a relationship work between them.

It’s the surprise that no one saw coming. And as I said at the beginning, one that leaves us with even more questions.

Does this mean Max has powers now? Will it just be that he can hear songs from Zoey? Or is this a one-time thing?

Either way, it’s a moment that means he can understand the woman he loves in a way that he simply couldn’t before, and it’s amazing to watch. I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping even more now that this show will be renewed for a third season.

Other thoughts:

• Maggie wants to try dating again, AND she’s navigating the world of social media. I love that we see her begin to navigate this, and that it’s paired with some answers about Emily, who now has optimism she didn’t have before.
• Simon’s idea and change in role at SPRQ Point is another great part of this episode. He gets to do something meaningful that will be a step toward creating real change at the company, and you can already tell it’s giving him an amazing new sense of purpose.
• Mo and Perry are also going to find a way to make their relationship work, and thank goodness for that. I really enjoy these two together.

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Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist airs on NBC.

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