![]() We don’t know much about Emma Tate yet, although we do learn that the little boy announcing everything is her little brother, Carson (Liam Quiring-Nkindi), who has no friends because his tongue is too big for his mouth.Īfter getting a rapid-fire introduction to the townspeople of Schmigadoon in the pilot, we get to spend some more time with individual characters in “Lovers’ Spat,” starting with Melissa’s woodland encounter with Mayor Menlove (Alan Cumming). Layton is an intriguing villain, a woman who expects everyone else to stick to their roles while holding the power in her relationship with her preacher husband (Fred Armisen). In Schmigadoon, an argument is a low-stakes “lovers’ spat” because men are in control and women are subservient, although there are some exceptions, like the outspoken librarian Emma Tate (Ariana Debose) and her town rival, the tyrannical Mrs. Incorporating the dialogue between Melissa and Josh does set it apart, along with the moments when the choreography incorporates waltz steps to bring more romance to the dancing. ![]() I’m a little concerned about the show’s musical numbers becoming repetitive, and “Lovers’ Spat” plays like a mash-up of pilot’s two big group numbers (“Corn Puddin’” 5eva). The town’s regressive gender dynamics come to the forefront during this number, starting with the men singing about how they give their ladies a smack on the behind. Melissa and Josh immediately groan when the chorus appears out of nowhere just as they’re starting to fight, interrupting their argument but in the process also driving it forward. The leprechaun’s revelation at the end of the pilot drives a giant wedge between Josh and Melissa in “Lovers’ Spat,” and of course that wedge is driven further by the musical number that gives the episode its title. Josh thinks she’s cool and expects to spend more time with her, but he’s not rushing into any commitment. Her mind has been poisoned by musicals, where people fall in love and commit to each other within hours of meeting, and now that she’s had a magic moment, she wants to hold on to the magic forever. She recognizes a special thing when she finds it, and she wants it to keep going without making it seem like she’s too eager. Josh likes to take things day by day, while Melissa is fixated on the future. The opening flashback of “Lovers’ Spat” establishes the different ways Melissa and Josh approach a relationship. When Josh gets a cosmic sign that his relationship with Melissa isn’t true love, he leaps at the opportunity to move on, all under the pretense that he’s just trying to find his way out of a situation that he describes as “if Walking Dead was also Glee.” And sure, maybe he is trying to break free from Schmigadoon, but he also throws on his old-timey outfit and bowler hat really quickly when given the opportunity to hook up with the ditzy, cute waitress. It’s not a good sign when someone in a relationship starts looking for an escape route.
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