You thought you had heard the last of Kimmy Schmidt? Well, think again! Tina Fey's beloved cult-comedy hit is back with a new interactive special-"Kimmy VS The Reverend!"
Picking up some time after the series finale, the new special finds Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) quickly approaching her wedding day with British Prince Frederick, played by a fantastically cast Daniel Radcliffe. However, Kimmy soon comes to learn that the nefarious Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) has had a second, secret bunker all along, and that there is another group of captive "mole women" out there, waiting to be rescued. And so, Kimmy must set out to save the day along with her best friend Titus! (Tituss Burgess) At the same time, Titus' manager Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) tries to keep him secured in a role in an upcoming action picture, while Lillian (Carol Kane) opts to throw a bachelorette party for the absent Kimmy with hilarious results.
"Kimmy VS The Reverend" is a delightful little coda to the series, thanks in large part to its implementation of the interactive gimmick. Every so often, the viewer will be given a choice between two or more options, which will have an impact on the narrative in some way. Some are small and merely create minor cosmetic differences in specific scenes, while other decisions are larger in scope, and can entirely effect the outcome of the story. If you're familiar with choose-your-own-adventure books, you'll feel right at home, because the special very much plays out like one. And be sure to keep your eyes peeled for easter-eggs! While I won't spoil any, there are some very clever hidden scenes to unlock if you make the correct choices. I've been wondering for quite some time why Netflix hasn't been exploiting their potential for interactive entertainment more than it has. It seems like a complete no-brainer. So it's nice to see the format applied to one of the site's most unique sitcoms.
The writing is generally quite solid, even though I would argue that it's lacking in the big laughs that typically defined the original series. The special made me grin on several occasions and got a few decent chuckles out of me... but I never really got any of the big belly-laughs I had come to expect from "Kimmy Schmidt." It's more charming than amusing, I'd say. But I could forgive that, because it makes up for it with the interactive gimmick, which kept me thoroughly invested.
And as always, the cast is a complete delight. Kemper slips right back into Kimmy's shoes like no time had passed at all, and Burgess is excellent as always. But the biggest surprise was Radcliffe in his guest-role as Kimmy's fiancé Frederick. He fits right in with the rest of the cast, and has a great chemistry with virtually everyone. It's a shame this was his only appearance in the series, because I'd love to see more of his character.
"Kimmy VS The Reverend" may not be the best, nor the funniest episode of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." But it's certainly one of the most memorable thanks to its interactivity and branching storyline. If you're a fan of the series, this is definitely something to check out! I'm giving it an 8 out of 10! As Kimmy would say, it's "hashbrown, awesome!"
Picking up some time after the series finale, the new special finds Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) quickly approaching her wedding day with British Prince Frederick, played by a fantastically cast Daniel Radcliffe. However, Kimmy soon comes to learn that the nefarious Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) has had a second, secret bunker all along, and that there is another group of captive "mole women" out there, waiting to be rescued. And so, Kimmy must set out to save the day along with her best friend Titus! (Tituss Burgess) At the same time, Titus' manager Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) tries to keep him secured in a role in an upcoming action picture, while Lillian (Carol Kane) opts to throw a bachelorette party for the absent Kimmy with hilarious results.
"Kimmy VS The Reverend" is a delightful little coda to the series, thanks in large part to its implementation of the interactive gimmick. Every so often, the viewer will be given a choice between two or more options, which will have an impact on the narrative in some way. Some are small and merely create minor cosmetic differences in specific scenes, while other decisions are larger in scope, and can entirely effect the outcome of the story. If you're familiar with choose-your-own-adventure books, you'll feel right at home, because the special very much plays out like one. And be sure to keep your eyes peeled for easter-eggs! While I won't spoil any, there are some very clever hidden scenes to unlock if you make the correct choices. I've been wondering for quite some time why Netflix hasn't been exploiting their potential for interactive entertainment more than it has. It seems like a complete no-brainer. So it's nice to see the format applied to one of the site's most unique sitcoms.
The writing is generally quite solid, even though I would argue that it's lacking in the big laughs that typically defined the original series. The special made me grin on several occasions and got a few decent chuckles out of me... but I never really got any of the big belly-laughs I had come to expect from "Kimmy Schmidt." It's more charming than amusing, I'd say. But I could forgive that, because it makes up for it with the interactive gimmick, which kept me thoroughly invested.
And as always, the cast is a complete delight. Kemper slips right back into Kimmy's shoes like no time had passed at all, and Burgess is excellent as always. But the biggest surprise was Radcliffe in his guest-role as Kimmy's fiancé Frederick. He fits right in with the rest of the cast, and has a great chemistry with virtually everyone. It's a shame this was his only appearance in the series, because I'd love to see more of his character.
"Kimmy VS The Reverend" may not be the best, nor the funniest episode of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." But it's certainly one of the most memorable thanks to its interactivity and branching storyline. If you're a fan of the series, this is definitely something to check out! I'm giving it an 8 out of 10! As Kimmy would say, it's "hashbrown, awesome!"