As the curtain closes on another season of Schmigadoon!, and we wish you auf wiedersehen and a bientot, we welcome you to another recap. Schmigadoon! The Season 2 finale, Season 2 Episode 6, “Over and Done,” begins in a precarious place.
Last episode, both Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) were kidnapped — by Sergeant Rivera (Jaime Camil) and Octavius Kratt (Patrick Page), respectively. Kratt wants Mel to marry him, or else he’ll have Rivera murderate Josh.
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A final note before we start the main event: Remember to silence your phones and that this recap is full of spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.
This season finale is written by Schmigadoon!-Schmicago co-creator Cinco Paul and directed by Robert Luketic.
Ariana DeBose is finally back. And while last episode, we started moving into the Dreamgirls era; she firmly cements in it and the 1980s. Schmigadoon! very cleverly did this in Season 1, as well, by paying homage to shows like Sunday in the Park with George in its finale.
Ariana DeBose in Schmigadoon! Apple TV+
I could listen to DeBose’s outstanding performance of this song, “(It’s) Over and Done,” all day. Alas, we must move on to Mel being forced to marry Kratt. Her once-lawyer, Bobbie (Jane Krakowski), handles the paperwork. Our friends are in the same set used as the entrance to the Good Place in The Good Place. But this place is no good, my friends.
Kratt comes in to collect the paperwork and sing a song while Mel remains tied to a chair. But she stops the music before he can “serenade” her. Madame Frau (Ann Harada) won’t help her because, apparently, everyone should do what they must to survive.
Now, to Josh, who’s also tied to a chair. Sergeant Rivera isn’t moved by Josh’s story about how he and Mel were just trying to get back to Schmigadoon. Rivera envies Josh for being able to live the life he wants — cue Josh’s sympathy.
That sympathy is probably misplaced since Rivera is willing to sell Josh’s life for a chance to perform at the Kratt club. Oh, honeys. Josh pleads for his life with a parable, gambling that maybe someone who’s been strung along for 36 years (!) will be moved by it.
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Next, we head to the orphanage, where Dooley Blight (Alan Cumming) interrupts Ms. Codwell (Kristin Chenoweth) feeding the kids. He needs an orphan, STAT. The kids all volunteer, clearly unaware of what will happen. Ms. Codwell, having changed her tune about this whole “turning kids into sausages” thing, decides to slake Dooley’s blood lust with plain ole lust. To everyone’s delight, it works.
We cut to a poist-coital Dooley and Codwell. The kids are a-knocking on the door, worried that Dooley harmed their beloved caretaker. They heard a lot of screaming, you see. The mention of danger reminds a newly clear-headed Dooley that he saw Josh being carted away by Rivera the night previous. No longer entirely overtaken by the need for revenge, he realizes they ought to, you know, help the man.
Jaime Camil in Schmigadoon! Apple TV+
From that bed, we head to Jenny’s (Dove Cameron), where she and Topher (Aaron Tveit) are also basking in the afterglow (although it seems to have been better for Topher than for Jenny). A knock at the door. It’s Michael (Michael Delleva), Marisa (Marisa Gold) and Alex (Alex Gullason), and the rest of the nameless members of the Tribe!
No one is happy to see one another, but more important things are at play than pleasant greetings! Alex saw Rivera take Josh to the power plant. No one gives a rat’s behind about Mel getting forcibly married to Kratt, but Josh? He’s their bud.
Since his Tribe hath returned like prodigal children, Topher will put aside his grievances and help Josh.
Back in the basement, Josh is still trying to get Rivera to change his mind. While sharing the plots of The Goonies and Airbud may have worked for him in Season 1, here, it just speeds up the clock toward his doom. Until — Topher bursts in.
Josh and Topher share a moment of love for one another — and not to be that person who reads any moment of love between men as something more — but I’m a be that person. The bi vibes are strong with these two — jus’ sayin’.
Rivera taunts the Tribe, wanting to know how “the fruitcakes” are gonna stop him. With love? It doesn’t matter that that was their plan because Dooley and Codwell appear, cleavers in hand. Jenny then realizes that Dooley is her dad, but she doesn’t believe in his innocence.
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Just as Dooley’s about to slice his own throat, Rivera corroborates his story. Kratt killed Jenny’s mom, and Rivera framed Dooley. Rivera lets Josh go and joins the good people.
Now, everyone’s ready to stop the evil wedding! At said evil wedding, Kratt hmms his “I do,” as The Narrator (Tituss Burgess) officiates. Before Mel can complete her “I have to “s, Josh and Co run in to save the day. Too bad Kratt has a set of officers on the scene to arrest them all. As Josh is being shoved away and The Narrator continues, Dooley steps up with a “Vengeance is mine!”
Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming in Schmigadoon!
Apple TV+
Unfortunately, his handy dandy cleaver isn’t so handy. It misses any part of Kratt’s body, instead pinning his tuxedo tail to the floor. But that’s enough — Ms. Codwell uses her cleaver to drop a chandelier on Kratt’s head — ding, dong, the richie’s dead.
Or, rather, he is … 🎶Kaput🎶. And the barfly (Karin Konoval)? She’ll drink to that.
The Narrator narrates to tell us that now that Kratt is dead, Schmicago’s gonna change:
Madame Frau takes over the Kratt Klub and finally lets (ex-Sergeant) Rivera get his time in the limelight … à la Dr. Frank N Furter.
Bobbie and the Tribe work together to reorganize Kratt’s business. Alex, Marisa and Michael turn into suits.
Topher and Jenny become puppeteers … at the orphanage, while Dooley and Codwell turn the butcher shop into a bakery.
The Narrator now turns to Mel and Josh and asks why they’d ever return to the dreary world of NYC. He even throws their fertility struggles in their face. Sure … they may feel like they’ve learned something now, but isn’t that exactly how they felt when they left Schmigadoon?
The cast sings to them seductively, changing their welcome act to, “Stay here in Schmicago.” Melissa could be a star! Josh could be a beloved leader! All their dreams could come true!
Jane Krakowski, Jaime Camil, Tituss Burgess, Dove Cameron, Aaron Tveit, Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming in Schmigadoon!
Apple TV+
Throughout this, our married New Yorkers are stony-faced and resolute. They will not stay (here) in Schmicago. Magic is great, but they want more. [Why?! And What?] They want something real, though they will miss the Schmicagoans. The Narrator double checks whether they’re, like, really, really sure. They are.
The Leprechaun (Martin Short) appears in a cloud of green smoke. They’ve passed the test! The Narrator smiles — he was part of the test. He works for The Leprechaun. Worked for. He’s quitting. He wants his own life and gets himself one! Titus Burgess is striking, playing the subtle shift where The Narrator breaks his own character.
Then, Josh and Mel ask The Leprechaun if they can please just go home. Yes, but not before his brother (also Short) poofs in to serenade them all: “Happy endings don’t exist … but every day can be a happy beginning.”
Every central character gets a line in this final song, and it’s all perfectly bittersweet, which is fitting for this era of musicals leading into the next. Hand in hand, with their new friends singing about little chance of success, Mel and Josh cross the bridge.
When they get back to New York, they’re still singing. The colors around them are muted, but their clothes, themselves, are not, and slowly the world brightens. And, oh! Our dears get pregnant.
End season.
Oh my, I love this show to pieces, and Season 2 was even stronger than Season 1. The returning actors were even better, and the new ones brought something fresher and more fabulous. I just really hope we get a Season 3. Thanks so much for joining us for these Schmigadoon! recaps. Hope you had as much fun as we did.
Catch up with all our Schmigadoon! recaps here!
Line!
And now, here are some of the best lines or small pieces from this week’s episode:
- Bobbie: “When I became a lawyer, I took an oath. An oath called attorney-client privilege, which means if someone gives me money, whatever they’ve done or may do one day, doesn’t matter.”
- Melissa: “Ten dollars?! Girl, be corrupt, but have some pride!”
- Josh: “What was that about?”
- Sergeant Rivera: “Wrong number.”
- Josh: “You literally said ‘Uncle Octavius.'”
- Josh: “Have you heard of the parable of the guy who helped the other guy, and it worked out for both of them?”
- Ms. Codwell: “You may get to kill someone yet.”
- Dooley: “If providence is kind.”
- Michael: (Upon seeing Topher post-coital): “Well, at least you’re still getting naked.”
- Topher: It’s true, Josh hurt me, but sometimes, when your face has been slapped, you need to turn the other cheek and let that person slap you again.
- Alex: But do you?
- Marissa: Yeah, that sounds bad.
- The Narrator: (Stamping feet) “I want a life of my own! With romance … and it’s gonna be with … (points to Rivera) him!”
- Rivera: “I don’t hate it.”
- Dooley using his beloved cleaver to do the bodice-ripping for him.
All episodes of Schmigadoon! are now streaming on Apple TV+.
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