Schmigadoon! – Something New

By: Gladys Luna

The Narrator (Tituss Burgess) sings about Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) as he sees them walking away and going back home. The couple reach for the bridge realizing that their car is broken so they decide to walk until they find the other end. However, before that can happen they are intercepted by The Narrator who sarcastically talks about how sad it is they want to leave Schmicago so soon. Melissa is quick to retaliate alleging that they don’t have any intentions to stay any longer in a place that had only brought misery to them. The Narrator reminds her of all the adventures she had in an attempt to make her see that she had had some fun but the woman seems to have had enough of all of that and wants nothing but to leave all that behind. They wave their goodbye to the man and embark on their journey back home, but sadly, just when they think they have reached the other side, they see nothing has actually changed and they have returned to Schmicago. There they are welcomed again by the sassy Narrator who reminds them once more that if they truly want to escape they need to accomplish the mission they were given when they first arrived.  Melissa and Josh are left in shock and the man blames himself for having dragged her on this with him, but she admits that she also had her part in it. Since they have now an important task at hand, they start brainstorming about what could possibly help them solve their situation and come to the conclusion that maybe the so called “happy ending” they need to achieve is not for them but for the entire town. But the question is, how to make that happen in a place that is full of despair?

Melissa and Josh go to the apartment she shares with Jenny (Dove Cameron) determined to find a way out of Schmicago. They place over the living room table different drawings of everyone in town as they try to figure out how to bring them all a happy ending. Given the recent research the woman did while trying to get her husband out of jail, she figures that maybe they should start by making Jenny to speak with her father Dooley (Alan Cumming) so he can tell her the truth and perhaps that way they will unleash a chain reaction that will lead them out of town. Right in that moment Jenny comes out of her room greeting the couple and asking for a cigarette. Josh encourages Melissa to talk to her friend, so the woman does but has no luck with it since Jenny is already convinced of the story she was told from the very beginning about her father being responsible for her mother’s death. It seems based on the misfortunes that came right after, the young woman wants nothing to do with him. An idea sparks in Josh’s mind as he believes there might be someone who can help her change her mind. He and his wife take her to the hippie camp where they are pleasantly welcomed (although Melissa cannot say the same) by Topher (Aaron Tveit), Alex (Alex Gullason), Marisa (Marisa Gold) and Michael (Michael Delleva) who tell the visitors that they had arrived just in time for their daily tribal meeting in which they always tell a parable. Topher asks for suggestions on the subject and Josh sees the opportunity to bring the father-daughter topic, which the leader agrees on. Unfortunately, after being interrupted several times when trying to tell his story, he gets mad and leaves saying to Josh that if he thinks he is capable to tell a better story than him then he is welcomed to do it. Of course, we all know what comes right after, right? A full music number encouraging a daughter to call her father and make amends with him. Unfortunately, it appears to have hit some targets except the one they were aiming for given that Alex, Michael and Marisa go immediately to call their dads. Jenny does not seem moved at all by this and instead decides to go and talk to Topher who has spent the whole time alone in his tent. Jenny approaches him carefully and while trying to figure out what might be bothering him and after a moment, they end up having a deep conversation about how they feel they are performing all the time and do not know when the characters they have to play most of the time end and where their true selves begin. In fact, they confess to each other that even though they have just met, they acknowledge there is some connection they feel towards one another that leads them to sing about it. Melissa and Josh are watching them from the other side and feel happy and responsible for having been the string that brought these two together. Melissa believes that maybe they can do something alike for Dooley and Miss Codwell (Kristin Chenoweth) and maybe that way he will leave his thirst for revenge behind.

Melissa and Josh pay a visit to Dooley who greets them with a pessimist speech about his life and everyone else around and also takes the chance to ask for an update about his daughter to what Melissa tells her that she is doing just fine. Then, they proceed to tell him that maybe he should consider to go out more and find someone to spend some time with. In fact, they suggest that maybe Miss Codwell could be a good choice. However, he is somewhat skeptical about the fact that a woman like her could have any interest in him, but Melissa convinces him that maybe if he just cleans a bit himself that it might help. So, the couple sets a double date with them. The dinner starts awkwardly as Dooley does not seem to be as comfortable being out of his zone. It also seems that he has forgotten all of his manners. As a way to make some conversation, he takes out one of his knives that has decided to bring with him. Miss Codwell finds that fascinating as she cannot keep staring at him in awe. Melissa intends to make some small talk asking the other woman about the orphanage but she does say nothing other than complaining about the children. Next, Josh suggests that maybe they should start eating their food. Dooley makes a full display of his mastery with his knife making Miss Codwell even more interested in him and asking him to give her the chance to cut the meat for him. This makes him smiley and he expresses that it has been a while since someone has done that for him. He also takes the chance to praise her skills with the knife. After dinner the four decide to take a walk to their apartments. Josh and Melissa give some space to the newly found couple until they arrive to the orphanage where Miss Codwell returns the knife to Dooley as he had let her hold it all the way there. As a gesture of gratitude for the company and accepting going out with him, he asks her to keep it. She does not miss the opportunity to invite him for a drink to what he seems hesitant to agree at first but then he ends up doing it. Melissa and Josh look at them in surprise as they rush into the orphanage as two sweet teenagers which makes them feel proud for having reached another accomplishment. Once inside the two are talking and Dooley cannot help but confess that the woman seems to have too many orphans while he has less and less meat every time for his butchery. This leads them to the conclusion that maybe they might use the kids to bring more meat to his shop (and not in a good way). Melissa and Josh watch them from outside as the new couple sing happily feeling satisfied with their matchmaking but completely unaware that they have just created something even worse.