Submissions from 2020-05-09 to 2020-05-10 (1 total)

8/10 (as far as soundtracks go)

I can't remember the last TV show where I actually looked forward to the musical numbers --- the "Even Stevens" musical special? --- but Steven Universe does it so right.

  1. Gives inner life -- The songs rarely feel gimmicky, and are (properly) used as vehicles to explore the inner lives of the characters and their relationships. The Office has the mocumentary interviews to let the characters to give their take on what is happening; Steven Universe has its songs. Granted, any musical is going to explore emotion through songs, but I -- feel like these characters actually have emotions worth exploring, and the songs deliver on the complexity granted them.

  2. They advance the action / are integrated in the show -- I tried watching 'Bighead' with a friend. I did not like the show in general, but the musical parts in particular were so annoying that we would just fast forward past them. I could not imagine doing the same thing with Steven Universe! Some of the shows biggest revelations are delivered in song.

  3. They sort of make sense in the context of the show / the characters? -- The ability for anyone to make music is established in the show. Steven and Connie jam, Steven always asks his dad to bring out his guitar when he tells a story, Paradot's humanization is delivered through Steven teaching her do-re-mi, a la Sound of Music. So, when these characters break out into song it actually, sort of, makes sense. I think of Infinite Jest, where people who first look at the book will think that the diction is pretentious and showboaty. But, in the context of that fictional universe, with the militant grammariansof massachusets and Hal's schooling / family, the diction was actually fitting and world-building. Music in SU functions the same, and each character even has their own sort of musical style. Pearl is very broadway, because she IS such a broadway type of character. Steven's dad is pretty cheesy classic / butt rock, because, well, he's a dad that used to be in a band. Steven is ukelele. twee, because he is twee. It isn't like these characters are out of nowhere breaking out into a song that they would have no ability to play or sing -- they are still their character.

  4. There is no irony! It's sincere! -- musicals are the height of cheese, there is no getting around that. So, TV shows that have musical numbers will typically use musical numbers as a comedy vehicle -- all this glitz, all this cheese of this other medium, isn't it silly now that we're wearing top hats and carrying canes that we're spinning, in a line dance? What I have found so refreshing, through all of Steven Universe, is that the show isn't afraid of being sincere. The songs are no different -- they take themselves, and the viewers, seriously. There is no In joke in the songs. The songs are part of the show. It lets the viewers actually become emotionally connected with the songs, instead of depending on the stupidity of that connection as the butt of a joke.

  5. The songs are good!

I tried to pick a top 5 or rank them, but I think that is not fair. Ones that, re-listening to tonight, I was particularly excited to listen to:
Strong in the real way
What's the use of feeling blue?
It's over isn't it
Haven't you noticed (i'm a star)
Do it for her
Let me ska my way into your heart
Stronger than you
Peace and love on the planet earth

The versoin of 'we are the crystal gems' that is on the soundtrack is really good -- has solos for each gem, i think it is the full intro version? I wish that they had included in the show, it has a very --- the gang is all hear heading into a final RPG battle -- type vibe.

.... I could keep listing, that list is long. There are a lot of winners. I could do without most of Greg's songs, except 'what can i do for you'. And some of steven's are meh, but he has so many,, so that's expected.

This show was a treat.