How Did Tina Fey’s Comedy About A Doomsday Cult Survivor Become A Hit?

In his review of the new Tina Fey comedy, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Kevin Fallon praised the show for its unabashed positivity in a time when people are going for dark, brooding, cynical shows an...
How Did Tina Fey’s Comedy About A Doomsday Cult Survivor Become A Hit?
Written by Val Powell
  • In his review of the new Tina Fey comedy, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Kevin Fallon praised the show for its unabashed positivity in a time when people are going for dark, brooding, cynical shows and protagonists. And it is perfectly spot on. One of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s draws is finding comedy in what is essentially a dark and unusual premise. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows the titular character, played by Ellie Kemper, who was a member of a doomsday cult. After 15 years living underground the cult members are rescued, with Kimmy choosing to move to New York to find a job and live her life. Joining Kimmy in her adventures is a colorful cast of characters including Jane Krakowski as her new employer, Titus Burgess as Kimmy’s new roommate, and the legendary Carol Kane as her new landlord.

    And the best part about the show? All 13 episodes of The Unbreakable Schmidt is available on Netflix. In an interview with ETonline about the show’s beginnings, Fey said, “We made these first 13 episodes for NBC and then we were talking with NBC and they were like, ‘We don’t know where we can put it. We don’t have any shows like this anymore. We don’t have that many single camera comedies coming up.’ And they gave us the opportunity to talk to Netflix. Within like two or three days the whole thing was a deal.”

    Fey also found a brilliant lead actress in Kemper, who’s known for her bubbly characters like Erin in The Office. Talking to NPR about the character, Kemper says, “There’s a tenacity there, that I think, without it, a woman would not have been able to endure a situation like she has endured. So while Kimmy is totally un-jaded and invigorated and optimistic and inspired by this new world she has before her, she’s also very fierce and tough.”

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