by Kelsey Barritt, Writing Intern
Most people, in their right mind,
would not willingly enter a relationship that is destined to end. That is
exactly what Ben Queen challenges viewers to do with his new hit. A to Z carefully examines the romantic
relationship of Andrew (Ben Feldmen) and Zelda (Cristin Milloti), who will date
for exactly eight months, three weeks, five days, and one hour. This novel
premise is oddly intriguing, even if it is an overt setup for failure.
The romantic comedy begins with
Andrew and Zelda’s first encounter, or at least what they believed to be their
first encounter. They later learn that they once attended the same concert. Wide-eyed
optimistic Andrew hopelessly clings to that meeting as fate. He works at an
online dating site and earnestly yearns for true love. He often sacrifices his
pride to achieve it. Zelda, a lawyer, does not share those sentiments. Level
headed and logical, she clings to the more tangible things in life. They
balance each other out perfectly . . . so far . . . .
Between How I Met Your Mother and A
to Z, Milloti can do no wrong. Zelda offers the perfect alternative to the
small yet typical and iconic role of the mother. She delivers the same amount
of charm, but with a less whimsical and still affectionate personality. Almost
automatically, she becomes the dream girl simply because of her lovable and
genuine demeanor. But if she dies again, I am officially quitting television
(editor’s note: HIMYM reference).
Mad
Men’s Feldmen warms hearts with his enthusiastic, almost childish, views
about love. He is a fragile little bird, and we don’t want to see him fall. His
utter faith in humanity and romance, while naïve, is inspirational. He is more than willing to embarrass himself,
or appear obsessive, in order to find his soul mate. Likely, he’s seen as
romantic and charming. I wonder how they would be perceived if the roles of
Zelda and Andrew were reversed.
Supporting characters are slowly
starting to have a positive impact on the show. Zelda’s best friend Stephanie (Lenora Crichlow) brings a more no
nonsense attitude than even Zelda. She often calls Zelda out for participating in
the pointless games of new relationships. Andrew’s best friend Stu (Henry Zebrowski)
counters this through his encouragement of mind games and power plays.
Unfortunately, other small roles flop.
Andrew’s boss Lydia (Christina Kirk) gives off wacky vibes with every
conversation. It’s disappointing to see a female in power once again portrayed
as a crazy, power hungry dictator.
With that small exception, this
comprehensive account of a romance delivers a solid level of satisfaction throughout
the entire duration of an episode. How will Andrew and Zelda end? Viewers cross
their fingers for an engagement or marriage, but a breakup is a worrisome possibility.
Either way, Queen meticulously delves into each and every stage of finding
love. Silly games and authentic anxiety overwhelm Zelda and Andrew. Minute
issues become heavy strains and love slowly breaks down walls one at a time. A to Z
is a pleasant spectacle that simply makes audiences feel good.
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