The Internetz is definitely the place for uber-specific “best of” lists and pointless discussions. When talking about great television musicals, I’m not talking about television musical shows, like Glee. I’m not even talking about random musical episodes of otherwise non-musical shows. (I seem to remember The Drew Carey Show being guilty of this pretty frequently… also every other episode of Family Guy in recent years. The incredibly popular “Once more, with feeling” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is probably the most famous example of this.)
This discussion is limited to the best musicals that are A PART of the shows in which they appear. Or more simply, they’re part of the plot and not necessarily gimmicky. The usage of these great TV musicals is limited to comedic effect and genuine plot/character development. There are countless examples of this concept on television, I've limited this to the 5 most worthy of attention.
While it might seem weird (or stupid), to get this specific about television musicals (or musicals appearing on television shows), I was looking for efforts that rose above the level of gimmick or were written by people with little knowledge of what they were doing. To me, at least, the entries on this list seem like organic parts of the shows that spawned them. Hopefully, this kind of filter leads others to notice the suspiciously high quality of these unexpected gems.
Show: The Simpsons (1989 to Present)
Episode: A Fish Called Selma (1996)
By far my favorite entry, this musical take on the epically awesome Planet of the Apes is equally epic and equally awesome. Series legend Troy McClure attempted to use the musical as a vehicle for a comeback after years out of the limelight. Like many others on this list, the Stop musical is woefully incomplete. The few songs that were made are pure classics. Check out this clip that contains the whole musical though mashed with clips from Mad Men... yeah, whatever.
Show: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 to Present)
Title: The Nightman Cometh
Episode: The Nightman Cometh
This entry might violate my own rules but I think it fits since the musical wasn’t the point and was ultimately part of larger arch between Charlie and the Waitress. Part of Charlie’s scheme is the musical, “The Nightman Cometh”, which builds upon songs the character wrote a year earlier in the midst of a glue huffing binge. The quality of the music is iffy, at best, but the musical’s true genius is its humorous handling of rape and slavery. The episode proved to be so popular with fans, the “gang” decided to stage a live performance in 2009 at a Los Angeles theater. Above is a quick look at the live version...
Show: Futurama (1999 to 2003, 2008 to Present)
Title: Leela: Orphan of the Stars
Episode: The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings (2003)
Technically, this entry is an opera, not a musical. However, Fry’s opera deserves attention because it’s touching. The episode is notable for giving a Fry an outlet to express his true feelings, an issue for the character throughout the series. The episode also explores the potential of the holophonor, a fantastic instrument that combines visual and sonic elements. To quote the Robot Devil’s critique of Fry’s work, “This opera is as lousy as it is brilliant.” Enjoy!
Show: The Office (US) (2005 to Present)
Title: Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Episode: Andy’s Play (2010)
The character of Andy from the American version of The Office has always possessed a certain artistic flair but his talents were on full display during a community theater production of Sweeny Todd. Andy can play a variety of instruments but he also proved he can sing and dance. Despite a number of mishaps (like Andy’s phone going off mid-performance), this version of Sweeney Todd is oddly appealing and makes me want to see some local community theater.
Show: Friends (1994 to 2004)
Title: Freud!
Episode: The One with the Butt
This quick gag from an early episode of Friends was meant to be a joke about the crappy jobs struggling actors often receive. The production was billed as a musical biography of the life of Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud… if that doesn’t sound hilariously badass, I don’t know what does. (Maybe a musical retelling of the Book of Mormon.) While brief, Freud! is memorable because of some clever lyrics, “All you want is a dingle/What you envy’s a schwang/A thing through which you can tinkle/Or play with, or simply let hang.” I will be spending the rest of my life attempting to write a better song about penis envy (Follow link to preview here as embedding was disabled for the best available version.)
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