Peacock’s Girls5Eva is one of the streamer’s best comedies. Ahead of Peacock’s Girls5Eva wrapping up its second season on June 9, here’s why you should catch up on the spiritual successor to 30 Rock.
What is Girls5Eva about?
Girls5Eva revolves around Dawn (Sara Bareilles), Summer (Busy Philipps), Wickie (Renée Elise Goldsberry), and Gloria (Paula Pell), who were members of the ‘90s one-hit wonder girl group Girls5Eva. After their song gets sampled by a famous rapper, the group decides to reunite and create another album.
The show is created by Meredith Scardino, who previously worked on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Girls5Eva, which is produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, shares 30 Rock’s joke-per-minute density as it skewers ‘90s pop music while fitting in inspired riffs like Tina Fey as a hunger-induced hallucination of Dolly Parton who helps Dawn break through a songwriting rut.
@julesesestv Girls5eva (Netflix) #girls5eva #tinafey #sarabarielles #dollyparton ♬ original sound - JulesTv
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They’re gonna be famous. . . . ish
The show’s second season opens with Girls5Eva on the brink of success, as they’ve been signed to the Property Brothers’ record label and are working on their new album. But even though they’re in a better spot now, they’re not immune to the pressures of their normal lives.
Wickie and Gloria try to dip their toes back into the dating scene, Summer has to navigate her divorce as a Christian influencer, and Dawn juggles her songwriting aspirations and family responsibilities. The push and pull between Girls5Eva’s pop music aspirations and the pop industry’s disinterest in women over a certain age helps to ground the show’s bigger swings.
(But when you have Tony Award–winner Renée Elise Goldsberry in your cast—who makes a feast of every Wickie line—you know these swings will always be hits.)
The songs are hits
Girls5Eva’s songs perfectly parody the industrial ‘90s pop scene that spawned groups like Girls5Eva, but the show’s originals hold up even better. Along with songs like “New York Lonely Boy”, the Sara Bareilles–penned “I’m Afraid (Dawn’s Songs of Fears)” flies off the rails under the guise of a gentle piano power ballad.
And the jokes are even better
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock were no strangers to jokes that rewarded a second watch, and Girls5Eva continues this strong tradition.