Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1, Episode 8: Zoey faces the music

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1, Episode 8, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Glitch” turned Zoey’s gift upside down. What happened when Zoey was forced to face the music?

Before we get into talking about the main character’s heart songs in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1, Episode 8, let’s take another moment to applaud Jane Levy’s performance as Zoey. Levy didn’t hold back in any of the massive song-and-dance numbers, despite accurately depicting Zoey’s personal reluctance in participating in each public setting.

There is so much about “Zoey’s Extraordinary Glitch” that’s just, well, extraordinary. With that said, we’re just going to try to focus on the biggest and best parts.

First and foremost, the budding will-they-won’t-they relationship dynamic between Zoey and Max hit a pretty big bump in the road. After Zoey’s super-shippy serenade of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours,” complete with beaming as she laid her head on Max’s shoulder, everything seemed to be on track for the best friends to finally become something more.

But then Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist threw viewers for one, big Simon-flavored twist. Zoey’s next big performance, Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me,” was dedicated to her “morally-questionable, totally-engaged” coworker, as Max called him. And, of course, Max witnessed the whole thing.

Later, Zoey confessed her feelings for Simon, who made the first move in kissing her. (Rest in peace, Jessica?)

When they separated, it was about the most cringe-worthy moment on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist yet, even surpassing Joan’s lip-lock with Leif in Episode 7. It was not the reaction of two people who belonged together—at all.

Clearly, Zoey has a lot of thinking to do if she’s singing songs about attraction to Simon, right after baring her soul to Max. (Did we mention there was cuddling? Because there was cuddling.)

Given the way the “moment” with Simon ended, Zoey might finally be realizing that a crush is not the same thing as being in love. Max probably said it best:

"One song is about attraction; the other is about love. Personally, I would choose love. But I guess you’re going to make up your own mind."

So, checking in: We’re still Team Max, right? Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist fans, please chime in!

The love triangle wasn’t the only thing weighing on Zoey’s mind as she navigated life at SPRQ POINT. Take, for instance, the sudden appearance of the big, big boss and a super-thin timeline for pitching The Chirp.

And all of this was happening while Tobin brought Zoey one problem with the company’s new smartwatch after another. (We’re not even going there with the Joan/Leif thing; “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” was enough!)

Cue a breakdown of epically musical proportions, just as Zoey was pitching The Chirp and its too-ambitious timeline. When Zoey risked making an idiot out of herself in front of their coworkers, Max stepped in to be her duet partner in an enthusiastic rendition of Billy Joel’s “Pressure.”

The performance, one of Levy’s best in “Zoey’s Extraordinary Glitch,” thanks to the way she balanced Zoey’s struggle against the number with the exuberance the choreography required, left a lot of SPRQ POINT employees perplexed. Luckily, the craziness of it all got the job done.

Zoey’s final description of The Chirp also seemed a bit like she was talking about something—more accurately, someone—else:

"The Chirp is the dueting partner you’ve always wanted but didn’t know you needed. It’s there to help you and back you up in any situation."

But we’ll leave that to the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist audience to decide. Art is, of course, subjective.

Unfortunately, there’s one part of “Zoey’s Extraordinary Glitch” that was straightforward. It also happens to be the plot piece that caused the otherwise hilarious episode to both start and end with an emotional battering.

When Zoey heard the news about her dad entering the final stages of his illness, everything just…stopped. The surreal, out-of-body experience Zoey felt was ten times more striking as the camera’s slow motion and the blocked sound of Maggie’s conversation with the doctor became their own sort of choreography.

Though Zoey tried her best to avoid the pain as she experienced one crisis after another, she had face the music by the end of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1, Episode 8.

First, Zoey told Max what happened and how she reacted:

"I ran away. I couldn’t face it, and now I’m supposed to go home so we can all talk about it. I don’t how to be around him. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to look him in the eye. I don’t. I don’t think I can do it."

This guilt and grief, all wrapped up into one heartbreaking package was all-too-familiar to anyone who’s been in the middle of losing a loved one.

Zoey visited her dad and told him how she felt in the only way possible: through music. This time, it was LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live,” and we found ourselves asking how we were going to live through the such a heartbreaking and beautiful rendition of the song.

Sorry, LeAnn: Jane Levy might have just beaten you at your own game.

From start to finish, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 1, Episode 8 was a rollercoaster of emotions and non-stop choreographic wonders. What was your favorite part? The humor? The romance? The angst? Let us know in the comments!