I don’t like classical music. I’m sure that this makes me some kind of cultural heathen, but I can’t tell a Bach from a Brahms. Which is why I had zero interest in watching “Mozart in the Jungle” when I first saw the posters. But then, right before Christmas, I caught a cold that knocked me flat on my back. Feeling miserable and pretty dang sorry for myself, I decided to watch some mind numbing television only to remember that I had recently “cut the cord”, leaving me with Amazon Prime as my only option. So, I decided to watch the pilot.
Created by the talented team of Paul Weitz (About a Boy), Roman Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore), this show is beautifully written and superbly cast. Smart, funny and totally quirky, it stars Mexican heartthrob Gael Garcia Bernal as the cocky young maestro who takes over the New York symphony from Malcom McDowell. Who, frankly, is reason enough to watch the show. The man is still sexy as hell. And yes, there’s classical music. But there’s also love, drama and an awesome best friend sidekick.
I binge watched the entire first season in one sitting. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see a show where the women aren’t anorexic or some Hollywood version of perfection. In fact, the lead, Lola Kirke even has a lisp. And she’s delicious. So, the next time that you have 30 minutes to spare, load up an episode. It is sure to put a smile on your face. I promise.