The Daily Gamecock

'Galavant' — deeply strange, but charming

"Galavant" is by far one of the strangest shows to come to ABC.

The show makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, nor does it last very long, but it's definitely one of a kind.

“Galavant,”  a comedy based in the fairy tale middle ages, s full of modern-day references, witty comebacks, sexual innuendos and dry humor. It's not only a comedy, but also a musical-comedy. The show doesn't slack on the musical numbers, embracing absurd lyrics and whimsical dance choreography.

The series mocks typical character sequences usually seen in shows set in the medieval period and puts a new spin on characters, giving them with post-modern character flaws.

The first five minutes of the pilot explain the entire motivation for the show. The character for which the show is named, Galavant (Joshua Sasse) is a halfway noble medieval prince whose one true love Madalena (Mallory Jansen) was kidnapped by King Richard (Timothy Omundson) and forced to marry him.

Galavant crashes the wedding, showing up just in time to interrupt the wedding vows, and he's crushed when Madalena rejects his proposal and chooses the King’s royalty and riches over him. The heartbroken hero returns to his village, drinks heavily and sulks around local pubs.

Later, a woman hired by the neurotic King Richard  convinces Galavant to go to the kingdom and win back Madalena’s  heart — the whole thing is part of the king's twisted plot to kill Galavant.

“Galavant” is an energetic and risky attempt to combine several genres to make a unique show, appealing to various audiences. Viewers are encouraged to ride it out until the end to embrace the happy ending that so many shows on television seem to lack these days.

The team of writers and producers — including Dan Fogelman, producer of "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and "Tangled" director Chris Koch, Alan Menken, musical composer of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast," and lyricist Glenn Slater —  found a decent balance between this twisted mix of genres to pull off a show that makes fans want to tune in. 

Although "Galavant" seems vulgar and bad-mannered at times, the series is geared toward families — that is if Mom and Dad don’t mind explaining to the kids what “it” is.

The show hasn't generated particularly highly rated feedback yet, but that doesn’t decrease the entertainment value. Each episode presents a new, enthusiastic and awkward adventure of Prince Galavant’s journey to win back Madalena. Viewers meet an array of delightful characters, including guest star John Stamos and charming villains that viewers can’t help but find entertaining and lovable.

This show is far from subtle, and because this is the first season, the longevity of "Galavant" is far from known. However, the show's unique and clever dialogue and lyrics it the edge that makes it worth watching.


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