13 of the campiest, silliest and best musical episodes on TV
2. 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer': Once More, with Feeling (Season 6, 2001)
Why it exists: A demon compels everyone in Sunnydale to sing their deepest truths.
The gold standard of TV musical episodes. Creator Joss Whedon wrote the lyrics and music himself (which, against all odds, is good). Each song pushes the plot forward and reveals inner pain, especially Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar). The fact that this became a cult sing-along classic proves musical episodes can be transcendent if they're sharp, meta and a little bit haunted. 3. 'Scrubs': My Musical (Season 6, 2007)
Why it exists: A patient hears everything as a musical due to a brain aneurysm.
Funny, sweet and strangely moving, Scrubs nails the musical format without losing its slapstick soul. The episode's showstoppers—'Everything Comes Down to Poo,' anyone?—blend humor and hospital drama with surprising grace. And it helps that Broadway veteran Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) leads the vocals. 4. 'Xena: Warrior Princess': The Bitter Suite (Season 3, 1998)
Why it exists: Emotional trauma drives Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) into a musical dreamscape.
Forget camp; this is operatic fantasy. After a dark betrayal, the heroines fall into a magical land (Illusia) where emotions transform into fully orchestrated songs. Think Les Misérables meets sword fighting and sapphic tension. This is ahead of its time, extra in the best way and still deeply beloved by fans. 5. 'Riverdale': Too many to count (2018–2023)
Why it exists: 'Why not?' is more like it.
From Carrie: The Musical to Heathers and Next to Normal , Riverdale turned every teen trauma into a Broadway cover band. The musical episodes were campy, clumsy and chaotic, but also impossible to look away from (which is the show's entire appeal anyway). They often made zero narrative sense, but that was the charm. It's like watching a school talent show with a CW budget. 6. 'The Magicians': All That Hard, Glossy Armor (Season 4, 2019)
Why it exists: Fantasy trauma, of course.
This SyFy gem didn't need to go full Broadway, but it did. And it worked. When Margo (Summer Bishil), the show's acid-tongued queen, sings 'Don't Get Me Wrong' in armour while slaying a magical beast, it's part empowerment anthem, part emotional exorcism. The show had multiple musical moments, but this one was peak chaotic majesty. 7. 'Community': Regional Holiday Music (Season 3, 2011)
Why it exists: To roast Glee with precision, pitch and painful honesty.
This wasn't just another one of those musical episodes. It was a lovingly savage takedown of Glee -style sentimental manipulation. The students of Greendale are slowly seduced into joining a glee club that's clearly a cult, one genre-bending number at a time. From Abed's (Danny Pudi) holiday rap to Annie's (Alison Brie) breathy, borderline-inappropriate burlesque, every song is both a bop and a barb. 'Regional Holiday Music' stands as one of the smartest musical episodes on television because it sings while it stabs. 8. 'That '70s Show': That '70s Musical (Season 4, 2002)
Why it exists: Eric (Topher Grace) gets knocked out, and the writers said, 'Why not disco?' It is the '70s, after all.
After a stage accident in drama class, Eric dreams the whole cast into a Technicolour variety show where they perform groovy covers of classic hits. The result? A fever dream of bell-bottoms, glitter and hair flips that barely makes narrative sense—but delivers era-appropriate kitsch. 9. 'Fringe': Brown Betty (Season 2, 2010)
Why it exists: Walter (John Noble) gets high and tells a noir bedtime story to cope with guilt.
In this ambitious genre-bender, Fringe 's eccentric scientist escapes reality by spinning a detective tale starring his colleagues—with a healthy dose of singing. The musical moments are surreal, the visuals stylised and the heartbreak real. A rare episode where science fiction pauses to sing the blues. 10. 'The Flash': Duet (Season 3, 2017)
Why it exists: A magical villain traps Barry and Kara in a jazz-hands dreamscape to help them process their feelings.
When you have two main characters with serious Broadway chops, the only appropriate question is: why not? The Music Meister (played with Broadway flair by Darren Criss) zaps the two superheroes (Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist) into a 1940s-style musical fantasia. Why? Because apparently, singing about your trauma fixes everything faster than therapy or super speed. All three are also Glee alums, so this crossover practically wrote itself. 11. 'Psych': Psych: The Musical (Season 7, 2013)
Why it exists: The show always flirted with musicals, and then finally said, 'Let's just do it'.
A long-teased musical episode turned two-part event, it sees Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) and Gus (Dulé Hill) investigating a murderous playwright while singing their way through clues. This wasn't a dream or a spell, but the show embracing its own campy, theatre-kid heart. The result? A Broadway-lite murder mystery full of tap, tunes and tenacity.
See more: From 'The Pitt' to 'Grey's Anatomy': 10 medical dramas for every kind of viewer 12. 'Once Upon a Time': The Song in Your Heart (Season 6, 2017)
Why it exists: Because a magical wish from Snow White makes music a weapon and a wedding gift.
In a flashback, Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) wish for their daughter to grow up with hope, and the wish manifests as a musical spell cast over the kingdom. Back in the present day, that spell gets activated during Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) wedding. The logic is loose, but the songs are unapologetically Disney—and the payoff is pure fairytale catharsis. 13. 'Ally McBeal': The Musical, Almost (Season 3, 2000)
Why it exists: Ally's (Calista Flockhart) therapist suggests she channel her feelings, so they committed to the bit.
After being told to express herself musically, Ally finds her inner life bursting into song. Her friends and coworkers are suddenly backup singers and belting soloists. It's half group therapy, half VH1 Divas Live. However, it is somehow perfectly on-brand for a show where hallucinations and unspoken desires already danced at the edges.
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Tatler Asia
11-06-2025
- Tatler Asia
13 of the campiest, silliest and best musical episodes on TV
2. 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer': Once More, with Feeling (Season 6, 2001) Why it exists: A demon compels everyone in Sunnydale to sing their deepest truths. The gold standard of TV musical episodes. Creator Joss Whedon wrote the lyrics and music himself (which, against all odds, is good). Each song pushes the plot forward and reveals inner pain, especially Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar). The fact that this became a cult sing-along classic proves musical episodes can be transcendent if they're sharp, meta and a little bit haunted. 3. 'Scrubs': My Musical (Season 6, 2007) Why it exists: A patient hears everything as a musical due to a brain aneurysm. Funny, sweet and strangely moving, Scrubs nails the musical format without losing its slapstick soul. The episode's showstoppers—'Everything Comes Down to Poo,' anyone?—blend humor and hospital drama with surprising grace. And it helps that Broadway veteran Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) leads the vocals. 4. 'Xena: Warrior Princess': The Bitter Suite (Season 3, 1998) Why it exists: Emotional trauma drives Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) into a musical dreamscape. Forget camp; this is operatic fantasy. After a dark betrayal, the heroines fall into a magical land (Illusia) where emotions transform into fully orchestrated songs. Think Les Misérables meets sword fighting and sapphic tension. This is ahead of its time, extra in the best way and still deeply beloved by fans. 5. 'Riverdale': Too many to count (2018–2023) Why it exists: 'Why not?' is more like it. From Carrie: The Musical to Heathers and Next to Normal , Riverdale turned every teen trauma into a Broadway cover band. The musical episodes were campy, clumsy and chaotic, but also impossible to look away from (which is the show's entire appeal anyway). They often made zero narrative sense, but that was the charm. It's like watching a school talent show with a CW budget. 6. 'The Magicians': All That Hard, Glossy Armor (Season 4, 2019) Why it exists: Fantasy trauma, of course. This SyFy gem didn't need to go full Broadway, but it did. And it worked. When Margo (Summer Bishil), the show's acid-tongued queen, sings 'Don't Get Me Wrong' in armour while slaying a magical beast, it's part empowerment anthem, part emotional exorcism. The show had multiple musical moments, but this one was peak chaotic majesty. 7. 'Community': Regional Holiday Music (Season 3, 2011) Why it exists: To roast Glee with precision, pitch and painful honesty. This wasn't just another one of those musical episodes. It was a lovingly savage takedown of Glee -style sentimental manipulation. The students of Greendale are slowly seduced into joining a glee club that's clearly a cult, one genre-bending number at a time. From Abed's (Danny Pudi) holiday rap to Annie's (Alison Brie) breathy, borderline-inappropriate burlesque, every song is both a bop and a barb. 'Regional Holiday Music' stands as one of the smartest musical episodes on television because it sings while it stabs. 8. 'That '70s Show': That '70s Musical (Season 4, 2002) Why it exists: Eric (Topher Grace) gets knocked out, and the writers said, 'Why not disco?' It is the '70s, after all. After a stage accident in drama class, Eric dreams the whole cast into a Technicolour variety show where they perform groovy covers of classic hits. The result? A fever dream of bell-bottoms, glitter and hair flips that barely makes narrative sense—but delivers era-appropriate kitsch. 9. 'Fringe': Brown Betty (Season 2, 2010) Why it exists: Walter (John Noble) gets high and tells a noir bedtime story to cope with guilt. In this ambitious genre-bender, Fringe 's eccentric scientist escapes reality by spinning a detective tale starring his colleagues—with a healthy dose of singing. The musical moments are surreal, the visuals stylised and the heartbreak real. A rare episode where science fiction pauses to sing the blues. 10. 'The Flash': Duet (Season 3, 2017) Why it exists: A magical villain traps Barry and Kara in a jazz-hands dreamscape to help them process their feelings. When you have two main characters with serious Broadway chops, the only appropriate question is: why not? The Music Meister (played with Broadway flair by Darren Criss) zaps the two superheroes (Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist) into a 1940s-style musical fantasia. Why? Because apparently, singing about your trauma fixes everything faster than therapy or super speed. All three are also Glee alums, so this crossover practically wrote itself. 11. 'Psych': Psych: The Musical (Season 7, 2013) Why it exists: The show always flirted with musicals, and then finally said, 'Let's just do it'. A long-teased musical episode turned two-part event, it sees Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) and Gus (Dulé Hill) investigating a murderous playwright while singing their way through clues. This wasn't a dream or a spell, but the show embracing its own campy, theatre-kid heart. The result? A Broadway-lite murder mystery full of tap, tunes and tenacity. See more: From 'The Pitt' to 'Grey's Anatomy': 10 medical dramas for every kind of viewer 12. 'Once Upon a Time': The Song in Your Heart (Season 6, 2017) Why it exists: Because a magical wish from Snow White makes music a weapon and a wedding gift. In a flashback, Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) wish for their daughter to grow up with hope, and the wish manifests as a musical spell cast over the kingdom. Back in the present day, that spell gets activated during Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) wedding. The logic is loose, but the songs are unapologetically Disney—and the payoff is pure fairytale catharsis. 13. 'Ally McBeal': The Musical, Almost (Season 3, 2000) Why it exists: Ally's (Calista Flockhart) therapist suggests she channel her feelings, so they committed to the bit. After being told to express herself musically, Ally finds her inner life bursting into song. Her friends and coworkers are suddenly backup singers and belting soloists. It's half group therapy, half VH1 Divas Live. However, it is somehow perfectly on-brand for a show where hallucinations and unspoken desires already danced at the edges.
Tatler Asia
06-06-2025
- Tatler Asia
‘Wicked: For Good' trailer drops: here are 11 spellbinding movie witches to celebrate
Witches have long captured the imagination of film lovers—mysterious, powerful and often misunderstood. But the most unforgettable ones go beyond pointy hats and potions. Whether they're fighting injustice like Wicked's Elphaba, navigating love and loss like Practical Magic's Owens sisters or rewriting reality like Wanda Maximoff, these spellcasters cast more than just hexes—they cast lasting impressions. From darkly comic to heartbreakingly human, here are 11 cinematic witches whose stories still enchant us today. The trailer for Wicked: For Good just dropped, and if the fan reactions are anything to go by, it's safe to say that people can't wait to revisit Elphaba and Glinda in Oz. As 'Wicked: For Good' brings Elphaba and Glinda back to the big screen later this year, we look at 11 iconic movie witches who've enchanted audiences with their magic, power and unforgettable stories At the heart of Wicked—the blockbuster adaptation of the Broadway musical based on a novel that reimagined The Wizard of Oz—are two very different witches: Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande). Opposites in every possible way, the two begin as rivals at Shiz University, treating each other with open disdain. But over time, they form an unlikely friendship—one that will change not only the course of their lives, but the very fabric of who they are, for good. Like the stage musical, the film delves into themes of 'good' vs 'wicked', while spotlighting the strength and transformative power of female friendship. It's not just about spells, sorcery or flying monkeys—it's about identity, acceptance and standing by someone when the world refuses to. At the end of the day, the real magic is in their friendship. Erivo and Grande have been widely praised for their performances, which honour the iconic Broadway originals while making the characters distinctly their own. Their chemistry is electric, their solos soaring. Fans are already holding space for their return in Wicked: For Good, which lands in cinemas on 21 November. See also: Oscars 2025: Asian stars and creatives in Oscar-nominated films, from 'Wicked' to 'Emilia Pérez'
Times
27-04-2025
- Times
The stakes are high in the great Gatsby gamble — but does it pay off?
It is 100 years to the month since F Scott Fitzgerald's lean, lyrical Jazz Age masterpiece The Great Gatsby was published. So is it a marketing masterstroke that leads this at first sluggish, finally persuasive, always technically dazzling Broadway musical version to be opening in the West End? Well, a summer run in one of London's largest theatres with no big names in the cast is a bold move, so selling points are handy. Yet excellent though the cast turn out to be, Marc Bruni's production is the star here. Pillars, double beds, flowers, staircases, swimming pools, Rolls-Royces and 20ft-high racks of white-collared shirts glide on and off with seamless panache. Jamie Muscato, as Gatsby, wears cracking cream costumes and rocks a cool pink blazer.
