''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' is an American
streaming television
Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aer ...
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
created by
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
and
Robert Carlock
Robert Morgan Carlock (born September 21, 1972) is an American screenwriter and producer. He has worked as a writer for several NBC television comedies, and as a showrunner for ''30 Rock'', which was created by his recurring collaborator, comedia ...
, starring
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire Kemper (born May 2, 1980) is an American actress and comedian. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Scre ...
in the title role. It premiered on March 6, 2015, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
and ran for four seasons, ending on January 25, 2019. An
interactive special
Interactive cinema tries to give an audience an active role in the showing of movies.
Another newer definition of interactive cinema is a video game which is a hybrid between participation and viewing, giving the player – or viewer, as it were ...
premiered on May 12, 2020.
The series follows 29-year-old
Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) as she adjusts to life after being rescued from a
doomsday cult
A doomsday cult is a cult, that believes in apocalypticism and millenarianism, including both those that predict disaster and those that attempt to destroy the entire universe. Sociologist John Lofland coined the term ''doomsday cult'' in his ...
in the fictional town of Durnsville,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, where she and three other women were held captive by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (
Jon Hamm
Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Televisi ...
) for 15 years. Determined to be seen as something other than a victim and armed only with a positive attitude, Kimmy decides to restart her life by moving to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, where she quickly befriends her street-wise landlady
Lillian Kaushtupper (
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie Kane (born June 18, 1952) is an American actress. She became known in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as '' Hester Street'' (for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''Annie ...
), finds a roommate in struggling actor
Titus Andromedon (
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series '' Unb ...
), and gains a job as a nanny for the melancholic and out-of-touch socialite
Jacqueline Voorhees (
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...
).
Throughout its run, the series received critical acclaim, with critic Scott Meslow calling it "the first great sitcom of the streaming era". It received a total of twenty
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
nominations, including four nominations for
Outstanding Comedy Series and a nomination for
Outstanding Television Movie for the 2020 special ''
Kimmy vs. the Reverend''.
Synopsis
Kimmy Schmidt (
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire Kemper (born May 2, 1980) is an American actress and comedian. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Scre ...
) was in eighth grade when she was kidnapped by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (
Jon Hamm
Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Televisi ...
). The Reverend held Kimmy and three other women captive for 15 years in an underground bunker and convinced them that a
nuclear apocalypse
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
* Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
*Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
had come, gone, and left them the sole survivors of humanity.
In the
first season, the women are rescued, and go on to appear on the ''
Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It w ...
'' in New York City. After the show, Kimmy decides she does not want to return to Indiana, and does not want to be seen by everyone as a victim, so she starts a new life in New York City. Roaming around the city, Kimmy comes across landlady
Lillian Kaushtupper (
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie Kane (born June 18, 1952) is an American actress. She became known in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as '' Hester Street'' (for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''Annie ...
). Kaushtupper offers Kimmy a chance to room with
Titus Andromedon (
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series '' Unb ...
) in her downstairs apartment. However, Kimmy has to find a job in order to get the apartment. Upon attempting to get a job at a nearby candy store, Kimmy sees a boy stealing candy. She pursues him back to his home, and ends up encountering his mother,
Jacqueline Voorhees (
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...
), a Manhattan trophy wife, who mistakes her for a nanny, and whom Kimmy mistakes as someone trapped in a cult. Soon after, Jacqueline hires Kimmy as a nanny for her 10-year-old son. As Season 1 continues, Kimmy falls in love with a Vietnamese man, Dong (
Ki Hong Lee
Ki Hong Lee (born September 30, 1986) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Minho in the ''Maze Runner'' film series and Dong Nguyen in the Netflix sitcom ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt''.
Early life and education
Lee was born i ...
) from her
G.E.D.
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...
class, goes to court to testify against the Reverend, and discovers how the world has changed in the 15 years she was held captive.
In the
second season, Kimmy is sick of working for Jacqueline and gets a job at a year-round Christmas store and then as an
Uber
Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...
driver. She tries to get over Dong, who enters a
green card marriage
A sham marriage or fake marriage is a marriage of convenience entered into without intending to create a real marital relationship. This is usually for the purpose of gaining an advantage from the marriage.
Definitions of sham marriage vary by ...
with another G.E.D. student and is eventually deported. As Kimmy tries to move on, so do Titus and Jacqueline, who both find boyfriends. Titus begins dating construction worker Mikey Politano (Mike Carlsen) and Jacqueline begins dating lawyer Russ Snyder (
David Cross
David Cross (born April 4, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, director, and writer known for his stand-up performances, the HBO sketch comedy series ''Mr. Show'' (1995–1998), and his role as Tobias Fünke in the Fox/Netflix sitcom ...
). Jacqueline also goes back to her
Native American heritage and decides to take down the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, who her boyfriend's father happens to own. Kimmy reunites with Gretchen and Cyndee to save them from joining another cult and getting married on television, respectively. When Season 2 ends, Titus leaves to be a performer on a cruise and Lillian protests the invasion of
hipsters in her neighborhood, while Kimmy makes amends with her mother (
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She rose to fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004), which has since been named one of the greatest television cha ...
) after advice from her therapist (
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
) before receiving a phone call from the Reverend in prison, telling her that they need to get a divorce.
In the
third season, Kimmy proceeds with the divorce from the Reverend but hits a snag when she learns that a devoted fan (guest star
Laura Dern
Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.
Born to actor Bruce Dern and ac ...
) wants to marry him. After getting her G.E.D., Kimmy decides to go to college and ends up at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, where she is popular but fails academically. She forms a friendship with Perry (
Daveed Diggs
Daveed Daniele Diggs (born January 24, 1982) is an American actor, rapper, and singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist of the experimental hip hop group Clipping, and in 2015, he originated the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jeffer ...
), a philosophy and religion transfer student who, like Kimmy, does not fit in with the rich, elitist
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...
students. Titus returns from his stint on the cruise harboring a secret and, determined to come home to Mikey with money and a job, he auditions for ''
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...
''. However, after the man auditioning Titus asks him to perform sexual acts on a puppet, Titus leaves and runs home to Mikey. However, Titus sees Mikey out with another man, and breaks up with him. Lillian is elected to the city council and attempts to block the construction of a supermarket chain for fear it will
gentrify
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the econ ...
the neighborhood. She later starts a relationship with the owner of the chain (
Peter Riegert
Peter Riegert (born April 11, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Donald "Boon" Schoenstein in ''Animal House'' (1978), oil company executive "Mac" MacIntyre in '' Local Hero'' (1983), pickle store owner Sam Posner in '' ...
). Meanwhile, Jacqueline and Russ execute their plan to force his family to change the name of the Redskins and Titus makes it big with the single "Boobs in California". At the end of season three, Titus vows to win Mikey back from his new boyfriend, Jacqueline finds a profession, and Kimmy lands a job at a tech
start-up.
In the
fourth and final season, Kimmy is working at Giztoob, the tech company started by a former classmate at Columbia, and Jacqueline is representing Titus as his agent. After acting in an anti-bullying performance for a middle school, Titus gets a job as director of the school play and, in an attempt to impress Mikey, pretends to write and star in a superhero television show called ''The Capist'', starring
Greg Kinnear
Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''As Good as It Gets'' (1997).
Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, including ''Sabrina'' (199 ...
. Meanwhile, Lillian's boyfriend Artie dies and she is put in charge of his adult daughter's trust. Kimmy reunites with Donna Maria, who is now a successful businesswoman. Outraged and inspired by
men's rights activists
The men's rights movement (MRM) is a branch of the men's movement. The MRM in particular consists of a variety of groups and individuals (men's rights activists or MRAs) who focus on general social issues and specific government services which ...
, Kimmy writes a children's book that empowers girls and encourages boys to be kind; by the end of season four, Kimmy has found success as a children's author. Season 4 features two episodes that veer from the main plot. In the first, a standalone
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
episode, Jacqueline's former
boy toy Doug, a.k.a. DJ Fingablast, creates a
true crime
True crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people associated with and affected by criminal events.
The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 per ...
documentary called ''Party Monster: Scratching the Surface'', which sympathizes with the Reverend and paints Kimmy and the other Mole Women negatively. The second episode, "Sliding Van Doors", presents an
alternate universe in which Kimmy is never kidnapped, Titus does not audition for ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, it ...
'' in 1998, Jacqueline does not marry Julian Voorhees, and Lillian runs a Latin street gang. The series concludes with each of the main four characters finding success and purpose in new ventures.
Episodes
Cast and characters
Main
*
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire Kemper (born May 2, 1980) is an American actress and comedian. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Scre ...
as
Kimberly "Kimmy" Cougar Schmidt, the titular character. Armed with only unflagging optimism, a childlike sense of wonder and an eighth-grade education, she attempts to regain the life that was taken from her and navigate her way through the unfamiliar struggles of New York life.
*
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series '' Unb ...
as
Titus Andromedon (born Ronald Wilkerson), Kimmy's gay, flamboyant roommate and an aspiring actor and singer. Melodramatic and self-absorbed, Titus nevertheless cares deeply for, and is very protective of Kimmy. Despite his talent and ego, he is plagued by self-doubt after years of rejection in the business.
Titus hails from
Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Chickasaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,392. Its county seats are Houston and Okolona. The county is named for the Chickasaw people, who lived in this area for hundred ...
, and moved to New York City in 1998.
*
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie Kane (born June 18, 1952) is an American actress. She became known in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as '' Hester Street'' (for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''Annie ...
as
Lillian Kaushtupper, Kimmy and Titus' odd landlady. A proud born-and-bred New Yorker with a long, complex criminal history, she fights against the possible
gentrification
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and urban planning, planning. Gentrification ...
of her neighborhood (although it soon becomes clear that she hates any form of progress or technology). Despite her willingness to do anything to make a buck, she has a very big heart and will go out of her way to help her tenants.
*
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...
as
Jacqueline White
Jacqueline Jane White (born November 23, 1922) is an American former actress, who had a brief career in Hollywood motion pictures during the 1940s and early-1950s working as a contract player at both studios MGM and RKO, and perhaps best reme ...
(formerly Voorhees; née Jackie Lynn White), a wealthy and insecure socialite who hires Kimmy as a nanny. Despite coming across as arrogant, condescending and out of touch, she is very fond of (and heavily reliant on) her new employee, who helps her gain perspective on her unhappy marriage. She is secretly of
Lakota
Lakota may refer to:
*Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes
*Lakota language, the language of the Lakota peoples
Place names
In the United States:
*Lakota, Iowa
*Lakota, North Dakota, seat of Nelson County
*Lakota ...
Native American descent and is
passing for white
Racial passing occurs when a person classified as a member of a racial group is accepted or perceived ("passes") as a member of another. Historically, the term has been used primarily in the United States to describe a black or brown person ...
. As the series progresses, she gradually reconnects with her family and her culture. She is the mother of Buckley Voorhees and the former step-mother of Xanthippe Lannister Voorhees. Her ex-husband is Julian Voorhees.
Recurring
Guest
Production
Development
The show was created by
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
and
Robert Carlock
Robert Morgan Carlock (born September 21, 1972) is an American screenwriter and producer. He has worked as a writer for several NBC television comedies, and as a showrunner for ''30 Rock'', which was created by his recurring collaborator, comedia ...
when
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
executives asked them to develop a show for
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire Kemper (born May 2, 1980) is an American actress and comedian. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Scre ...
.
Fey stated that they found an "innocence" about Kemper's face, but also noted there was a "strength" to it.
[ One idea was for the show to center on Kemper's character waking up from a coma, but this idea was abandoned in favor of the cult-survivor storyline.][
The show was initially under development for NBC under the title ''Tooken''.] However, this was later changed to the current title. Eventually, NBC sold the series to Netflix. Fey has stated that this was in part due to NBC "not feeling confident about watching comedies". Prior to the network switch, NBC planned to air the series as either a mid-season replacement or as a summer series.[ The show was sold to Netflix and given a two-season order.
On June 13, 2017, the show was renewed for a fourth and final season, with the first 6 episodes premiering on May 30, 2018. The second half was released on January 25, 2019. On May 8, 2019, it was announced the series will return with an ]interactive special
Interactive cinema tries to give an audience an active role in the showing of movies.
Another newer definition of interactive cinema is a video game which is a hybrid between participation and viewing, giving the player – or viewer, as it were ...
that premiered on May 12, 2020.
Casting
Casting announcements for the remaining roles were held in March 2014, with Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series '' Unb ...
cast as the role of Kimmy's roommate, Titus Andromedon. Titus is a talented singer who works odd entertainment jobs such as dressing up like a robot in Times Square or as a singing waiter at a theme restaurant. Also cast was Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie Kane (born June 18, 1952) is an American actress. She became known in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as '' Hester Street'' (for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''Annie ...
as Kimmy and Titus' landlady, Lillian Kaushtupper.
Shortly afterwards, Sara Chase
Sara Chase is an American actress and singer best known for playing Cyndee Pokorny on the Netflix original series '' Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt''.
Early life and education
Chase is from Hartford, Connecticut, and is a graduate of the Boston Uni ...
and Lauren Adams joined the series. Chase signed on for the role of Cyndee, Kimmy's closest friend during their years in the cult; Adams was cast in the role of Gretchen, a 10-year member of the cult who believes everything that she is told. Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...
was later cast in the role of Jacqueline Voorhees, a wealthy Manhattanite who hires Kimmy as a nanny. Megan Dodds
Megan Lynne Dodds is an American actress. She played Kate in the 2006 series ''Not Going Out'', alongside Lee Mack and Tim Vine, and has appeared in the series '' Spooks'', ''House'', ''Detroit 1-8-7'', and ''CSI: NY'', and the films ''Ever Afte ...
was originally cast before she was replaced with Krakowski.
Music
The show's theme song, "Unbreakable", was produced by The Gregory Brothers
The Gregory Brothers are an American musical quartet, specializing in comedy music and pitch correction through their YouTube channel Schmoyoho (). After the success of their songs 'Chrissy Wake Up' and ' It's Corn' in the summer of 2022, NPR re ...
and written by Jeff Richmond. It is a tribute to The Gregory Brothers' YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
show '' Songify the News'' – auto-tuned
Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances.
Auto-Tu ...
news interviews that became popular video
Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syste ...
s. It specifically parodies the mannerisms of Antoine Dodson
Kevin Antoine Dodson (born June 27, 1984) is an American Internet celebrity, singer, and actor. In 2010, while a resident of the Lincoln Park housing project in Huntsville, Alabama, he gave an interview on local television news prompted by the re ...
in the "Bed Intruder Song
"Bed Intruder Song" is a song by The Gregory Brothers and Antoine Dodson, featuring Kelly Dodson. The song, created for '' Auto-Tune the News'', features processed vocals of a WAFF-48 news interview with Antoine Dodson, who was talking to a repo ...
". Richmond also wrote "Peeno Noir", a song performed by character Titus Andromedon during season 1, episode 6 of the series.
Artwork
Artwork for the show's opening sequence was produced by a team at Pentagram that included feminist artist Deva Pardue.
Home video releases
Reception
The show has been widely acclaimed by television critics, who have praised the writing and cast.
Season 1
On Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the first season has a rating of 95%, based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Blessed with originality and a spot-on performance from Ellie Kemper, ''The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' is as odd as it is hilarious." On Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the first season has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Scott Meslow of ''The Week
''The Week'' is a weekly news magazine with editions in the United Kingdom and United States. The British publication was founded in 1995 and the American edition in 2001. An Australian edition was published from 2008 to 2012. A children's edi ...
'' called the series "the first great sitcom of the streaming era", praising its wit, edge, and feminist tone. Brian Moylan of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' noted that it is "the sort of show that could benefit from multiple viewings, because the jokes are so packed in you’re sure to miss something while laughing." ''TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' named it the "best new comedy of 2015". ''IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' reviewer Max Nicholson gave the first season an 8.3 out of 10 'Great' rating, saying "Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' is another winner in Netflix's original series catalog. Not only is it charming and funny, but it's unabashedly kooky, and Ellie Kemper nails the lead role."
The first season was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
s.
Some reviewers have criticized the show's portrayal of Native Americans, with ''Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'' referring to a prominent Native American subplot as "offensive." BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ken ...
wrote that the show has a "major race problem" and cited the lack of a plurality of portrayals of Native Americans as the main issue with the subplot, stating that "the way Native Americans are represented on this show matters. It's not one representation among a cornucopia of representations; it's the single mainstream representation in years." ''The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' stated that when it comes to race, “especially in its portrayal of a key Vietnamese character, the show leaves much to be desired.”
In the wake of the controversy, Tina Fey responded: "I feel like we put so much effort into writing and crafting everything, they need to speak for themselves. There's a real culture of demanding apologies, and I'm opting out of that."
Season 2
On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds a 100% approval rating, based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Not letting up in season two, ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' is still odd in the best of ways, wonderfully building on its unique comedy stylings and brilliantly funny cast." On Metacritic, the second season has a score of 82 out of 100, based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
The second season was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
s.
There was controversy surrounding the third episode from this season, “Kimmy Goes to a Play!,” which involved the use of yellow-face and the name of a group of Asian-Americans who were critical of yellow-face. The group is referred to as "Respectful Asian Portrayals in Entertainment", or "R.A.P.E" for short. The Asian-Americans shown protesting against yellow-face in the episode are conveyed as unlikable buffoons. Anna Akana criticized the use of yellow-face and the R.A.P.E. acronym during her 2016 Asians in Entertainment Key Note speech. Alex Abad-Santos wrote, “The odd thing about this episode is that it's another Tina Fey project that paints Asian people, specifically Asian women, as crappy characters. ..The plot feels like a pointed, ironic response to anyone who has criticized Fey's past projects for being lazy and racist.”
Season 3
On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds a 97% approval rating, based on 29 reviews, with an average rating of 8.11/10. The site's critical consensus states: "''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' continues to thrive with a comically agile cast, notable guest stars, and a forceful influx of funny." On Metacritic, the third season has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
The third season was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards.
Season 4
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season holds a 94% approval rating, based on 32 reviews, with an average rating of 7.77/10. The site's critical consensus states: "''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' ends with a final season that's as topical as it is cheerily irreverent." On Metacritic, the fourth season has a score of 85 out of 100, based on 6 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
The fourth season was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Special
On Rotten Tomatoes, the ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend'' special has an approval rating of 94%, based on 32 reviews, with an average rating of 7.81/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Kimmy and company return as resilient as ever in a fun and fast paced special that makes excellent use of its interactive capabilities to produce maximum fabulosity."
The special was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
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{{Portal bar, Comedy, Television, United States
2015 American television series debuts
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