Musical TV shows are hit or miss, but the best ones lean into satire and self-awareness. To sell the idea of characters randomly bursting into song, a little camp goes a long way.
Some shows like “Glee” and “Smash” build singing into the story through a cappella groups or theater settings. Others, like “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” invent quirky setups for musical numbers that teeter between realism and ridiculousness (the sweet spot).