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).
But I’m here for genre chaos. The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" musical episode set the bar high for ‘90s kids and the entire TV industry. Plenty of shows have tried to match its iconic status, but most have fallen flatter than the pitchiest note. One-off episodes are hard enough. Sustaining that energy for a whole series? Nearly impossible — except "Galavant" pulled it off.
ABC's short-lived medieval musical show turned every fairy tale trope on its head with biting wit, satirical absurdity and a soundtrack as fresh as its plot. RIP to the real king.
Galavant is not like other girls (because they’re all smarter than him)
True love won’t get you far in medieval times — especially if you’re a woman. The show opens with our wannabe hero Galavant (Joshua Sasse) on a quest to rescue his beloved Madalena (Mallory Jansen). Except ... she’s not in distress. She left Galavant for the king who kidnapped her. Why? Power and money, obviously.
King Richard (Timothy Omundson) may sit on the throne, but Madalena’s running the show. She knows how to weaponize toxic masculinity — and does, with perfection. Meanwhile, Galavant’s off trying to rescue someone who doesn’t want to be rescued.
Sorry, Galavant, but Madalena is just not that into you. She’s not even subtle about it. Yes, she uses her charms to get what she wants, but it’s not manipulation — she tells everyone exactly what she’s doing.
She’s not the only badass in the realm. Princess Isabella (Karen David) tricks Galavant into fighting for her kingdom under the pretense of needing a big, strong man. It’s not hard; the guy’s got a raging ego. He’s also a washed-up loser and kind of an idiot. But at least he has a good personality ... just kidding!
Medieval Women: 2
Medieval Men: 0
A soundtrack fit for a (satirical) king
You know Alan Menken, the legendary composer behind Disney movies including "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin" and "Newsies." He co-composed Galavant with Christopher Lennertz ("Pitch Perfect," "The Boys"). These heavyweights poured genuine talent into this absurd little gem of a show, and it shows.
"Galavant's" soundtrack could easily pass as a Broadway cast album. It’s not just the vocals — it’s the composition, the pacing, the comic timing. Every song is completely self-aware and absurd without veering into nonsense. Somehow, it all works.
From “Hero’s Journey” to “A New Season,” the show breaks the fourth wall with abandon and dares you not to hum along.
Justice for 'Galavant' (the show not the guy)
Galavant himself may be a mildly lovable, mostly pitiful mess, but the show? It's a legendary feminist parody that lands every punch — often to Galavant’s face.
Sadly, "Galavant" met the fate of too many quirky cult classics like "Pushing Daisies," "Dead Like Me" and "Reaper." Despite all the jokes about low budgets and imminent cancellation, the show’s brilliance wasn’t enough to save it.
"Galavant" may have ridden off into the sunset too soon, but fortunately, the entire series is streaming on Hulu. So if you missed it the first time (like most people did), you’ve got a second chance to witness the chaotic, catchy brilliance for yourself. And if you’ve already seen it? Watch it again (and again). The songs still slap, the jokes still land and Galavant is still gloriously bad at being a hero.
Watch "Galavant" on Hulu
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