Parents' Guide to Up Here

With catchy songs and a quirky, interesting cast, this series combines theatrical musical sensibilities with episodic storytelling, with mixed results. As Up Here begins, Lindsay's story arc is pretty generic, as are the songs that illustrate who she is and what she wants. We've seen many narratives in which young women are transformed by a move to the big city (Emily in Paris jumps to mind), and the idea of a series that tells its story through musical numbers isn't new either (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is an obvious parallel). Miguel, too seems like a type: A guy from humble background who makes good in business and life, yet is held back by his own insecurities.

But as Up Here goes on, the characters gain a specificity that helps ground this story in a more real place. We learn that Miguel's smooth and sometimes bland exterior is a defense mechanism that keeps others from knowing more than he feels comfortable revealing, and that Lindsay's habit of defining herself through the man she's currently dating is a crutch she leans on to avoid taking risks she finds too scary. And though the show's Greek chorus of "inner thoughts" characters is a bit gimmicky at first, the device ultimately grows on the viewer, allowing us access to these characters' worst fears as well as their fondest hopes; all fleshed out in song that grows increasingly more memorable. Up Here takes its time warming up, it's true, but the rewards are worth waiting for.