Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, sensitive musical comedy has lots of heart.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 27 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a captivating mix of funny and serious themes, tackling important topics like grief, love, and acceptance, all enhanced by its unique musical format. However, while season one is generally appropriate for a younger audience, many reviews express disappointment with the mature content introduced in season two, suggesting it may not be suitable for younger viewers.
- strong themes
- musical format
- season one praise
- season two criticism
- mature content
- family friendly
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST is a musical comedy about a Silicon Valley programmer who starts hearing people's thoughts expressed through musical performances. Jane Levy stars as Zoey Clarke, a young woman who works at a San Francisco startup headed up by the tense Joan (Lauren Graham). When a freak accident seemingly gives her the power to hear people's inner most thoughts as big musical numbers, a fact she only shares with her neighbor, Mo (Alex Newell), she begins learning more about the thoughts and feelings people choose not to share with others. It's disconcerting, especially when she learns some surprising things about the people around her, including colleagues like Max (Skylar Astin), Leif (Michael Thomas Grant), and newcomer Simon (John Clarence Stewart). But Zoey soon realizes that being able to hear people's thoughts may have a few advantages, especially when it comes to communicating with her sick father, Mitch (played by Peter Gallagher) and helping her mother (Mary Steenburgen) cope with their circumstances.
Is It Any Good?
This high concept musical comedy offers a fun and warm story where music is used to convey the thoughts and feelings that people can't quite speak out loud. Creator Austin Winsberg made the show to help process his own father's death from progressive supranuclear palsy (the same disease that Zoey's father has), and this connection gives power to some very heartfelt, and at times sad, moments.
But these poignant scenes don't overshadow the positive, upbeat tone of the overall show, which contains its fair share of comedic moments. More importantly, they give the musical numbers a context that goes beyond simply being entertaining. It's a challenging balance that has to be maintained, but Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist manages to do so beautifully.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist uses musical numbers to communicate emotions. When is it that cast members are most likely to break out in song and dance?
How can TV and other media be used to help cope with emotionally challenging situations? Does the use of music and comedy in this show help with this endeavor?
If you were to express your deepest feelings in song and dance, what would you perform? Who would be your audience?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 7, 2020
- Cast : Jane Levy , Skylar Astin , Alex Newell
- Networks : NBC , USA
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate