“You’ll know hell’s freezing if we get decent ratings.”
Warning: Full spoilers for Season 2 of Galavant below.
Like Season 1, Galavant’s second season was arguably more about Richard than Galavant. He started the season at his lowest point. He was betrayed by Gareth and shipped off with Galavant. He lost his kingdom, his best friend — everything, more or less. Galavant isn’t a series that dwells on the melancholy, but songs like “If I Were a Jolly Blacksmith” allowed the emotion to push through while maintaining the buoyant tone of the medieval musical comedy.
Because of events at the end of the last season, different characters were thrown together. It was a mostly positive development; the new team-ups brought a breath of fresh air by exploring dynamics we hadn’t seen before. Richard and Galavant in particular benefited from this, as their unlikely friendship bloomed in an adorable way. The just crowned couple of Madalena and Gareth were one of the most brilliant parts of the season. However, mixing things up hurt the show too by delaying reunions. Okay, one reunion — Isabella and Galavant.
Karen David, Weird Al, and Joshua Sasse in Galavant
Building anticipation can be a way to leverage story for more impact, but when pushed too far, it heads into letdown territory. The premier couple of the show didn’t cross paths until the final week. It was a disappointment. We did have other romantic leads to follow, which was lovely, but they should have brought Gal and Isabella together in the middle of the season. On top of that, many of Isabella’s decisions were questionable.
Isabella got back on course, but she made terrible choices that didn’t fit with what we knew about her character. For example, going back to captivity willingly after she thought Gal dissed her. The Isabella who “as a feminist doesn’t quite need him” should have left Hortensia to forge her own path or at least to go find Gal and deliver the series of slaps she saved for the penultimate episode.
Where the season failed Isabella, it was killer for Madalena. She was deliciously awful and ambitious but got more complex by discovering the realm of emotions. “What Am I Feeling” is easily the most memorable, wonderfully performed song of the season. I mean, Galavant deserves accolades for not only finding a believable way to make Madalena sympathetic but for making severed ears an incredibly sweet gesture. That the series can make those sort of scenes land is precisely why it needs to continue. They can find the deeply moving among the silliest of settings and make it ring true. It’s why Galavant claims a sizable piece of real estate in my heart.
Vinnie Jones and Mallory Jansen in Galavant
Another standout character of the season was Gareth. He got in touch with his inner warm and fuzzy side and fell for Madalena, and it was by turns hilarious and charming. The love song written for him couldn’t have been more fitting. The comedic brute force became kinder — in select situations — and Vinnie Jones’ performance was everything. Boy, he has fantastic comedic timing.
In fact, the entire cast was on point this year. Timothy Omundson continues to be a talented national treasure with his range and impressive vocals. Mallory Jansen could light a room on fire with her glare and break your heart with the way she portrays sadness. Joshua Sasse is the very embodiment of a fairy tale hero and delivers sarcastic lines like nobody’s business. Oh, and he has the voice of an angel. Karen David is versatile, switching from a heartbroken mess to a ferocious warrior like that. And Ben Presley? He stole every scene he was in. They all worked so damn well together.
And happily, this year they lightened up on the guest stars. There were guest stars — several of them — but they weren’t a distraction like they were in the first season, if that makes sense. Robert Lindsay was a fantastic addition to the ensemble with his amusing and evil Wormwood, while drop-ins like Kylie Minogue didn’t make an impression.
Joshua Sasse and Timothy Omundson in Galavant
Let’s discuss one of key parts of Galavant: the music! Overall, Season 2 didn’t have as many hits as the first season. I’m only partially judging this by the number of tunes I’ve purchased in comparison to last year. There were standouts, to be sure. I’ve mentioned a couple, and I’d add “World’s Best Kiss,” “A New Season,” and the recap song to the list. Alan Menken and Glenn Slater stretched their skills to showcase more variety in the types of music this year but by spinning off familiar tunes from other musicals, they sort of lost something. The songs didn’t progress the plot or character development at the same level they did last time around. They did successfully pile on the humor with creative and clever lyrics. No one does meta like Galavant.
Getting a second season of Galavant was a surprise, a network miracle even. The comedy fits nicely into the slot left open by Once Upon a Time’s midseason break, and though the show didn’t slay with ratings this year, I want ABC to grant another renewal because I need to see more of Tad Cooper.
Galavant maintained the quirky fun and talented performances for a solid second season. The songs weren’t as inventive this year, but they did occasionally find the sweet spot where entertainment, laughs, and character development collide. Characters like Richard, Madalena, and Gareth took rewarding and unexpected journeys, while Isabella’s path meandered. Overall, they delivered though, and I hope they get the chance to do so again.
