‘Girls5eva’: a favorite gets a Netflix boost
It’s always unfortunate when good shows stream on relatively small services. I mean, good for that particular company, for getting hold of a strong piece of work. But it’s sad to see an outstanding series go relatively unwatched, lost in the pricey shuffle.
I remember feeling that way about “This Is Going to Hurt,” a potent British medical drama starring Ben Whishaw and Ambika Mod (from “One Day”). I wanted Globe readers to see it, but I knew that few of them had AMC+, which has many fewer subscribers than those at the top, such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Max, Paramount+, and Apple TV+.
So I always like it when one of those shows makes it to one of the majors sooner or later, specifically “Girls5eva,” which has now moved from Peacock to Netflix. The first two seasons are available on Netflix, along with a new third season. I’ve been a fan of the comedy, executive produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock of “30 Rock” and created by Meredith Scardino, since it premiered in 2021.
I can’t say “Girls5eva” is terribly sophisticated. It’s kooky and giddy, with more jokes per minute than most comedies (except “30 Rock,” of course). The story lines revolve around a 1990s girl band having a comeback, and each of the four women in the group are uniquely funny, most of all Renée Elise Goldsberry’s Wickie, a narcissistic diva who sings with vocal squiggles and wears a coat from the “Nicole Kidman ‘Undoing’ Collection.”
The show is proudly silly, but it’s anchored by some brutal social and cultural satire. Like “The Other Two,” it pulls exactly zero punches when it comes to upending the music industry, the ever-fleeting ways of fame, and bad taste. I like that kind of humor. I also like the group’s songs, most written by Jeff Richmond and Scardino. They are perfectly awful — and irresistible.