After realizing that they can’t leave together, Josh and Melissa break up and start looking for romance around town, in the second episode of Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon!. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio and Julie Klausner, here’s what unfolded in the series’ second episode, “Lovers’ Spat.”
Scmigadoon transplants Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) are still stuck in the musical town, even after reaffirming their love for each other. When their attempts have failed, she questions his love for her, to which he replies that he does indeed love her. He comes to the conclusion that the two of them crossing together just won’t make it work. “So you’re ready to give up on us because of what a leprechaun said?” Melissa asks.
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After learning that Josh is beginning to have doubts that their relationship is true love, she breaks it off with him. “I’m done,” she says. “It’s over.We’re officially broken up now. You’re free to find true love with whoever you want.” She takes off and heads to the woods to clear her mind and get a load off, and runs into Mayor Menlove (Alan Cumming).
When he sees that she is heartbroken, he bursts into song, which startles Melissa. He sings that “Somewhere love is waiting for you.” When she finds him, whomever that may be, she’ll have no choice but to pursue him. The number takes an interesting turn, however, as it seems that the mayor is not just singing about Melissa, but him as well.
“Then he’ll hold you close in his strong, tanned arms, and your heart’s a fire setting off alarms,” Mayor Menlove belts. “At last the love that was forbidden no longer must be hidden.” He stops himself, realizing he may have overshared. Curious about the accidental revelation, Melissa asks if he is gay. “I try to be,” he replies, adding, “Everyone in Schmigadoon deserves to find true love.”
Later back in town, Melissa runs into Josh at the inn, where he is all dressed to go to the annual picnic basket auction. “Are you selling popcorn now?” she asks him, mocking his outfit. She’s upset that he seems to have forgotten that they had just broken up two hours prior, and taking part in the town’s festivities. “Go have fun with your teenage cliché,” she tells him.
The annual picnic basket auction commences, with the town’s gentlemen bidding on picnic baskets made by the women. The winning bidders not only get the basket, but dinner with the one who made it as well. It’s an auction to raise funds for the library to raise books for the ones that have been burned.
A bidding war ensues for Betsy’s (Dove Cameron) basket. The bid starts off at two bits (equivalent of 25 cents) and nearly ends with Henry the Iceman’s (Garfield WIlson) bid of two dollars and two bits. But before the mayor makes it official, Josh stands from his seat and offers a whopping $20, which, to the town’s denizens, is an exorbitant amount.
After Josh wins Betsy’s basket, a very drunk Melissa decides to offer herself up for the auction. The mayor tells her that she’s not understanding how the auction works, and Melissa quickly interjects. She says that the “horny sickos” are bidding on the women like “pieces of meat.” “Who wants to bid on this meat basket?” she asks the crowd.
The winning bid goes to Danny (Aaron Tveit), the rapscallion, whose $2 is all the money he’s got in the world. Their date later that night takes place at the town’s carnival, where the resident bad boy teaches the doctor how to shoot a gun. Though he runs the “Tunnel of Love” ride, Melissa confesses that she wants to ride him instead.
Meanwhile, Josh and Betsy’s picnic date is just getting started at “Virginity Ruins.” “It’s where [highschool kids] come to, you know, ‘picnic,'” she says with a wink. “Not that I’ve been here before!” Josh tries to figure out the waitress’ age, as she’s never disclosed that to him yet. When he realizes she’s too young, he sets some boundaries.
“What makes you think anything’s gonna happen between us?” she asks coyly. She informs him that he has the wrong idea about her. Betsy sings that while other girls set their morals aside, she will wait until she’s a bride. During her song, however, she empties out the picnic basket which has some choice items — and her handling of those items give Josh mixed messages.
“But then again, why wait?” she says, then leans in for a kiss. A gun cocks, and Josh and Betsy turn their heads to find her papa with a shotgun aimed at her date. “You better start proposing, son,” her father says.
The second installment of Schmigadoon! features a breakout performance by the incredible Dove Cameron. We couldn’t help but grin from ear-to-ear when she graced the screen. Her short musical number as Betsy, the waitress, was one of the best this season. We’ve heard of the actress before, but have not seen or heard any of her work. “Lovers’ Spat” was the perfect episode to introduce us to this woman’s amazing talent.
What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments below!
Schmigadoon! airs Fridays on Apple TV+.