Kimmy Vs The Reverend: A Narrow View Of Happily Ever After

‪Netflix’s newest Kimmy Schmidt installment ‘Kimmy vs The Reverend’ is presented as a delightfully upbeat choose-your-own-adventure story. The tale unravels through a series of decisions by the viewer (a la Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch).‬
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‪Once again, Kimmy finds herself confronting her past with the assistance of Titus, Jan (and a mysterious mystery novel). As Kimmy mulls over each ‘whence thither’ the audience is presented with an exploration into the ideas of free will and personal morality.‬
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‪Kimmy’s journey catapults the viewer from the moments before wedded bliss with a surprising new beau, to face her old demons. There’s still some baggage to discover in Jan that she’s been carrying from her traumatizing situation in the Bunker.‬
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‪Contrasting this is Titus’s journey as a new star. Jacqueline has gotten him cast as a film’s buff lead and is in his ear nagging him to slim down for the role or lose his new-found fame. For years, viewers have watched the sparse character development of Titus Andromedon with chagrin, but the fat-shaming of this beloved persona is a slap in the face.‬
‪Just how amazing of an agent are we to believe Jacqueline if she can have an entire script rewritten but cannot advocate harder for a plus-sized client?‬
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‪We have to examine the deliberate harm being done. What message is being sent to the queer community when a femme gay black man’s ‘Happily Ever After’ revolves around Beyoncé’s diet plan. Does this reinforce the No Fats/ No Femmes ideal?‬
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‪Kimmy V the Reverend takes viewers on an endearing trip and makes valid feminist points about causing injury and morality. However, I would implore the writers to widen their lens and explore the other bodies they may be causing harm.‬