Irrational exuberance: cuteness as affective bubble in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Abstract

ABSTRACT There has been a palpable shift from the studiously unconscious cuteness of the “chick flick” to the semi-conscious cuteness of a strain of contemporary female-led quality comedy and this shift highlights a growing dissatisfaction with contemporary socio-economic and political conditions. More recent series, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015–2019) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2019), feature female protagonists whose performances of cuteness expose many of the predicaments, challenges and issues facing the contemporary neoliberal female subject. These series use their dysfunctionally cute heroines to expose contradictions, hypocrisies and double standards in contemporary Western society. The defining trait of the female protagonists is a cuteness linked to overcoming traumatic past events. In this article I will be defining cuteness as a bulwark intrinsically linked to trauma and loss and as a ballast against threat. Both series studiously attempt to transform social abjection into a more palatable cuteness that enables the female lead. However, this cute performance extracts a heavy psychological toll, bringing societal demands into question. Cuteness works as a temporary coping mechanism but is not a viable solution for either female protagonist in the long-term.