Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is an American sitcom created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, starring Ellie Kemper in the titular role, that has streamed on Netflix since March 6, 2015.^[1] Originally set for a 13-episode first season on NBC for spring 2015, the show was sold to Netflix and given a two-season order.^[2]

The series follows 29-year-old Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) as she adjusts to life in New York City after her rescue from a doomsday cult in Indiana where she and three other women were held by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) for 15 years. Determined to be seen as something other than a victim and armed only with a positive attitude, Kimmy decides to restart her life by moving to New York City, where she quickly befriends her street-wise landlady Lillian Kaushtupper (Carol Kane), finds a roommate in struggling actor Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), and gains a job as a nanny for the melancholy and out-of-touch socialite Jacqueline Voorhees (Jane Krakowski). With their help, Kimmy struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar world and jump-start the adult life that had been taken from her.

Since its premiere, the show has received acclaim from critics,^[3] one of which named it "the first great sitcom of the streaming era".^[4] On July 16, 2015, the series was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

Production and development

On October 31, 2013, NBC placed a 13-episode straight-to-series order under the title Tooken, with Ellie Kemper attached to star in the lead role of Kimmy Schmidt. The series is created and written by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, who also serve as executive producers alongside David Miner.^[5] The following May, the title of the series was changed from Tooken to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.^[6]

On November 21, 2014, it was announced that NBC had sold a two-season order of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to Netflix, with the streaming service releasing the entire first season on March 6, 2015.^[1] In late January 2015, Netflix released a first look trailer for the series.^[7]

Casting announcements on the remaining roles began in March 2014, with Tituss Burgess cast in the role of Titus, Kimmy's roommate, an extremely talented singer who works odd entertaining jobs such as dressing up like a robot in Times Square or as a singing waiter at a theme restaurant.^[8] Shortly afterwards, Sara Chase and Lauren Adams joined the series. Chase signed onto the role of Cyndee, Kimmy's closest friend during their years in the cult; while Adams was cast in the role of Gretchen, a 10-year member of the cult, who believes everything that they were told.^[9] Jane Krakowski was later cast in the role of Jacqueline Voorhees, a wealthy Manhattanite who hires Kimmy as a nanny. The role was originated by Megan Dodds before she was recast with Krakowski.^[10]

Music

The show's theme song, "Unbreakable", was a tribute to the trend of auto-tuned news interviews becoming viral videos. It was produced by The Gregory Brothers and written by Jeff Richmond. Richmond also wrote "Peeno Noir", a song performed by character Titus Andromedon during season 1, episode 6 of the series.^[11]

Cast

Main cast

• Ellie Kemper as Kimberly "Kimmy" Schmidt, a naive but surprisingly resilient woman who escapes from a doomsday cult and starts life over in New York.^[8]
• Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon (born Ronald Wilkerson), a flamboyantly gay, aspiring Broadway performer.^[8]
• Carol Kane as Lillian Kaushtupper, Kimmy and Titus's landlady.^[12]
• Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline Voorhees (born Jackie Lynn White), a wealthy and insecure Manhattanite who hires Kimmy as a nanny.^[10]

Recurring cast

• Dylan Gelula as Xanthippe Lannister Voorhees, the pretty, popular and seemingly bratty stepdaughter of Jacqueline, who is later revealed to be hiding her high achieving, 'good girl' personality.^[13]
• Ki Hong Lee as Dong Nguyen, Kimmy's GED study buddy and love interest.
• Adam Campbell as Logan Beekman, an upscale man from a wealthy family who was interested in Kimmy.
• Sara Chase as Cyndee Pokorny, Kimmy's best friend from the cult.
• Lauren Adams as Gretchen Chalker, a willing member of the cult, who believes everything she was told.
• Sol Miranda as Donna Maria Nuñez, a cult member who pretends to not speak English, and is revealed to be using the "Mole Woman" name to advertise products.
• Mike Britt as Walter Bankston, a witness to the raid on the Bunker, whose remixed interview (set to music by The Gregory Brothers) serves as the series' theme song. Walter Bankston is loosely based on Charles Ramsey, one of the rescuers of the captives of the Ariel Castro kidnappings.^[14][15]
• Tanner Flood as Buckley Voorhees, Jacqueline's son.^[16]
• Andy Ridings as Charles, Buckley's tutor, who has a crush on Kimmy.
• Susanna Guzman as Vera, Jacqueline's housekeeper.
• Tim Blake Nelson as Randy, Kimmy's stepfather, a very incompetent state trooper who met Kimmy's mother while searching for and failing to locate the missing Kimmy.^[17]
• Jon Hamm as Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne, the man who imprisoned Kimmy, Cyndee, Gretchen and Donna in an underground bunker for fifteen years and led them to believe that they had survived the end of the world.
• Tina Fey and Jerry Minor as Marcia and Chris, incompetent prosecutors in the case against "the Reverend". They are based on Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden, the lead prosecutors in the OJ Simpson murder case.^[18]
• Sheri Foster and Gil Birmingham as Fern and Virgil, Jacqueline's Lakota parents seen in flashbacks.

Guest stars

• John McMartin as Grant, a friend of the Voorhees' and the owner of a theme restaurant. ("Kimmy Goes on a Date!")
• James Monroe Iglehart as Coriolanus Burt, Titus' rival. ("Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!")
• Martin Short as Dr. Franff, Jacqueline's plastic surgeon. ("Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!")
• Brandon Jones as Brandon, Cyndee's childhood crush and later boyfriend. ("Kimmy Kisses a Boy!")
• Richard Kind as Mr. Lefkovitz, Kimmy's GED teacher. ("Kimmy Goes to School!")
• Mark Harelik as Julian Voorhees, Jacqueline's adulterous husband. ("Kimmy Goes to a Party!")
• Amy Sedaris as Mimi Kanasis, an acquaintance of Jacqueline's who suffers from her divorce. ("Kimmy Is Bad at Math!")
• Kiernan Shipka as Kymmi, Kimmy's half-sister. ("Kimmy Has a Birthday!")

Episodes

Reception

The first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt received acclaim from critics.^[3] On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a rating of 94%, based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Blessed with originality and a spot-on performance from Ellie Kemper, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is as odd as it is hilarious."^[19] On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[20]

Scott Meslow of The Week called the series "the first great sitcom of the streaming era", praising its wit, edge, and feminist tone.^[4] Brian Moylan of The Guardian noted that it is "the sort of show that could benefit from multiple viewings, because the jokes are so packed in you’re sure to miss something while laughing."^[21] TV Guide named it the "best new comedy of 2015".^[22] IGN reviewer Max Nicholson gave the first season an 8.3 out of 10 'Great' rating, saying "Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is another winner in Netflix's original series catalog. Not only is it charming and funny, but it's unabashedly kooky, and Ellie Kemper nails the lead role."^[23]

The series' first season was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Accolades

The series has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards.