TV Jukebox: The week in music on 'Kimmy Schmidt,' 'Togetherness,' more

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Photo: Eric Liebowitz/Netflix

Have you found yourself wondering, “What’s that song?” while watching your favorite TV shows? We’re here to tell you. (Warning for those still catching up on DVR: Spoilers ahead.)

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

The song: Pharrell, “Come Get It Bae”

The episode: “Kimmy Goes Outside!” (101)

The hook: In the premiere episode, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) celebrates her freedom from her doomsday cult and new life in New York by going out dancing. And what could be a better introduction to 2015 than putting on your light-up kicks and grooving to some Pharrell?

Read Jeff Jensen’s review.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

The song: Marvin Gaye, “Got to Give It Up, Part 1”

The episode: “Boyle-Linetti Wedding” (217)

The hook: At the wedding reception for Charles (Joe Lo Truglio) and Gina’s (Chelsea Peretti) parents, Charles is disappointed that the DJ won’t play his playlist and requests “Kokomo.” Marcus (Nick Cannon) shows up uninvited, and Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) admits her love for him. (“That’s all I wanted to say. If you have plans tonight, you can get out of here.”) He returns the sentiment and gives Rosa a sweet kiss.

Black-ish (ABC)

The song: Jagged Edge, “Let’s Get Married”

The episode: “Parental Guidance” (116)

The hook: During the episode’s opening scene, Andre (Anthony Anderson) recounts his wedding to Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross). The two got married young during a hasty ceremony in the hospital where Rainbow worked, and now, Andre explains, he wants to renew their vows in a special way to make up for that “ratchet first wedding.”

Read The Community recap.

The Last Man on Earth (FOX)

The songs: The Kinks, “Apeman”; Buddy Stuart, “Sun Shine On Me”

The episode: “Alive in Tucson” (101)

The hook: Last living human Phil Miller (Will Forte) moves into a new mansion in Arizona chosen at random and decorates it with priceless artworks and historical treasures—like Michael Jordan’s jersey—in a montage scored to the Kinks’ jaunty tune. “Sun Shine on Me” tracked another montage of Miller in a parking lot playing increasingly ludicrous games of bowling, with everything from regular pins to full fishtanks.

Read Ariana Bacle’s recap.

Broad City (Comedy Central)

The songs: Cubby Feat. Tasha The Amazon, “Steady Now (Karman Remix)”; Silvermoney, “Bird On A Wire”

The episode: “Kirk Steele” (208)

The hook: No one does musical montages like Broad City, and this beautiful episode gave us two: the quick-paced, electronic Karman remix of “Steady Now” as the girls returned to Beacon’s Closet to sell some Prada, and the Silvermoney rocker that played through Trey’s (Paul W. Downs) frosted-tipped porno.

Girls (HBO)

The song: Chet Baker, “I Get Along Without You Very Well”

The episode: “Ask Me My Name” (407)

The hook: After a dramatic episode in which Hannah (Lena Dunham) ruins a date with a perfectly wonderful co-worker by bringing him to Mimi-Rose’s (Gillian Jacobs) art show to spite Adam (Adam Driver), Hannah walks home alone to the sound of Baker’s ’50s weeper.

Read Esther Zuckerman’s recap.

Scandal (ABC)

The songs: Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On?”; Nina Simone, “I Shall Be Released”

The episode: “The Lawn Chair” (414)

The hook: On Scandal’s heavy Ferguson redux, Marvin Gaye’s tearful Vietnam ode fit a little too perfectly with the growing unrest over Brandon Parker’s murder at the hands of a young white cop, while Nina Simone’s raspy spiritual spread its balm over the episode’s end.

Read Kat Ward’s recap.

Togetherness (HBO)

The song: Lord Huron, “Lonesome Dreams”

The episode: “Party Time” (107)

The hook: The indie folk band plays as Brett (Mark Duplass) is driving to spend time with his hippie friend Linda (Mary Steenburgen), for which he skips out on the family-day party his wife Michelle (Melanie Lynskey) is hosting.

Read Brandon Nowalk’s recap.

Updated by
Kat Ward
Kat Ward is a former assistant editor at Entertainment Weekly. She left EW in 2015.

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