Paula With a Thousand Faces | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Analysis

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If Greg sometimes felt like the alternate protagonist of season one, Paula is the stealth alternate protagonist, and that’s all-too appropriate given that her arc is about emergence and actualization, and a womanhood many people experience and embody. Of the many spotlights shone by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, this one may be the most unexpected, and overdue.

[@witzz92]

"it's hard to know when you're the main character in a friendship but you're painfully aware when you're a supporting character" .Bruh That one hit me big.

[@BeccatheBizarre]

I love the way Rachel looks at Donna Lynne during Maybe This Dream. She looks so proud to be her friend.

[@TheMusicalJourneys]

A thought occurred to me as I watched your brilliant analysis. This show is a friendship love story between two women, Rebecca and Paula. None of the "romantic" relationships are as intense or as beautiful. Well anyway that's how I feel about it.

[@whiskeryfacey]

That being said, the friendship between Paula and Rebecca is not meant to be romantic. It's more of a familial connection. Paula sees Rebecca as her surrogate daughter.

[@sofieregnar]

A lovely analysis of a deep character. For me, personally, Paula is the only character I've seen in pop culture who actually expressed the geeky joy I get from practising law. When she did the mike drop about the discrimination case it hit me on how I've never seen that joy depicted before. In most pop culture lawyer is just a job, something you do to make money (evil lawyer) or to help people (good lawyer) but it's never depicted as something which can on a geeky level excite you. I think it's a two part thing for me. First it's rare to see people in pop culture loving their job, it's mostly just a background or a tool for the story telling. Which is sad, because by not showing people who love their jobs I think it perpetuates the feeling a lot of people have that a job is just a way to make money, not something you should enjoy. Secondly it's the geekiness of law which most people are unaware of. Law is seen as a money-making, high achieving field without much depth, when it is in fact a deep subject which you can really dig yourself into and know so much about. The moment Paula so briefly and perfectly expresses is one when all your knowledge and work pays off with something that isn't clear from the beginning but which you've made work in a waterproof way. For me it is lovely to see a depiction of someone who goes in to law because the tool of law excites her (not the money or the pathos). I guess I'm just trying to say that it made me really happy.

[@veddabredda]

sofieregnar There's a fantastic song in Legally Blonde - The Musical I think you would appreciate, where Elle expresses this excitement.

[@corneliastreet2491]

You are the person who likes to spend four years working on a pharmaceutical company’s merger with another pharmaceutical company, and you are the quiet hero the world needs.

[@freajinboredyysy4331]

this is such a lovely and insightful comment. im gonna rewatch with this in mind and ik that it’ll be so enjoyable to watch this from a new perspective. tysm

[@mallory9486]

This is genius. You know, I never really understood Paula's pov in the Rebecca/Paula relationship until recently. I always sort of sided with Rebecca. Yes, she was self involved and needy but Paula fed that behavior and essentially encouraged it. And I was frustrated by the confrontation at the end of season one because everything Paula had done for Rebecca was ultimately harmful to her- just fueling her delusions. But I've always been the "mom friend" shall we say to a younger friend of mine and recently she has been so full out season one Rebecca. Just constantly coming to be with her problems, which to be fair are a lot more interesting than mine. And I can't resent her for that because I have never once said anything to deter that behavior, if anything I encourage it. Being the "mom friend" means wanting to help, wanting to give advice. So when the time comes that you need some of your own, you don't even know how to ask for it. And you're not sure you want it from that person anyway, because you've established yourself as the "mature" one. Paula's season one arc makes so much more sense to me now that I've kind of experienced a less extreme version of it. It's actually a really common way for female friends to interact and build their structured relationship- so to see it actually explored in television in amazing.

[@justthecoolestdudeyo9446]

I found your point regarding Rebecca initially trying to re-live her childhood relationship with Paula interesting, because the second season heavily implies that her romantic obsessions are about recreating her father's abandonment. Like she's a child spending her adult life trying to create the healthy childhood she never had. Great analysis on Paula! I liked how you emphasized Paula's ability to vilify Rebecca as "snooty big-city lawyer" relied on Paula reducing another human being down to a trope that she can project onto, in order to satisfy her own needs. Paula's realization in the end of the first episode that Rebecca wasn't that trope mirrors not only how Rebecca has to learn that Josh isn't the magical genie of solving her life, as well as the show teaching the audience that the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a complicated person who deserves more than to be "that crazy chick I used to date". The show is so good, and your analysis helps get so much more out of it!

[@vincentlee8787]

I reduced you to a trope based on your username until I read your intelligent, well-written reply. -_-

[@justthecoolestdudeyo9446]

Cool people can right good!! Yes us can, yes us can!

[@TwelvetreeZ]

Paula is one of the best characters precisely because of the reasons outlined here. It's incredibly rare to see a woman her age portrayed with this much depth and nuance, which is depressing but inspirational at the same time. Damn, the whole team on this show is so fucking talented ❤️

[@ieatgremlins]

I love Rebecca so much but when she failed to turn in Paula’s letter of recommendation, I honestly felt so angry, betrayed and disappointed for Paula. I think that says a lot about how well played and written the character is because I definitely find Paula annoying and a little basic sometimes but I still cared for her and wanted her to be happy and in a relationship that was based on reciprocity.

[@karlean7]

Two things. 1) Yeah. Donna Lynne Champlin is stupidly talented. 2) ATTENTION ALL PARENTS AND FUTURE PARENTS. THE POINT MADE AT THE 10:43 CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH. The idea of the healthiest parenting job being a collaboration between a parent (who is older and more knowledgeable in general) and a child (who knows more than anyone how they are feeling on the inside and the lived-in experience of their life) rings true with me SO MUCH that I had to stop the video partway through to write this comment. Bad parenting is, for various reasons, one of my BIGGEST pet peeves, and embracing this idea of parenting as a joint effort, not just between adults on behalf of their children, but between adults AND their children, is capital I Important. SO MUCH in the world would be better if we all understood that.

[@moonlily1]

A thousand is also the approximate number of necklaces Paula owns.

[@lettucelive]

I haven't even finished watching this yet but: beautiful. amazing. spectacular. totally original. brilliant.

[@murnshaw]

What if Paula's role in the first season is to provide contrast to Naomi's parenting method? A subtle commentary is revealed by how Rebecca's relationship with Naomi changes as season 1 progresses. There's a narrative of how Paula, as Bizzaro Naomi, attempts to empower Rebecca to achieve her goal in more and more extreme ways until Paula becomes a puppetmaster of Rebecca's life. Rebecca spends a lot of season one lamenting her mother's combative parenting style only to realize that Paula's supportive parenting style is just as bad. There is an appreciation for Naomi that develops from this realization even as Becs continues to screech at every single embarrassing thing her mother does. In season two, Paula's role changes to a b plot protagonist, until she once again turns into a mother figure for Rebecca's wedding. That b plot conflict between Becs and Paula does not sit well with me though; I can't imagine two people being this close and also this petty unless they are both super immature, and Paula has been established as fairly mature; She is definitely more mature than Becs.

[@MusicMeg2012]

Get you somebody that looks at you like Rachel looks at Donna in that ending clip.

[@thediscostu4127]

After the first episode, I thought I had Paula all figured out. She was the replacement mother figure who was going to rubber stamp all of Rebecca's crazy choices because Paula was living the uptight mother life she was forced to choose and Paula was dreaming of a life where things could have gone differently and she was living vicariously through Rebecca, and Rebecca putting Paula in that role in her life was going to lead to something terrible and this was going to be bad for both of them. And maybe that is sort of true. But Paula is way way way way much more than just that.

[@Aashnamusic]

YES FINALLY A PAULA ANALYSIS do you think we can get a Heather or Darryl one soon?

[@lesliesamonte2213]

Aashna Gupta or the other supporting casts like Maya, Karen and White Josh and those two other male coworkers... you know like in one big video analysis...

[@Aashnamusic]

yeah! and a josh analysis would be great too. about how all the episode's names are about him, even if the episode is mostly not about him. and he's the romantic lead but initially we only see him through rebecca's idolising eyes, and he seems one dimensional but he reveals more layers later on...

[@KaijaSchmauss]

I'd love to see one on Darryl and sexuality! That could be a really interesting topic.

[@Aylali]

Great analysis, I loved it, just one thing. :) I had a hard time focusing on what YOU were saying, because I was listening to Donna Lynne singing in the background

[@girlpower8900]

same

[@mikeduplessis6315]

The season 2 recap you touched on 'Josh as villain' but here you avoid the notion of 'Paula as villain'. In the premiere Rebecca realizes at the party that she is acting crazy but Paula yanks her back into her delusional state. Episode 2 Paula advises R. to 'befriend the enemy' Valencia, something which Paula herself had just done towards Rebecca. Throughout season 1 Paula plays Iago to Rebecca's Othello, repeatedly steering her into oncoming traffic, a kind of 'Munchausen syndrome by proxy' where the caregiver exacerbates the patient's problems to feed their own psychosis. Paula basically *brainwashes* Rebecca into believing she's in love with Josh. Season 2 can be described as Paula the 'reformed villain' which she herself recognizes. Which brings us to season 3. Are we going to see the malevolent Paula/Iago character reemerge?

[@Brenda-uf8pk]

This show has been healing for my own childhood trauma with my mom. ❤️ when she justifies her over critical nature and verbal abuse so as to make her stronger or have thicker skin is something I have to unravel in my own life

[@Ch50304]

Yes, and it didn't. It was horrifying.

[@rachelmcmanus354]

I'm in love with your thought process. That's a new feeling for me haha great analysis! Paula is one of the realist characters in the show and this does her justice.

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

Thanks for watching!

[@Potato-uh9gv]

I just love how complex all of the characters on this show are. In the beginning it feels kind of like everyone is a caricature, but as the story progresses you realize things are way more complex than they appear on the surface. This show is so underrated.

[@RossaGoGo]

You are doing an incredible job, thank you so much! Representation in media is related to confirmation, that's why this show is so important.

[@inliatshead9478]

Spot on analysis. Wanted to add, though, that I think Paula’s character is crucial in undermining stereotypes regarding people with mental illnesses. Whereas Rebecca embodies the “crazy one” with a capital C, Paula’s character shows that even “normal” is not exactly normal, if you will. Specifically, I have in mind the episode with the party(‘I Hope Josh Comes to my Party’?), where Rebecca says something along the lines of “I’m not normal. My dad walked out on me during my party”, and Paula says: “Do you think I’m normal? My husband sings in a barbershop quartet?”(which to me, sounds like the sadder situation of the two). This exchange reduces the notion of ‘normalcy’ to its’ clinical definition: someone who is well adapted. And, as can be imagined, this is not always a good thing, as being adapted, or comfortable with, certain negative phenomena, is not always desirable. In this manner, I believe Paula’s character undermines the Rebecca’s abnormality(anxiety and depression), by showing that, to a certain extent, nobody is ‘normal’(you can also see this when she admits she is obsessed with Rebecca’s life). P.S. Would also love to see an analysis on Karen’s character…lol. Is she purely there for comedic relief or is there more to her?

[@mu7asaba]

Finally one about Paula!!😍😍😍😍

[@johnny-vu6rl]

YES! I've been waiting for a Paula analysis.

[@Noelciaaa]

I just wanted to say seeing a new video by you always makes my day. Thank you so much

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

Thank you for watching!

[@qmechanic]

Wow, I loved this video. This is my favorite out of the character-focused videos you've done up to now. Well-organized thoughtful analysis and captions, too! Well done!

[@annemariestrehl]

A fantastic analysis as always. I love how well you portray and research the topics, development and conflicts in this series. Keep up the good work! I can't wait for the next video.

[@vincentlee8787]

This is so good. I'm glad the show creators have been watching these videos, they deserve it. I love how you make the connections between the character arcs in the show and their application to society in general. You did it with the Nathaniel video and that was a revelation for me. You also hit on a great point -- the show's subtle use of normalization for a positive end. (Which, again, you sharply analyzed about Rebecca's eccentricities in another video.) As always, you do the deepest, smartest commentary I've heard or read on this show. Your video essays are like the Talmud of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for me. I wish these could be included in the series DVDs / Blu-Rays. How cool would that be?

[@hcmoss94]

Your take on this series has been so profound and your voice is so calming. Dynamic Duo! I give it a 13/10

[@nathanclift9519]

I love your video essays on this show! It's helped me so much in understanding the inner psychology of the show.

[@b1con411]

UGH your videos are all so good!!!

[@thesylphwind6816]

Does she get all the emmy's?!? Seriously every time she gets to the last line of the song "like I deserve a dream" I tear up.

[@moviesaredope]

"adults are very much children at heart & only the brave among are willing to admit that" dude! If you were one of my friends I'd immediately tell you "I love you, bro" & give you a big old bear hug. That is a GREAT insight (and should be a very very wordy t-shirt)

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

haha thanks!

[@moviesaredope]

@@BagelsAfterMidnight thank you for putting so much hard work into making such a lovely series of amazing videos 😊

[@brimstoneclub]

I hope you analyze the minor male characters like Hector and Scott. Scott should get one, after all, we get glimpses of Paula mostly through him. He cheats on her, though the reaction isn't nearly as cut and dry as we thinknit should be.

[@RDWheat]

I rewatch this analysis as often as I rewatch the show

[@medschoolgirl3198]

Amazing analysis!!!! thought provoking, loved it :)

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

Thanks for watching!

[@ouareaugirl]

great video! insightful without being corny

[@jionvicente8548]

This was an amazing analysis I thoroughly enjoyed it!! Your channel and this video deserves infinitely more views than it has right now >:)!! Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is one of my favorite shows of all time and Paula is such an interesting characterrrrrr aaaaaaaa

[@nasentehstrange]

I am in love with this Channel.

[@lev1555]

Something I really liked about Paula's developpment was her relationship with Scott. She starts in this situation many middle aged women live, in a family she kind of stopped caring or hoping for (as when Brendan calls her about stabbing his brother and Paula says "figure it out", or when she says her best hope about her kids is that they join a good gang). Paula and her family don't live together to properly say, they just live each on their own in the same space, like during Thanksgiving when she is eating with them but only focused on her phone. We could say the passion and love that drove her to marry Scott and start a family with him has faded. And I was expecting quite the regular thing, especially when she met Calvin, that her evolution would be through leaving this family that doesn't fulfill her to start a new passionate fantasy romance, but what they did was obviously better, showing that relationships need to be renewed to keep working on long time and that even when they have faded to the point of numbness, communication can happen and save the day. In the end she did start a new passionate romance, just with the man she already married. Through time and life events, we all as humans change, so our relationships will change too. For a couple like Paula and Scott, who seemingly got married in their early adult years and are still together some 20 years afterwards, they can't expect to maintain for that long the relationship they had when they just fell in love. What matter is that as we change, we adapt the relationship to the new people we are becoming.

[@ThatVeryArtGal]

Incredible analysis. I really enjoyed it.

[@magma4168]

Paula is also the smartest character in this series and I will die on this hill.

[@LizOzone]

Would love to see part 2 of this about the 3rd and 4th seasons

[@moviesaredope]

"invisible obstacles" I know have the topic for my next therapy session 😊

[@alexpopinga2997]

Love your Crazy Ex-Gf analyses!

[@cecilia____2184]

I'm on my period and this just made me feel good,great video

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

Thank you!

[@cecilia____2184]

Bagels After Midnight You should do even if just a quick review about the banning of Period Sex from Tv

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

I'll think about it!

[@indi_blue31]

My favorite show hands down I’m so happy they have it on Netflix. I’ve rewatched the whole series about 8 or 9 times no exaggeration lol

[@springonion8124]

how don't you have more subscribers?

[@lesliesamonte2213]

i would love to see you do Broad City... that show also has *interesting* characters... 😄

[@Fairygoblet]

I think it was a little unfair of Paula to say that she shouldn't have to ask for Rebecca's help when she needs something, that she should just do it. Rebecca is not psychic. You need to communicate clearly what you want and need.she tried several times to be there for Paula, but it was always at the wrong time or in the wrong way or straight up rejected by Paula even though it might have been a good idea to accept it. Not saying that Rebecca was faultless in the breakdown of their relationship, just saying that Paula had an unhealthy way of getting her needs filled through Rebecca, and so it's a little bit hypocritical to say that.

[@windwaker407]

Exactly, Paula had a bad habit of internalizing her problems even if Rebecca could tell something was wrong and tried to be there for her, only to turn around and act like Rebecca should have known everything she needed without Paula ever needing to open up. Rebecca is not faultless but Paula should have tried to sit down and talk with her at some point or another. Not to mention it felt like Paula just began to dismiss Rebecca to reaffirm this viewpoint that Rebecca has a selfish, one-sided view on friendship. Rebecca says 'I tried to ask what was going on', Paula responds 'okay but you didn't actually mean it'. Rebecca says 'I don't want you to be left out', Paula responds 'no, you just wanted to alleviate your guilt for abandoning us'. Paula has some comeback to dismiss anything Rebecca actually tries to do for her so the notion that Rebecca doesn't actually care can't be challenged. Paula is just as responsible for making their friendship so one-sided by not letting Rebecca give back, even when she tries. And this all after an entire season of Paula forcing their friendship to all be about Rebecca's drama, even when Rebecca tried to make healthier choices, which is why she gets called out for Darryl with the realization that she has spent months telling Rebecca what to do, puppeteering her entire life in west covina, and rejected rebecca whenever she tried to make their friendship about anything but josh. There was a brief moment where Paula lets herself have fun baking pies with Rebecca, but that hope spot is immediately dashed when Paula cuts off Rebecca completely for not telling her about sex that wasn't even her business because she is still obsessed with Rebecca getting with Josh and was not willing to let their friendship move past that until season 2

[@Samtember]

WAIT PETRA WAS IN THIS SHOW ?

[@Mageneated]

@18:00 you say title 12, but the image you show says title 7... is this a mistake?

[@Mageneated]

Like, even the captions say VII, and I thought that was 7

[@BagelsAfterMidnight]

Looks like a mistake

[@toddbeaton1512]

my crazy ex girlfriend is so amazing

[@trey.is.my.manseays2929]

Cazy. Ex. Grilfriend. Waz. So. Funny. Im. A. Big. Fan. Of. This. Show. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[@lola1987fudgeyouu]

The worst character...utterly boring

[@beckhampang191]

ladybugmerringue what

[@frt3329]

What 😃

[@Waveeee1004]

Did you not watch the video?

[@au8438]

Hilarious

[@Grokford]

You can say that women’s issues aren’t prioritized enough but in what world are men’s issues a priority⸮ I don’t see the workplace death and education gap being discussed or conscription being the hot topic of the election.

[@blairrussell4]

Men's issues are still prioritized just not those men's issues, something like conscription is not even a modern issue so it's not surprising it's not addressed.

[@Grokford]

@@blairrussell4 For now, but what male-specific political issue is at the forefront of social and political consciousness?