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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   2622 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for November 28, 2025

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Can anyone explain the appeal of the book/play/film Wicked to me? I really, really don't get it. At all. What's the appeal of this plotline? Everything people say it is about, I don't see. I feel like there's zero work put into explaining why characters do what they do, or why I'm supposed to care about them. I don't identify at all with any of the characters.

I'm not inherently opposed to revisionist versions of stories, or to musicals. I can get caught up in either or both. But I just don't get Wicked. Can anyone help me out here?

((Also, Ariana Grande should not be allowed on screen. That might not be helping.))

I haven't seen the movie, but I have seen the musical. It has great songs, which is over halfway to the goal line if you're a musical. And I think that the arc of Elphaba and Glinda, going from a really awful relationship, to best friends, to having to part ways, is interesting and works well. Otherwise, it's not something amazing (the movie is almost certainly severely overhyped, even if it's good there's no way it's as good as people say it is). It's just a pleasant musical about a more sympathetic take on a villain from a classic story. If you aren't feeling the musical side of things, check out the original cast recording of the stage version and see if you like that more. I think that soundtrack slaps.

I haven't read the book either (it's on the list to be read someday), but from what I understand it's significantly different from the play, to the point that it isn't really relevant to any discussion about the play (and now movie).

Yeah I don't think you have to get more complicated than the fact that the songs are just really good. Like all musicals, plot and character simply aren't the important parts. It's not like bad characters and nonsense plots hurt Grease or Cats. "Defying Gravity" is good enough to justify the rest of the play on Its own.

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