Wicked For Good Reviewed

Defying gravity is easy. Living with the aftermath is the hard part. We sat down after a packed Friday screening of Wicked For Good to trade notes on what soared, what sagged, and why the second act chooses substance over spectacle. From the first quiet frames to that cheeky final shot, the film wears its love for musical theatre on its sleeve—smart foreshadowing, respectful echoes of the stage, and a visual language that rewards a careful eye.

We dig into the choices that matter: the deliberate pacing that lets propaganda and power take centre stage, the richer world-building around the animals and the Yellow Brick Road, and the way Glinda steps into the light as more than a sparkly foil. No Good Deed is our unanimous showstopper—Cynthia Erivo’s delivery thunders with purpose—while the two new songs split the room. Glinda’s The Girl in the Bubble is lovely but optional; Elphaba’s No Place Like Home never quite integrates with Schwartz’s gold-standard writing. If any character deserved fresh music, we argue it was Nessa, whose arc needed sharper edges and clearer stakes.

We also talk tenderness: Elphaba and Fiyero’s intimacy rendered with restraint, the doorframe farewell that aches without tipping into melodrama, and the Wizard’s late realisation that lands like a confession. Morrible’s manipulations feel uncomfortably current, and the film is at its best when it shows how crowds choose the story they prefer. Throughout, the cinematography nods to Oz lore without winking too hard, and the final image pays a subtle, satisfying tribute to the original poster that musical fans will clock in a heartbeat.

If you love musicals, there’s plenty to admire: craft, care, and a sincere respect for the stage. If you wanted wall-to-wall bangers, Part Two asks for patience—and pays it off with character, consequence, and a duet that still makes the room hold its breath. Loved it? Hated the new songs? Tell us your standout moment, then follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who sings show tunes in the car.

End of MLL

Chapters

• 0:50 Setting The Scene And Spoiler Alert
• 5:45 Why Watch Part Two On Its Own
• 10:15 Cinematic Nods To Oz And Staging
• 16:05 Anticipating No Good Deed
• 19:00 Pacing Highs And First-Act Lulls
• 23:45 Propaganda, Animals, And World-Building
• 28:55 Glinda’s Arc And Friendship Depth
• 34:35 New Songs: Do They Work
• 42:10 Nessa’s Missed Moment And Stakes

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:25

Hello and welcome to Musical Lyrical Lingo.

SPEAKER_02: 0:28

We're your hosts Tim and LJ today. And every week we will be discussing musicals, but specifically what they taught us.

SPEAKER_01: 0:34

And today we're discussing something very special in particular.

SPEAKER_02: 0:40

We are. We're reviewing Wicked Forged.

SPEAKER_01: 0:43

We're reviewing the situation that we found ourselves in last night. Yeah, we didn't hang around this year, did we? Like we were in there.

SPEAKER_02: 0:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 0:52

And we weren't sitting in the front row like we were last year.

SPEAKER_02: 0:54

No, we weren't sitting in the front row. And we got a decent time. We didn't do the half-tell as well.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00

I totally forgot that we were so late in viewing it in the evening, I mean. We were quite early in the reading.

SPEAKER_02: 1:08

It was still the Friday night. But we had just because I think there was only like half-five showing or like an eight o'clock or something at a nine o'clock. And I think whatever had happened, we couldn't do the half-five. So that's going on.

SPEAKER_01: 1:25

Well, I think when we went to book, it was already filled, wasn't it? We even mentioned it last last night. Like they have they've caught on to it. So like last night, like every screen screen was showing it. Yeah. And I was like, hmm, interesting. Last year we you there was only two time slots that you could choose from. Yeah, they've learned. The popularity was undeniable. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:47

Which is weird to see for a big musical.

SPEAKER_01: 1:49

I know. It's crazy that it's been a year though. Like I can't, I don't know. It doesn't feel like I've waited for a year to see part two.

SPEAKER_02: 2:00

Yeah, and that is true. Because we we were given off, like, well, I really was given off with me, but I was like, why are we waiting here? Like, musical theater box will be able to do it. It could have just been a break. It didn't need to take the full year, but actually, to a lot, it was fine. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 2:15

And we also said last night, because we know of some people who are like doing so some scre some cinemas were showing uh the first film and then Wicked for Good, like back to back, and we were kind of going, even us hardcore musical theatre fans, like I don't we weren't sure we'd be up to that. We could we could sustain it.

SPEAKER_02: 2:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 2:39

Does that mean we're faux pas musical theatre fans?

SPEAKER_02: 2:41

No, definitely not.

SPEAKER_01: 2:43

They're just so big and they're f so full-on, like I think it would be difficult.

SPEAKER_02: 2:49

For the I think we agreed on this, like for to watch Forgood for the first time, I just wanted to watch it as a separate identity. Yes. And then obviously we know it's a second part and it's like the second half of the musical.

SPEAKER_04: 3:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 3:03

But I just wanted to see it.

SPEAKER_04: 3:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_02: 3:06

And then now my myself in my comfort of my home or whatever, I can put the two together.

SPEAKER_01: 3:12

Yeah. And I think there's a there's an importance of doing that because there were clever wee, like Easter eggs is the wrong word, but there were clever wee plot points that if you know it, fine, you know that know the musical, then fine. You'll you'll pick up on those. But we were there last night with someone who hasn't seen the musical, went to the first, went to the first film, and like surprisingly really loved it, and was looking forward to the second one. So I was kind of watching him to like see what his reaction would be to those moments in the plot and the cleverness of of it all. And I think you needed to be fresh in the first film to uh fully appreciate all of them because there's like so many of them, like some, like he's a very clever guy, but some of them because it was a year ago. Yes, and we we had planned to watch the first one, and life's just so chaotic and busy that we didn't fit it in. Um, but I think some of the clever, the clever plot, you know, strings you kind of need the first one to be really fresh in your mind to fully appreciate now. Musical theatre fans will probably pick up on most of them.

SPEAKER_02: 4:38

Well, they probably already need them. Yeah. So they that's different because you know them, so you're looking out for them from what I thought. And we're not like if you haven't seen it yet, just skip on, right? Because we can't really hold anything back.

SPEAKER_01: 4:51

So we now need to make the disclaimer of we're gonna now talk about Wicked for Good part two. If you haven't seen it, pause it now. Yeah, go watch it, go see it, and then listen to the rest of this episode because we obviously are now gonna delve into it. Um, okay, goodbye. Enjoy.

SPEAKER_02: 5:12

But don't forget to come back. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 5:14

Are they gone?

SPEAKER_02: 5:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 5:17

Welcome back.

SPEAKER_04: 5:20

Hope you have fun.

SPEAKER_01: 5:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 5:23

Yeah. So what I want first of all to say is I think that you can really tell that John M2 is a fan of musical theatre.

SPEAKER_03: 5:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 5:32

And he was very clever in his cinematography, just following on from what you said. So, yes, if you hadn't watched the first film, I think he said this like last year, watch how every character is introduced, and then that will give you a hint as to who they may or may not become. So, whenever we're referring to just a book, he it is standing like the Tin Man. And the first time we see him, I'm sorry, one of the next times we see him, not the first time, in uh For Good, he lifts up an axe, and that's before he's been turned into the Tin Man. Yeah, and they see him with the Scarecrow, it's always shot of Jonathan, well, Jonathan Bailey, my boyfriend, speech, and how they move. I mean that's almost a homage to how the actor played it in Wizard of Oz.

SPEAKER_04: 6:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 6:24

And how he like, you know, Scarecrow has no bones and all of that. Um, so I do want to say that I do think that John Emte was the correct director for it that he portrayed the musical three film ring.

SPEAKER_01: 6:36

Yeah. I also appreciate his handling of obviously the Wizard of Oz elements of the Wicked story. Do you know what I mean? Like there are there are nods to the original Wizard of Oz film, you know, in the set, you know, the costuming and the style, even the lettering of Wicked that comes up, it's all it's a beautiful nod to the you know, the original story. Yeah, no, I totally agree. What were you like going into it most looking forward to?

SPEAKER_02: 7:19

I was most looking forward to like hearing no good deed. That was what I really wanted. So that was number one. I wanted to see hear that and see how that would have been portrayed on film because I find that really powerful in the musical. Yeah, but I was looking forward to seeing how they did the second half because we talked about this whenever we we spoke about wicked. The first half is so heavy and so filled with information and bombarded, and it just feels a lot, but sometimes the second act can feel a little flat. Yeah, so I was interested to see how they would make this on a two-hour movie, yeah. And would they go into different storylines a little bit more? So I was kind of just interested in that. What about you?

SPEAKER_01: 8:10

So, two things that you've said there. I was the same for no good deed, and it did not disappoint. Like, no good deed in part two is the defying gravity of part one. It was blockbuster, phenomenal. In like I got absolute chills. I want it was the one minute moment in the the film I wanted to stand to my feet and give it a round of applause because Cynthia like sang the life out of it. There were a few choices that were like we looked at each other and we went, okay. Yeah, we like, we we agree, yeah, approve, yeah, can get another word. Um and then how it looked was like cinematically epic. So tick, tick, tick, absolutely loved no good deed. It was my highlight of part two. What you're saying about you know, the second half of the musicals are always a bit flatter. I still felt that in part two of the film. So, not saying I didn't enjoy it, I absolutely did enjoy it, but there was lulls in part two that I didn't feel in part one, and part one was so epic. Now, I also don't know if I feel this way because we have had part one and we know how brilliant, in our opinion, it was and how much we enjoyed it. That the hype and what I was expecting or looking forward to in part two, it maybe didn't quite. I think I went in with too high of an expectation. Now, there were parts of it that were fantastic, but there was lulls, I thought. Particularly it took for me, it took a while to warm up. I found the beginning of it a wee bit like, okay, when are we gonna like hit the ground running here? Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And I actually can't remember when it was that actually it then it was injected with something.

SPEAKER_02: 10:13

I think for me it it did give you a little bit of excitement and then it dipped, and I think it was that day because the excitement came where the the animals are being used to build the alabric. And that was all exciting because you kind of think to see a bit of which you don't see in the musical, what has alphabet been doing between like in the intermission. What has been happening?

SPEAKER_01: 10:36

And if ever, like me, you've wondered for years and years and years and years, right? From the the origins of the Wizard of Oz, how did they build the Yellow Brick Road? Now you know. No, I you know, now you know and fascinating, right?

SPEAKER_02: 10:49

And that was But it was great, that was a great thing, but then from there it was like and it was a little bit a bit lower. And I loved that there was more interaction between Alphabet and Glenda in the second half than there is in the musical because we really only see them together in whenever they've said goodbye to Dorothy, yeah, and their relationship becomes so much more complex in the second part. But I then also thought that that made it a little bit slower because you were developing that not development. Which is fair, but yeah, so you were you were seeing more, there wasn't like as many I don't know, was it stakes or something the right way? I don't mean it, I just was like, oh, they see each other, they're seeing each other quite a lot. Like this isn't a big day just to see each other when Nessa has passed, you know. Yeah, I and and but then for me, that's what made that film was Glinda's arc, was Glenda's you got to see more of Glinda in the second half. Yeah. We've always said Glinda is the ballot, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:57

Yeah, her arc was good because at one point I had a whisper in my ear, like, what are you supposed to think of Glinda? Is she like, do we like her? Yeah. And I was like, Yes, yes, this is what should be happening. So yeah, I did, and I did appreciate taking the time to develop the interest.

SPEAKER_02: 12:19

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're so close to that word there, but I can say interest cities, no.

SPEAKER_01: 12:27

The depths of their relationship with each other. I also appreciated that the musical doesn't do enough, and it's it is the one of the most important points to the story that you get hit dribbles of in the musical, but the whole propaganda that was going on, the whole story that was being spun, yeah, um, and the the she the sheer evilness coming from Madame Borbel and to a certain extent the wizard. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And that like you you kind of get it. After a couple of goes at the musical, to be honest, like that didn't jump out at me. And you know, the treatment of the animals, like the the depths that that went to. You don't get that in the musical unless you you've seen it a couple of times and you start putting A and B together. Whereas here you they they took the time to do it.

SPEAKER_04: 13:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:27

Now, did that add to the lull? Maybe I don't, but it it's important. Do you know what it is important?

SPEAKER_02: 13:33

It was important, and it was it, I think it definitely showed that Madame Warriable was the more wicked of the characters than any of them. So I do I did appreciate that time spent. I really loved how they did wonderful. I thought how the three of them sang that song or interacted by that song. Yeah, I think it developed it more.

SPEAKER_01: 13:54

And and it it it it made him develop his character as as as a cat, do you know what I mean? As a showman and you know, um a magician. How people can fall for the trick.

SPEAKER_02: 14:07

For the tricks, for the tricks, yeah, and you know, and and sometimes you know, people that you know admit to that and be like, listen, I just presented this and they chose to like it. It's not my fault. Do you know? It kind of just showed himself. I didn't really sell out to trick anybody, they just believed what they wanted to believe. Yeah, so I I did, I did really like that. What I really struggled with was there was also two new songs.

SPEAKER_01: 14:31

I'm glad we're getting on to the songs.

SPEAKER_02: 14:34

And I struggled with no place like them.

SPEAKER_01: 14:38

So, in my opinion, I don't really know what the new songs added to the film.

SPEAKER_03: 14:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 14:48

I don't know if we needed them. And I also don't think they were of the standard of the rest of the songs that are already in Wicked. Do you know? So if you're gonna throw in a new song, I'm trying to think of a good example of like a musical that's done that where they've like put in a new I do like the new song in Wizard of Oz that they give the witch. Yeah, so yeah, yeah, the b uh uh b blue suedes shoes or something like that. Yeah, because it it it adds to the pace. Um, but I didn't feel either songs were good enough to be plunked in. I agree with what what's the one that Alphabet sings?

SPEAKER_03: 15:29

No case.

SPEAKER_01: 15:30

I just didn't get it. It did it felt jar like jarring, almost like it didn't flow as a song. Now, the one that Ariana Grande sang as Glinda is a beautiful song, like it was a beautiful song, yeah, but it didn't drive anything forward, it just added to the time of the of the film. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02: 15:49

I think it was if I had to choose one, I would choose The Girl in the Bubble. Yeah, it's a beautiful song compared to No Place Like Home because I felt like actually we did learn a way bit more about Glinda, and that kind of was the start of her. I'm gonna really try and do good. I want to be good and I I gotta try.

SPEAKER_01: 16:07

So do you think they needed to put that song in to tell that message though?

SPEAKER_02: 16:12

No, I don't think they needed. I don't I don't think it was needed, but I think if they were gonna add in a new song, yeah, yeah, that one that was I don't know, I don't know whether or not really Cynthia just didn't connect with it or something.

SPEAKER_01: 16:23

I just was like, I just I didn't think it was a well-constructed song.

SPEAKER_02: 16:26

No, I just was like, I just I don't love it. I also thought it was too long. They could it could have been really short, it could have been just like a verse or something, and that maybe would have been it up and like understanding her reason why she stays.

SPEAKER_01: 16:40

Yeah, I know, I know. And then like and then my other issue was for me, I didn't feel they they were needed for the plot. It's exciting. Like, if as a musical theatre fan, it is exciting. Oh, there's a new song, there's gonna be a new song, there's gonna be new material. Like that is exciting, but to give new material to the two main characters who already have ample opportunity and like plenty of fan, like the Stephen Swartz music in Wicked is some of the best musical theatre like composing ever, in my opinion. You know, they they have plenty of songs, and then I don't know, I did I read it or did I pick it up somewhere? At one point was there talk of Nessa having a song, right?

SPEAKER_02: 17:32

This was uh we that was definitely in interviews where even Cynthia and all was like, if you think she's great now, wait until the second part. And I was like, Yeah, I was like, she didn't do anything different. To me, she wasn't wicked enough because you're meant like the lunch guns are meant to be terrified of her and really celebrate the fact that she arrested. But to me, I only seen the fear in one lunchkin and a family that was kicked off the train.

SPEAKER_01: 18:03

I think that part was really rushed through. Yeah, I do, and I think there was opportunity there because she wanted you needed to hate her because also at the end of the day, Elf of Bit in the end turns her back on her own sister. Yeah, do you know what I mean? She walks away from her, yeah. Um I I think they missed a trick there. I think give her a song, yes, which g brings out uh her wickedness.

SPEAKER_02: 18:32

Yeah, I think that was definitely needed.

SPEAKER_01: 18:35

Yeah, and I thought that's where the new song was gonna come, and I was like, that's a great idea because Nessa doesn't have that moment, even in the musical, she doesn't have that moment to now. I think her switch to being wicked and the action she takes in order to hold on to Buck in the musical is great, and that scene in the musical is horrendo is horrifying when she does what she does to Buck.

SPEAKER_02: 19:02

I didn't feel like it okay with us, and then because obviously it was originally Nessa that that causes Buck's heart to shrink, yeah, but then it's Alphabet that turns him in, which there wasn't enough. If she had a song about talking about how she's wicked and she was gonna do things for her because she felt like things weren't, she didn't get enough because of how she was doing it and all of that, then and how people sing her, then she could have really played on that, but I didn't do this to you. Alphabet did that, and that would have made where the Tin Man sings. She she made me like this, and more where I just felt like she went, It wasn't me, it was Alphabet. And then he was like, Oh, I'm no, you don't like Alphabet. But I was like, Ah, I need more, I really need more. Yeah, I did like how they because obviously in the musical I think there's only ever been one person who's actually in a wheelchair, so anybody has been able to stand up and walk with the shoes, yes, rather than the film they had her just floating, yeah, and that was nice. I I I liked that, but yeah, I felt like a song should have been given. She should have had more of a wicked character arc, and we should have been able to see that actually Alphaba was like, You're too much for me, I need to remove myself from what you have become.

SPEAKER_01: 20:17

Yeah, because it made Alphabet look bad, actually. She was like, I I can't anymore, and she just walks off and she she leaves her sister. Do you know what I mean? Yes, whereas yeah, Nessa needed to be more twisted. Yes, you needed we needed to see, we needed to see that that switch and that like a revenge song would have really helped that. And I thought that's where the new material was gonna come from, which would have added to it, which yeah, yeah, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_02: 20:47

I just thought I can see, like you said, it was rushed, but anything, you know, he wanted to leave, so then she decided all munchkins can go, but that definitely needed to be built up.

SPEAKER_01: 20:56

Yeah, all they were all free and almost needed to see like a collage of like they did with the animals, what was happening with the animals peppered through. They needed, we needed to see, like, you know, the guards evicting the munchkins from their homes, and like, you know, we needed to see like something like that that could have even been done over her new song. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, but John should have given us a ring.

SPEAKER_02: 21:25

I think then that would have made the munchkins why they believed every word of Glenda as well. That would have added to the propaganda. And look, the wicked witch was her sister. Yeah. So if she's evil, then she has to be evil. I just think that that needed to be developed for. So you know, uh that's one small, small criticism. Still, it really bothered me that you know Madame Marble can sing.

SPEAKER_00: 21:49

You were so fully, like you just give me the eye every time she opened her mouth.

SPEAKER_02: 21:53

She could have just spoke, like dramatically spoke things like she didn't need to sing them because to me, I was like, oh, it's really jarring. There's only one part. I thought Ariana was fantastic. I actually think Ariana was better than Cynthia in the second one.

SPEAKER_01: 22:05

Well, I think she was showcased more, wasn't she?

SPEAKER_02: 22:08

I think that she definitely was amazing.

SPEAKER_01: 22:10

And I think the story does showcase her more anyway, because there's an element of Alphaba goes off into hiding. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02: 22:19

But there was only one part, and it was just after Pierre, after the line of their engagement, Vierra goes off, and she sings, and she was singing in that Ariana style, and that was the only moment that I felt she for me, she wasn't in character too. She was Ariana, nothing. She was Ariana and she wasn't Glinda. And there was only like maybe there were four lines, and that was it. But everything else, I was like, she is so good, and she has created that that role. It's a completely different Glinda, completely different Glenda to what you see on stage.

SPEAKER_00: 22:51

Her outfits were wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_02: 22:55

I love that little pink thing. She had over a red and dress on your face. So cute completely changed that white dress. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 23:04

I mean, the fact that they were physical sets, like it just looked lush and beautiful, like, and the costumes were incredible as well. Um, the uh one of the other questions I had was the time stamp I thought was a wee bit unclear.

SPEAKER_03: 23:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 23:26

Like how I think we needed something at the beginning to show the passage of time, like how how much time has passed since Defiant Gravity when Alphabet flew off, you know, and time has passed. Do you know what I mean? A lot has happened in that time. Ness has become governor. Um, you know, the yellow bick road is near nearing completion. Glinda is in the role, she's now in Fierro, it has become, you know, so we needed something. Because that I think for people who had didn't know the story, that is confusing.

SPEAKER_02: 24:04

I think it's confusing, and I think that if you knew if you know the musical Yosh, that I think just one line, yeah, like you know, she's been tormenting us for three years or being tormenting. Because you've noticed that they didn't say I'll be back in a moment or back in a minute, they say I'll be back in a clock. So whether they, you know, even just needed to say, like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01: 24:23

The element of time isn't there, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 24:26

Yeah, but you could tell from the amount that are being built in the elevator growth, the fact that there was a whole army are being built up and stuff now. Yeah, like you knew the time, but I think they did just maybe need like a three clock ticks of pets since you know, like she started tormenting us, and she's never going she's never going to stop, you know. Something like that maybe would have helped people, but yeah, brand new to this whole this whole world. What about Piero and Alphabet? As long as you're right. What did you think about it?

SPEAKER_00: 25:00

I really liked it.

SPEAKER_02: 25:01

I really liked it.

SPEAKER_00: 25:02

I really liked it.

SPEAKER_02: 25:09

I don't know. I really felt Cynthia held back a little bit in some things to me.

SPEAKER_01: 25:13

That was just But was that so how I read it was it wasn't that she didn't love him, it was that for the first time somebody loved her.

SPEAKER_04: 25:24

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 25:25

So there was there was almost like a childlike quality to her, and the fact that somebody was holding her, like it was it uh that's how I read it, because I thought that was quite beautiful. I was like, oh, she's so she's so t like the tenderest that you had seen Alphabet at any point, you know, because she always had to have a front, and she always like, and I thought for the first time, even going back to costume, that kind of like wee ruggy type throw thing she put on, like wrapping herself up and you know, put in protection, like and then it came off the shoulder and she opened up and no, I thought it was it was lovely. I did think the line though, I don't know whether it was the delivery of it or but the most iconic line for the first time, I feel wicked, it just it didn't land for me like it was a bit corny.

SPEAKER_02: 26:25

I thought yes, I turned around and said that line my daughter because obviously it's the most famous line we have to say. Yeah, she was like, Well, what are you saying? I was like, it's gone, it's that thing, but yes, I felt like more could have been done because I think there's that lovely music that is played, uh, she says that in the musical, and you really feel that like buildup. But I did like that, you know, that is such an iconic scene where they're on their knees, a bit like her Valdean's colero. Do you know what I mean? Like that is, and they did that, and they did that.

SPEAKER_01: 26:57

But like her flying him up in an embrace before that, and then lowering down into onto your knees into that position. Like I was like, Oh, that was wow, that's that was lovely.

SPEAKER_02: 27:10

And do you know what? There was loads that they did like that. Like when I was saying drunk, you know, he clearly is a fan of the musical, was really respectful to that. That bit at the end, whenever Fiero holds his hand out to Alphabet, that's an iconic scene in the musical as well, you know, and they did that. And I love, I loved like all of that. But yeah, I just for me, I was like, yeah, I was like, he's he's he's really great in this, but that could also be like Cynthia, that was his only song in part two. So she maybe had called back a wee bit just to let him shine a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01: 27:42

But like, oh my goodness, he's Sean. Oh, he is Sean, Sean, Sean, Sean.

SPEAKER_02: 27:48

Yeah, he was great. I really because you really could feel the anger and the angst and everything in between all his decisions.

SPEAKER_01: 27:57

He also still like looked beautiful as a bloody scarecrow. I nearly didn't say it there and went, Oh, it's okay, we've given to steamers, they're all gonna know what happened.

SPEAKER_02: 28:07

Yeah, I know, I know he said that.

SPEAKER_01: 28:10

Yeah, imagine sitting being a flipping scarecrow. Life's not fair.

SPEAKER_02: 28:19

Yeah, that was all so good. Okay, and then the big massive like song that everybody loves, like For Good. Then what did you think of For Good?

SPEAKER_01: 28:29

It was absolutely beautiful. It was, it was in every way, so yeah, it was perfect. Like it sounded, they sang it so beautifully, and I know loads of people are now getting, because it is to be fair, getting a bit tiresome, like all these interviews and the lovey dovey, like you know, them being all over each other and fixing each other's necklaces and all the rest of it. It's a bit much, but but I do think it's legit because I do think in the process of making this film, they have become the bond. Yes, has has developed naturally, and I think the way they feel as characters, they feel about each other, and I do think there was elements of that came through in their performance, like their eyes, and dare I say the snot, but it just was all so real.

SPEAKER_02: 29:25

Yeah, and none of it seemed forced, none of it. None of it seems to matter anymore.

SPEAKER_01: 29:32

It's like you and me.

SPEAKER_02: 29:33

I know, I know, and you know what? There's I there's so much meaning in that song for me. For me, it's a real older sister, younger sister song, and we've sang it a couple of times. You know, it's an amazing song, it's just is beautiful, but also like lines from that song were sent at my mommy's funeral. So I just find it like really emotional. And last night I just had to hold my daughter's hand, and she was like, I was fine until you held my hand, and I was like, Yeah, and this week, like it was my mommy's birthday this week too. So it was just one of those. I was like, Oh, it's kind of nice just to like feel those emotions. The timing was right, but at no point did I did no emo at no point did it make me cry, it made me celebrate emotions. Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah. Sometimes you cry, and then sometimes you just I didn't cry.

SPEAKER_01: 30:19

Um, the bit that really got me and I I wild up, but I didn't cry. Um Was at the end when they were they kind of said their goodbye, and then the two of them uh stood at other either side of the door was a bit like frozen, yeah, knock knock knock. Do you want to build a snow? But the two of them were on either side of the door and they just held the door, and the two of them like crumbled in like a not over-the-top showy way, but it's that I went, oh my god.

SPEAKER_02: 30:56

The other bit that whole scene was was beautiful.

SPEAKER_01: 30:58

The other bit that was like that too was the very last shot of the movie. Clever, clever, clever, clever. Yeah, and look at musical theatre fans will get it. But think the poster, the wicked poster of the musical and the last shot of the film again. Yeah, John appreciates musical. Yes, 100%. And that was the and that was a beautiful nod to the end.

SPEAKER_02: 31:26

And it was perfect, it was great because even like my kids got excited about that and were like, oh, because they they got it, they knew it, they knew exactly what that little shot just meant.

SPEAKER_01: 31:35

Got it, but in a modern, like it even the styling, the costuming, the hints were there, but it wasn't slap it in your face, it was so subtle and such a beautiful nod.

SPEAKER_02: 31:47

It was, and it was a lovely little like thank you, yeah, you know, thank you to the musical, which obviously came first, so that we were able to do this. I thought I loved how actually it was Glinda riding on on the horse because you remember in the first you see that you see that first scene in the first film, and everybody's like, Oh, it's Fiero running to be with her, and then whenever you realise that she's about to jump on a horse, you're like, Oh, it's her, and that is she had it has to be with her and and see her, and and then they do that. And I thought that that was nice that she goes to Wiki? No, Wookiee, Wookiee, no, Wookie Star Wars. What are they called? What's that castle called? Winky Winky Hassle rather than singing for good, yeah, just after meeting each other when they're on the house.

SPEAKER_01: 32:35

But anyway, it was that iconic scene where the house has fallen, and obviously Alphabet goes back to s to mourn for her sister and Glinda's there, and the cat fight that's you know, very good. Yeah, and it you know, there was a an element of comedy to it, but that was needed because in the play that's the funniest scene.

SPEAKER_04: 32:58

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01: 32:59

And again, a nod to the musical, yeah. This has to be, it can't all be drama, like there has to be, you know, because actually there's very little other comedy in part two, yeah, you know, whereas Glinda is hilarious in part one, yeah. And it's you know, because the storyline dictates it, she's a lot it's a lot more serious and a lot more deeper, but I appreciated that element of humor just for that one scene.

SPEAKER_02: 33:30

And I also loved that the little parts that they do for Wizard of Oz in the musical is all like behind a screen, you know, so you see the shadows, and they did that as well before the final.

SPEAKER_00: 33:41

So the treatment of Dorothy, yeah, you appreciated, you liked, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 33:45

I thought that I thought that was good. I think everybody wanted to see Dorothy and wanted, but I think as people say, you need to remember that Wizard of Oz is a story. Wizard of Oz, the film is, you know, that these are all separate identities, they're not one thing. So you've got Wizard of Oz, the the book, then you've got the film, and then you've got Wicked the Musical, and then you've got you know Wicked Nummy, the the film, and the characters are especially in Wizard of Oz and Wicked, they cross, but it's not the same story, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 34:14

Not the same story, and it's given the same treatment in in the the musical, the play, you know, the stage musical. Yeah, you don't see Dorothy, you don't see the cardly line, actually you see his tail. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, there isn't a play, you don't need it, yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_02: 34:29

So no, I thought that that was I thought that was great. Yeah, all the way it was nice that actually then the book opened at the end and you could see that Glenda is gonna do something with it for good. Yeah, because I felt like she is warned in.

SPEAKER_01: 34:42

Yeah, I also just love that. And that's the thing, like in the the that you don't get in the the stage musical, you know, Alphabet does say, Oh, I just wish there was a way of letting her know that we're okay, yeah, we're alive. And you know, Glinda doesn't get that in the st the stage musical, but the fact that she was able to they were they used the book in the movie to kind of just give her away. We're I'm okay.

SPEAKER_02: 35:16

Yeah, yeah, it's fine.

SPEAKER_01: 35:17

And I was like, Oh, yeah, I love that book.

SPEAKER_02: 35:21

But yeah, there's do you know what the more you watch it, you'll probably find more little like clever moments. My son picked up on the the fact that Viero says there's loads of trapdoors, you know, like that little line is there comes because he had got is that what happens in the musical? You'd forgotten that yes, you called it. He knew that that was symbolic, yeah. And he was like, That was really clever how you said that.

SPEAKER_01: 35:42

And I was like, Yeah, but that's really clever because I didn't pick up on that.

SPEAKER_02: 35:46

You know, it's just a a line, but then you realise, oh, that's foreshadowing of what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01: 35:52

Listen, like I because I loved it as a book for its complexities, and it's just such a clever, it's such clever material in how they take they obviously take the Wizard of Oz and then it everything else that's come before is so cleverly you know woven into it so that the two kind of you know glue together seamlessly. So clever.

SPEAKER_02: 36:19

And the last bit that I want to discuss was I thought that whenever the wizard finds out that Alphabet is his daughter, it was beautiful. Yeah, I thought that that was because it w it wasn't a close-up of his face, but it was might as well have been. You could I think that was just great acting for him. Yeah. He could really see that realization and like the light going from behind his eyes and everything. And like that, I think that was where I was like, the wizard wasn't a horrendous man, you know. Like that kind of redeemed his character a little bit. While with Madame Morba, I was happy that the the monkeys were taking her off, to you know, like she doesn't get any redemption. Well, he was like, he's gonna be broken for the rest of his life because he thinks she's dead. Yes, and he always wanted a family, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 37:08

Um and that's that was that was the other part that I thought you you wanna have seen the first part because you do forget about the the elixir. Yeah, you know, if you don't know the story.

SPEAKER_02: 37:20

Yeah, there's definitely well, maybe it's just that I didn't remember it, but there's definitely more of him drinking it in the second part than there's a yes, that's true.

SPEAKER_01: 37:27

He he drinks from it often, doesn't he?

SPEAKER_02: 37:29

I know they in the musical, you know, because there's only other one person I've seen have this bottle in a chew. Yeah is one I can definitely remember one scene where he does drink from it, but it felt like he was drinking out of it more.

SPEAKER_01: 37:40

Yeah. Interesting, you mentioned about the the close-ups, like the headshots. There was an awful lot more of that in part two, wasn't there? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 37:48

So I overall really loved it. Me too. It was great. Yeah, yeah. Really enjoyed that part.

SPEAKER_01: 37:54

No, I don't think they've disappointed they I don't think they'll have disappointed musical theatre fans. I was worried, obviously, I haven't on purpose looked or read very much, but I was on social media like just scrolling and and one like headline came up about you know, part two has no heart.

SPEAKER_03: 38:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 38:14

And I was like, what? So I was like, oh my goodness, no, like, but I don't really know what that reviewer went to say.

SPEAKER_02: 38:27

But that could be just the maybe just weren't a fan of the first one, or maybe the first one is so heightened with emotion.

SPEAKER_01: 38:35

I do think that can jar because it took me a moment to go right slap yourself out of this, Tim. Like it's not the first one, even in the show, the show, like the first act is full of the big numbers, you know, dancing through life, popular, you know, it is much more up and bubbly, and you know, and you do have to remember actually there's evil going on here, there's propaganda, and and actually the film took the time to explore that even more than the stage musical does, you know.

SPEAKER_02: 39:12

And I thought, even though that Madame Marvel did that great for any time the witch was mentioned or she's seen an image of the witch or something went on, she she's she's trying to kill us, and it was just like the most sensationalized, like news outlet that we get nowadays. Yeah, it was just like that is not what's happening. She's literally w written a message, she's trying to kill us, you know. It was just all one person, and then going, Oh my goodness, she's trying to kill us rather than what is it she's saying? Then people would go, What is it she's saying? and look up, you know, yeah, like just completely distracted and look at something else, and I'm gonna give you something to worry about and scare, be scared of. So yeah, it was great. I'm looking forward to watching the two of them back to back. Yeah, me too. And yeah, I just love that. There we go. We have another movie musical, like right there.

SPEAKER_01: 40:02

Um is it the best that's ever been made then? Have you combined the two?

SPEAKER_02: 40:08

Oh, it's a hard one. Is it the best that's ever been made? Definitely, definitely after now. I'm gonna think like, what is the best making musical that's ever been made?

SPEAKER_01: 40:22

I know. I well, I mean, if that's the question, I don't know if I could answer it myself. Um I'm just glad we weren't disappointed. Do you know what I mean? Like, and the problem also was that then when they they're very brave to have brought it out in two parts because the first one was so good that you were like, uh will the second part live up to it. And you know, I I did enjoy it like I did. I mean, part one is still my favourite of the two, but yeah, no, I think it was handled with care and attention to detail, and they had the right people in the right parts, I think.

SPEAKER_02: 41:00

Um yeah, yeah, no, I I I don't think that anybody could state any of those choices to play those characters. I think everybody did them with justice.

SPEAKER_01: 41:12

Yeah, I agree. I'm looking forward to now going and listened listen to soundtrack for part two because I didn't listen to it on purpose.

SPEAKER_02: 41:21

Yes, no good deed was definitely a highlight, even though I felt it did take a wee minute to build. It took a wee minute to build.

SPEAKER_01: 41:28

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 41:29

Um, but I was happy with it. I was happy with it. And then you didn't really see that that switching, okay. I'm just gonna be, I'm just gonna be a bit kick there.

SPEAKER_01: 41:38

Yeah. Yeah, I yeah. Cynthia Riva was a boss. Like she was kick ass. Like at one point, she almost was like superhero-like. Do you know what I mean? Like that bit where she flew onto the like the yellow brick road and kicked everybody's ass. I was like, she is, and that point, that part you've just mentioned where she went, right? Well, stuff you said. If you want me to be wicked, I'll be wicked. I was like, oh my gosh, you are a boss.

SPEAKER_02: 42:11

Like though the kids didn't appreciate whenever she threw the rim down and jumped on it. They were like, Oh, they find that so cringy. That's why sometimes I love watching things with different generations, you know what I mean? Because you do get a completely different insight into what they appreciated, and they were just like, Oh, I can't wait. Yeah, I just jumped on a brim stick and play off. They were that really jarred with them. They were like, Oh no. It's like teacher sent six seven, do you know what I mean? Like it's yeah, don't yeah, we just don't do that.

SPEAKER_01: 42:49

I do it often now just uh hopefully stop my kids from doing it.

SPEAKER_02: 42:53

They go, uh just don't that's really embarrassing.

SPEAKER_01: 42:57

Well, that was fun. That was I'm so glad we're what do we have to wait for now?

SPEAKER_02: 43:02

Like well, he what is he in the middle of he's he's being Joseph?

SPEAKER_01: 43:07

No, that's what it is.

SPEAKER_02: 43:09

Yeah, I didn't know. I didn't know that it has started yet, but yes.

SPEAKER_01: 43:13

Do we know who he's playing Joseph?

SPEAKER_02: 43:15

No.

SPEAKER_01: 43:16

Jonathan Bailey. No, he'd be a better he'd be a Brian Farrow, could you imagine?

SPEAKER_02: 43:22

Yeah, yeah, that eyeliner and all he hadn't really find the eyeliner on.

SPEAKER_01: 43:26

And I also I appreciated the blonde in his hair. He didn't have that in part one, did he? I don't recall him having uh hints of blonde.

SPEAKER_02: 43:36

Yeah. Yes, no, that is next time. And is he doing something else? Or is it just being Joseph has been announced? Well, we've got to wait another ten years for Marilee. We roll along. Because they're filming it.

SPEAKER_00: 43:50

Oh yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_02: 43:52

So that's annoying at that, and that's got like Paul Mescal, um, Ben Platt, and I'll be lived if I never get to see it, you know. Like there's you know, especially with like special effects and like prosthetics, because they're not just oh no, yeah, actually waiting until they I mean methods. What? Do we need it? Do we need it?

SPEAKER_01: 44:17

No, no.

SPEAKER_02: 44:17

Surely there's got to be another maybe musical that's coming out. We'll we'll do you know what? We'll discover it, we'll go watch it and we'll review it.

SPEAKER_01: 44:25

Or we maybe maybe we put it out there now, because you know what it's like in this podcast. We put it out there and it works. I haven't really thought about it. I should have thought about that before coming.

SPEAKER_02: 44:37

I mean, just because it's another another one that I love, and I would love to see how they would do it. I would love to see how they do gold spell. Oh, yeah, interesting. Because I mean we've got Jesus, we've got Joseph. See how they would do any gold spell.

SPEAKER_01: 44:55

I think Sunset Boulevard would be really good as a movie musical.

SPEAKER_02: 44:58

Yeah. Surely that's got to be in the works after all what happened.

SPEAKER_01: 45:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 45:05

Well, who knows?

SPEAKER_01: 45:07

But listen, wicked for good. That's it, done for good.

SPEAKER_02: 45:11

That is it. No more.

SPEAKER_01: 45:13

But we will have it forevermore to watch. Like, how many times in your lifetime do you think you'll go back and watch it? Do you think you could sicken yourself with that?

SPEAKER_02: 45:21

Uh yeah, because I did that with Wizard of Wars.

SPEAKER_00: 45:27

Yeah, but you watched The Wizard of Walls a ridiculous amount of times, Lauren.

SPEAKER_02: 45:32

So do you know what I think I will do with Mavie Musicals or with Wicked is probably like watch the sections of it I really enjoy. So maybe maybe we'll like watch it obviously the first and second part together a couple of times, and then if it's on, a bit like how I do with Harry Potter now.

SPEAKER_00: 45:48

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 45:49

Oh, I oh this it's coming up to this.

SPEAKER_01: 45:51

I know this best coming.

SPEAKER_02: 45:52

So I watch that. So I think that's very good.

SPEAKER_01: 45:56

Well, hopefully you enjoyed it as much as us, yeah, listeners.

SPEAKER_02: 45:59

Do let us know.

SPEAKER_01: 46:00

Yeah, let us know what you think if we if we're talking absolute nutter rubbish.

SPEAKER_03: 46:04

No, we're not.

SPEAKER_01: 46:05

We never are. You can let us know. I mean, we'll go, yeah, whatever. But sure, you can let us know anyway. Yeah, yeah. Well, until next time.

SPEAKER_02: 46:15

Yeah, you listen to Instagram. Bye.