When NBC’s musical comedy series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was canceled after only two seasons, it left a lot of unanswered questions for the future of the characters. Thankfully, Roku TV picked up the show for a holiday special, Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas, which was able to give the show some much-needed closure in case it can’t find a new home.
It would be hard to ask for an hour and a half special to take the place of a full season, but it was able to deal with many of the burning questions left by the finale. With that being said, here are the top ten questions that the special was able to answer for the show.
Will There Be New Fun Quirks At SPRQpoint?
As much as SPRQpoint is frequently a focus of Zoey's anxieties over social and professional interaction in the show, the Christmas special left the company as more of a setting than a plot point. Nothing major was happening at SPRQpoint over the holidays, leaving more time for Zoey's family and relationship drama.
With that being said, there were new fun moments, like Zoey judging the company's gingerbread contest and the newest SPRQpoint bar: the Peppermint Bar(k).
Will MaxiMo’s Hit Any More Bumps In The Road?
Max abandoning his plans to franchise MaxiMo's in New York doesn't seem to have harmed the business any, because it is just as extravagant as ever when Mo holds his Christmas Carol-oke event there.
It's good to see Max and Mo's partnership continuing to go strong despite their differences in character, but it is a shame that the special didn't even mention the potential consequences of Max's actions in the finale. A good romantic gesture is great, but the real-world consequences of one are the kind of thing this show usually grabs onto.
Will Zoey Still Have Her Musical Powers?
This question is answered within the first five minutes of the special, when the first of many musical numbers began, much to Zoey's exasperation. Fans will be delighted to know that Max developing powers doesn't take away from the difficulties and wonders of the superpower. It just enhances them.
It becomes especially great for viewers when Max and Zoey are both capable of hearing each others' thoughts or the thoughts of those around them, which allows viewers to discover that complete transparency does not necessarily stop relationship problems from springing up.
Will David And Emily Be Able To Recover From The Hardships Of Last Season?
In season 2 of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, David and Emily struggled with their relationships with each other and their child. David decided to become a stay-at-home dad, which led to some identity crises, and Emily suffered from postpartum depression, which was not noticed by Zoey until it had nearly torn her apart.
Fans were hoping to see some more continuity to those problems in a future season, and the Christmas special did a good job of either wrapping up the show or opening the door to the next season. After receiving a Christmas card bragging over a friend's many accomplishments, David and Emily make their own over-the-top letter, trying to feel like they're winning the family Olympics. After all of the chaos, David writes a different kind of letter, one that acknowledges all the pain the couple went through in a heartbreaking but genuine moment.
Will Zoey Continue To Connect With Her Father From Beyond The Grave?
The heart of the show was Zoey's ability to communicate with her father even after he could no longer communicate verbally. After his death, viewers saw the musical powers grant Zoey the ability to connect with her dad through song in her dreams.
The Christmas special gave fans another such moment when Zoey was trying to make the perfect "Mitch Christmas" and was succeeding only at pushing everybody else away. Her father helped her to understand that change is good and that trying to be perfect is never going to go the way she wants it to. It was nice to see that Zoey's connection to her father wasn't disrupted by the new power dynamics between her and Max.
Will Max And Zoey Be Able To Handle Their Relationship Better This Time Around?
Fans of the show will know that Zoey and Max tried dating once before, but they ended up falling apart because Max felt uncomfortable with Zoey being able to read his unfiltered thoughts and feelings without having the same power over her. The finale of the show ended with a moment straight out of a rom-com, where Zoey and Max discover that they can both hear each others' heart songs.
With that being said, Zoey and Max still struggle to find the right balance of power in their relationship. Zoey's family was at the center of everything in the Christmas special, which led to Max continually giving in to what Zoey wants, instead of pushing for some of what he wants as well. The two struggle to find the right dynamic with their relationship, which would be an interesting concept to explore if more seasons are ordered.
Will Zoey And Simon Still Be As Close As They Used To Be?
The season 2 finale wrapped up the love triangle between Zoey, Max, and Simon by having Zoey and Max choose each other, and Simon decide to stay friends with Zoey and pursue new opportunities in his career. While the love triangle had gone on long enough, many fans worried that this might break up the special dynamic Zoey and Simon shared navigating the grief that came from their fathers’ passings.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas answered those fears by showing that Zoey and Simon’s friendship seems to be as strong as ever. They connect over the unique struggle of the first major holiday after losing a loved one, and one of the last scenes of the special shows the trio enjoying holiday festivities with no awkwardness or resentment. Fans can be happy to know that, after everything they went through, Simon and Zoey will continue to support each other through anything.
Will Mo Be Able To Adjust To The Realities Of Dating A Man With Children?
As lovable as Mo is, he often has a problem with being self-centered, putting his own thoughts and activities above those of others. This was an especially big problem when Mo hit it off with an attractive fire marshall who had two children. The finale left the two of them together and opening their lives to each other, but there was a question of how long that could last.
The Christmas special continues this exploration, having Mo step in to 'fix' the children's holiday show by making it all about him. Perry has to explain to Mo that, with children, it isn't about things being perfect; it's about honoring the kids. While Mo is capable of learning and doing better next time, this is likely to be a future problem with the two of them as well.
Will Maggie Feel Comfortable Dating Again?
Season two considered the option of Maggie starting to date again after the loss of her husband, but left it with the idea that it was some possible future event, not a current desire.
The Christmas special revolved around this possibility, with Maggie having a flirtationship with the owner of a Christmas tree farm. Maggie ends up having her first kiss since Mitch died and tries looking at dating apps, but the special still left the question on a will-she-won't-she that leaves fans itching for a possible season 3.
Will Max’s Sudden Powers Be Explained?
The biggest cliffhanger of season 2 was the revelation that Max had developed his own version of Zoey’s ability to hear other people’s heart songs. After an hour and a half of screentime and a few weeks in the show’s timeline, Zoey and Max realized that he had gotten the powers to make him empathetic to the complexity and weight of hearing everyone’s hidden desires.
While this mystery probably would have extended much longer if the show had been renewed, the Christmas special allowed fans to get an answer to that question and to put aside doubts some might have had about Zoey and Max’s relationship as a whole.