The announcement of “Mozart in the Jungle” as the winner of Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy at Sunday’s Golden Globes sparked celebration from fans — and confusion from those who have never heard of the Amazon Prime streaming series.
Much like Amazon’s “Transparent” last year, the dark horse swooped in to take the coveted category and beat out favorites such as “Silicon Valley,” “Veep” and “Orange Is the New Black.”
The victory sparked many viewers of the 73rd Golden Globe Awards on NBC to ask, “What the hell is ‘Mozart in the Jungle’?”
Inspired by “Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music,” oboist Blair Tindall’s 2005 memoir about playing with the New York Philharmonic and in orchestras for Broadway shows, the series premiered on Dec. 23, 2014, to critical acclaim.
It was developed by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers, and stars Gael García Bernal — who also won Best Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy on Sunday — along with Lola Kirke, Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows, Hannah Dunne, Peter Vack and Bernadette Peters.
“Mozart” has hit all the right notes with both critics and Amazon viewers thanks to its sophisticated mix of uptown and downtown Manhattan locations and its smart satire of upper-crust pretensions.
It is “quick on its feet and rarely dull,” according to the New York Times, plus “fun and fast-paced, with episodes that fly by and then pick up right where they left off,” said the Guardian.
García Bernal’s charming and oversexed Rodrigo, a young conductor who shakes up the stodgy classical music scene (based on Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel), is especially compelling and has helped the show woo not only viewers but also the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to take home its first award.
“Hopefully now with this, people will see it, and they’ll watch more of the show and, ultimately through the show, get into some different kinds of music and stuff,” Schwartzman, who also plays the role of Bradford Sharpe, said after the Globes win. “It’s kind of a roundabout way of getting to learn about music.”
Those who have missed the acclaimed series can currently catch Seasons 1 and 2 (which debuted on Dec. 30, 2015) streaming on Amazon Prime.