Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2: 6 Things You Need To Know
2. Ellie Kemper Remains The Star
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has a great cast, and the supporting players all bring something different to the show. Tituss Burgess' Titus Andromedon is a wonderfully over-the-top, larger-than-life figure; Carol Kane's Lilian is in part a wizened old mentor, part crazy cat lady type; Jane Krakowski's Jacqueline is, well, it's Jane Krakowski's 30 Rock character again in many respects, but she does the rich, co-dependent white woman role very well.
They're all excellent in their respective roles, and important parts of the show, but the key is Ellie Kemper. Previously a supporting actress herself, in the likes of The Office (US), she made the step up to leading lady in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and proved she was more than up to the task.
With a season under her belt, she's even better now, and the show can rest a lot on her shoulders in the knowledge she is capable of carrying it. She has to do and say a lot of ridiculous things in this series, but Kemper does it all with incredible gusto, and a near-infallible optimism that she keeps shining through in her performance. I say near-infallible because there are times when you can see Kimmy struggling, but she keeps on coming back (so far, at least), and so much of that comes down to the strength of Kemper's acting.