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Entity explores the women of Crazy Ex Girlfriend.Rachel Bloom, Donna Lynn Champlin, Vella Lovell, Gabrielle Ruiz, via Instagram @cw_crazyxgf

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” co-creator and star Rachel Bloom took to Instagram this week to share her joy at the news that the musical comedy series had been renewed for a third season.

But the award winning actress is not the only reason the CW show remains a favorite with critics and fans. Her female co-stars are also a big part of the success story.

So too is the refreshingly original tone of the series which takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to gender stereotypes while remaining powerfully feminist.

In celebration of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s” renewal news, ENTITY looks at four of the standout women who keep us coming back for more each week.

1 Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom)

Entity explores the women of Crazy Ex Girlfriend.

Season two has been a roller coaster ride for Rebecca, who kicked things off thinking she was in a relationship with her dream man, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III). Of course, things haven’t quite panned out since then, with the heartbreak of their split being multiplied by the loss of another love interest. Rebecca seemed despondent after Greg Serrano (Santino Fontana) left West Covina to pursue his dream of studying at Emory University.

She has also had a host of ups and downs with BFF Paula Proctor (Donna Lynne Champlin), particularly after befriending Josh’s ex Valencia (Gabriella Ruiz) and forming a girl squad alongside her and new roomie Heather Davis (Vella Lovell).

Rachel Bloom is fantastic as the lovestruck and arguably obsessive Rebecca, as she pursues an ill-advised relationship with dream man Josh. She can be a bit of an anti-heroine in her narrow-minded quest for love, but Rachel imbues her with a vulnerability that stops you from wanting to root against her.

 She hilariously takes on topics such as girl squads, love triangles, and the perils of getting ready for a date in musical numbers which, while over-the-top, still manage to be relatable.

2 Paula Proctor (Donna Lynne Champlin)

Entity explores the women of Crazy Ex Girlfriend.

It’s been a big season for Paula, who decided to pursue her dream by going to law school. When an unplanned pregnancy threatened to derail her, the show took a controversial turn by having Paula opt for an abortion.

Paula goes through the emotional ringer in agonizing over whether or not she should share the choice with BFF Rachel, with whom she has been a bit distant. She also makes a new friend in Sunil Odhav (Parish Cheena).

Donna Lynne Champlin plays Paula with a dedication and sincerity that makes us all wish she were our best friend. And talk about pipes – the Broadway star slays every musical number. Anyone debating the brilliance of this show should check out her performance of “Maybe This Dream.”

3 Heather Davis (Vella Lovell)

Entity explores the women of Crazy Ex Girlfriend.

Heather, Rebecca’s sardonic neighbor turned roomie has had an interesting season thus far, winning the title of “Miss Douche” and opting to finally strike out on her own by moving out of her parents’ house.

She’s joined Rebecca and Valencia’s squad, and serves as the voice of reason, forcing her two gal pals to stare down their often illogical schemes. To viewers’ delight, she has become more of a regular on the show since joining the squad, frequently delivering some of its best one-liners.

Vella Lovell plays the deadpan Heather with a subtlety that has made her a fan-favorite. She can say it all with a pointed glance or well-timed sigh, though her best laughs come from her zingers.

4 Valencia Perez (Gabrielle Ruiz)

Entity explores the women of Crazy Ex Girlfriend.

Valencia was first introduced on the show as a walking nightmare – Josh’s stunning, modelesque girlfriend. She was the queen of backhanded compliments, as evident in the hilarious “Women Gotta Stick Together.”

This season we’ve seen another side of Valencia as she banded together with Rebecca and Heather following her split from Josh. She’s become Rebecca’s new partner in crime – since Paula vowed to stop getting involved in her drama with Josh – and was even spotted eating carbs!

Gabrielle Ruiz does an amazing job of adding depth to casually cruel frenemy Valencia. And this season we’ve seen the juxtaposition of her desire to remain aloof while also suffering some real, post-breakup heartache. Her vulnerability makes you want to root for her, and adds dimension to what could otherwise be a stereotypical mean girl.

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“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” offers a refreshing look at the triumphs, heartaches and cringeworthy mistakes of women, presenting their varied inner monologues with punchy musical numbers and truly hilarious writing. Surrounded by a stellar cast of equally talented singers and comedians, Rachel, Donna, Vella, and Gabrielle help to make it one of the best shows on television right now.

New episodes of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” air on The CW on Fridays at 9pm.

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