Melissa Gimble

* Season 1
* Season 2

**Melissa Gimble** is a main character in the first and second seasons of the Apple TV+ musical comedy series ***Schmigadoon!***. She is an obstetrician and is married to Josh Skinner. Melissa is portrayed by Cecily Strong.

## Background

Melissa was working her job, and then on her break, she went to the vending machine, where she first met Josh. She tried to get a Snickers bar, but it got stuck in the machine. Josh told her to give it a kick, and all the candy started pouring out.

On Melissa and Josh’s first anniversary, she gave a thoughtful speech, and was disappointed that Josh didn’t have anything to say, but had prepared a surprise dessert for her, which was candy, as a reminder of when they first met.

Four years before *Schmigadoon!* and one year into their relationship, Melissa and Josh sleep together for the first time. She and Josh fantasize about their future.

A bit less than four years before *Schmigadoon!*, Josh and Melissa go to see their friend Dave perform in a play. When the see him performing naked, they rush out of the theater. They say “I love you,” to each other for the first time and share a kiss in the snow.

A year and a half before Schmigadoon!, Melissa is at her friends wedding, and the bridesmaids put on a dance. When it’s time for the bridesmaids’ significant others to come and dance, Josh shrugs it off and stays in his seat.

## Throughout the Series

### Season 1

In Schmigadoon!, Melissa and Josh went on a couples retreat in the woods to rekindle their relationship. Melissa accuses Josh of losing her heart, which they were given so they could practice giving their heart to someone. They stumble upon Schmigadoon, a magical and musical town stuck in the style of 50’s and 60’s musicals. They meet everyone in town and then check in to the Schmigadoon Inn. They want to share a bed, but Mildred Layton, the reverend’s wife, said that since they’re not unmarried, they need to sleep apart. Melissa wanted Josh to come with her on the Tunnel of Love, but he fell asleep. She went by herself to the carnival, where Danny Bailey sings to her “You Can’t Tame Me”. Josh and Melissa try to leave Schmigadoon but then the Leprechaun appears and tells them they need true love to cross.

In Lovers' Spat, Melissa and Josh start to doubt their relationship. The villagers sing them “Lovers’ Spat”, and she breaks up with him, and then runs off into the woods crying. Melissa stumbles upon the mayor and he tries to comfort her. She suspects that Mayor Menlove is gay. Josh and Melissa go to the Picnic Basket Auction, where men bid on a picnic basket at dinner with a woman. Mel is jealous of Josh and Betsy’s relationship, and starts drinking some alcoholic fruit punch. While Melissa keeps taking shots of punch, the bidding has started. Josh sets a new record for the most money bet on a picnic basket, which is $20. He bets on Betsy, which furthers Melissa’s jealousy. In her drunk state, she goes on stage and puts herself off for the bidding. Nobody bets on Melissa until Danny Bailey spends his whole life’s savings on her. Mel and Danny go on the Tunnel of Love together, and Betsy and Josh share their first kiss, when Farmer McDonough, Betsy’s dad, pulls out a gun on Josh and tells him to propose.

In Cross That Bridge, Melissa is surprised to wake up in Danny Bailey’s bed. He invites her to breakfast, but she leaves. When she comes back to town, she finds out Josh proposed to Betsy. She runs up to Josh, infuriated, when he explains the situation. Melissa sees Harvey, the innkeeper, bringing their backpacks out of the Schmigadoon Inn. The Mothers Against the Future, led by Mildred, were the ones who forced Harvey to bring the backpacks out. Josh goes to Betsy to call off the engagement, but instead he tries to cross the bridge with her. Mel asks Florence if she and Josh could stay with them, and she suggests for her to get the job as a nurse, which she turns down immediately. Melissa and Florence talk about her relationship with Aloysius, when Carson bursts in, telling the Josh and Betsy’s engagement is off.

Melissa discovers that Josh was trying to cross the bridge with everyone woman in town, when she was trying to find a place for them to stay. She storms off. Hours later, Melissa is roaming through town, when she goes to Jorge Lopez’s office to apply for the nurse position.

In Suddenly, Melissa is at the job interview with Doc Lopez Jr., and he tells her what the standards are. He goes to show her his equipment, when Doc Lopez Sr. Takes his son’s lubricant for private reasons. Melissa suggests to Jorge to just let them have it, and then he starts yelling at his parents. Nancy bursts into the room, and Doc Lopez Jr. Snaps at her that he can’t help her since she’s pregnant but not yet married. Melissa gets frustrated with him for turning her away.

Melissa runs up to Nancy and Freddy’s cabin, when she meets Freddy. Nancy asks Mel where the baby comes out, and she realizes how little Nancy actually knows about pregnancy, so she sings them Va-Gi-Na. Melissa is working on another one of Pete’s injuries when Josh enters the doctor’s office. He asks her for musical advice and she tells him to get Carson an instrument. Nancy and Freddy run into the office, anxious and in labor. Josh helps Mel deliver the baby, and Freddy and Nancy have a new, beautiful baby boy. At night, when Doc Lopez comes back from fishing, he confronts Melissa about helping to deliver Nancy’s baby. He also accuses her of giving them the lubricant. He yells at her for having no decency and then she flips it on him. Melissa said from now on, she will endorse his parents’ intercourse.

Melissa and Josh find themselves at Doc Lopez Sr.’s funeral. He apparently died from what’s known as an “Egyptian hucklebuck,” (Which he learned from Mel). Aloysius has an epiphany, and he goes up on stage and comes out as gay, and Florence runs out of the church. Melissa apologizes to Jorge, and he tells her it’s not her fault. Because of her, Doc Lopez Sr.’s last moments her full of joy. Melissa and Jorge sing suddenly, and they’ve fallen in love.

## Songs

1. Corn Puddin’
2. Lover’s Spat
3. Enjoy the Ride (Part I)
4. Enjoy the Ride (Part II)
5. Enjoy the Ride (Reprise)
6. Suddenly (Melissa Reprise)
7. You Make Me Wanna Sing
8. How We Change/Finale
9. I Need to Eat
10. Bustin’ Out
11. Talk to Daddy
12. Maybe It’s My Turn Now
13. Famous as Hell
14. Kaput (Reprise)
15. Something Real (Reprise)
16. A Happy Beginning

## Trivia

* Melissa does not like Sweeney Todd.
* She likes Candy, 50’s and 60’s musicals, Schmigadoon, and Corn Puddin’.
* She has a contemptuous relationship with the narrator.