let's really address this
*caveat* i am not a huge fan of the genre as a whole - mostly bc of live theatre musicals -- like Shakespeare, musicals really need talent up and down the cast to truly work and a great cast is seldom happening outside of broadway
and i do have some of the issues some of y'all have expressed - the bursting into song - not necessarily that it happens but because some/many musical writers so love the genre that they don't concern themselves with transition or story (I get frustrated if the song did not move the story along or give insight into character)
BUT
I do have an issue with the broad dismissal of musicals -
most every poster in this thread also participates in just about every music video thread there is and seemingly have no problem with narrative erupting into song in music videos - so you're ok with the premise
then like i alluded to earlier, most everyone is fine with superheroes or alien visitation or space travel, et al, so fantasy is not a hangup
most don't seem to have a problem with shlubby 50 yr old guys winding up with the hot 20 yr old women, so strained romance contrivances aren't an issue
so what is it?