A tribute to Happy Endings
With the news that the cast of Happy Endings would be reuniting at the end of this month for a special live script reading of a “lost episode”, it has inevitably led to fans getting excited once more for a possible return. In reality of course, Happy Endings is probably no closer to a comeback then it ever has been, despite the show’s sizeable fanbase vocally campaigning for its resurrection ever since it was dumped by ABC in 2013 after three critically-acclaimed series. Yet with show creator David Caspe and the central cast mostly adopting a “never say never” mentality, there’s certainly no harm in holding out a little hope.
If you’ve yet to experience the joys of Happy Endings, you may be wondering what exactly all the fuss is about. Well, first off let me say that I’m genuinely jealous that you still have this treat left to uncover. While it may appear at face value to be just another sitcom and you may be put off by the generic “group of friends hang out in a big city” set up, it’s actually something far more unique. While it does unavoidably share some similarities with the likes of Friends and How I Met Your Mother, it also stands out in its own right.
One major advantage that Happy Endings had over its rivals is that it is blessed with a faultless cast whose chemistry is clear from the off. Unlike many other shows, each character contributes their fair share of laughs and brings something specific to the table. The benefit of this is that there are no weak links slowing the comedy down as and when their character takes centre stage.
The six central characters bounce off each other perfectly. There’s the show’s power couple, type-A control freak Jane (Eliza Coupe) and laid-back romantic-comedy fan Brad (Damon Wayns Jnr). Then there’s the baby of the group and unashamed dunce Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) whose on-again-off–again relationship with self-christened “cool guy” of the group Dave (Zachary Kingston) runs throughout the show. Then we have serial dater and full-time clutz Penny (Casey Wilson) and loveable freeloader Max (Adam Pally), a refreshingly un-stereotypical gay sitcom character.
While they are a close-knit bunch, these are also friends that aren’t always unrelentingly kind to each other. They mock each other incessantly, they do verbal “pile-ons” when one of them messes up and occasionally they see the need to sabotage each other’s schemes. It’s this mix of affection and ridicule than somehow makes their friendships seem all the more authentic and relatable than those often found in other sitcom groups.
The show also has a distinct style of comedy. There’s definitely a touch of the standard sitcom formula in there with its tales of romance and eventful love-lives, but it also packs in surreal cutaways, witty comebacks and plenty of pop-culture nods and winks. The show wisely decides to steer clear of any moralising, and doesn’t get too bogged down with any pesky lesson-learning. Instead, it’s far more focused on silliness and bringing the comedy. In terms of just how silly it is willing to get, there’s an episode where Penny and Max take a banned sleeping medicine in order to regain control of their respective relationships, there’s one where Jane and Max compete to prove who would survive longest in a zombie apocalypse, and in another Brad becomes a trophy wife complete with pet micro-pig. This was not a show that took itself too seriously.
Clever without being smug and heart-warming without being cheesy, it’s perfect comfort-watching comedy, free of cynicism and filled with laughs. If you are looking for a fresh sitcom to binge watch and are yet to sample this overlooked treat, track it down and then get those fingers crossed for an unlikely season four.
(Photo credit : ABC)
