Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing my coverage of Happy Endings (2011-2013, ABC), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-ray and streaming!
ELIZA COUPE as Jane, ELISHA CUTHBERT as Alex, ZACHARY KNIGHTON as Dave, ADAM PALLY as Max, DAMON WAYANS JR. as Brad, and CASEY WILSON as Penny.
Season Two is when Happy Endings firmly steps into its identity. With a few strong characters, or at least relational interplay within the ensemble that personalizes their usage, this low-concept ensemble rom-com is able to explore its leads within an otherwise familiar relationship-driven story apparatus that still manages to reflect some series-specific individualization. This is the result of an overarching idea-driven ethos that offers both jokey narrative notions, along with a laugh-oriented style of writing that delights in wackiness and quirk. In story, this ethos is sometimes more tangential to the characters than clearly attached, but it does create broader expectations about the show that touches every lead, making it so they’re collectively in evidence of its trademark sense of humor. Indeed, Happy Endings develops its own rhythms here — nothing is totally unique, but it’s identifiable enough to be distinctive. Sure, a few sitcoms in the early 2010s enjoy a similar voice — with regulars who, regardless of their own personality traits, also display an elemental weirdness that allows them to support a variety of hahas via the basic understanding that they’re all oddball kooks. (It’s a more idea-driven mode of sitcommery, positioning characters as wide-open enough to enable any kind of laugh — as opposed to the more traditional setup of character-driven sitcoms, where every regular creates a precise comedic lane. To wit, there are plenty of jokes that aren’t tailored to one exact person; several of the leads could say a line and still get the laugh, because the comedy isn’t about who’s saying it, it’s the line itself. I tend not to love this.) But it’s a part of Happy Endings’ series-defining tenor. And with stories that play to the more personalized definitions and dynamics of the characters, there nevertheless is enough here for me to latch onto as enjoyable examples of the genre. Particularly in Two’s last half, when this series has really come to understand itself and is best able to project its attributes with the aplomb worthy of an underrated cult classic.
01) Episode 14: “Blax, Snake, Home” (Aired: 09/28/11)
Penny fears that her new condo has a spinster curse.
Written by Josh Bycel | Directed by Anthony Russo
Season Two opens with a strong Penny-centric premiere in which the plucky optimist buys a condo and then fears her new place is haunted by a “spinster curse.” It’s another example of Happy Endings creating a self-labeled jokey phenomenon — the kind of stuff we’d see a lot on Seinfeld — that’s inherently idea-driven, as the laugh is conceptual. But at least it works for her character and the role she plays within the ensemble at large. And it comedically represents the series well, especially going into this sophomore year, where the show will continue to develop an even firmer command on its own identity and what makes it special. Additionally, I have to single out the memorable cold open here — there’s an excellent bit of choreographed physical comedy that displays just how refined this cast’s chemistry has become.
02) Episode 18: “Spooky Endings” (Aired: 10/26/11)
Brad and Jane housesit on Halloween while the rest of the group goes to a big costume party.
Written by Daniel Libman & Matthew Libman | Directed by Fred Savage
Halloween-themed sitcom episodes have become increasingly popular in the 21st century. (I think this has to do with the market shift to a more on-demand model; off-network syndication, where seasonally specific segments were once less desirable, is no longer as primary a consideration in a show’s financial future.) Most entries in this subcategory tend to be idea-driven, thematically riffing on outside works with a sense of winking parody beyond the bounds of a situation, or simply trafficking in the gimmickry of costumes and associated trappings. That’s true here — but it’s all genuinely symbolic of this show’s regular modus operandi, and since Halloween costumes are character-based choices that can then be reflective of their own personalities, I see value in this outing as another character-building endeavor.
03) Episode 20: “The Code War” (Aired: 11/16/11)
Max declares a “Code War” when Dave dates Max’s old high school girlfriend.
Written by Josh Bycel | Directed by Rob Greenberg
This is a terrific character showing that explores the regulars and their relationships by expanding upon their history. For starters, we learn more about Penny and Max when his ex-girlfriend from high school shows up and makes Penny jealous. There’s also some smart narrative cohesion as the ex-girlfriend’s arrival also sparks conflict between Max and Dave, the latter of whom becomes romantically interested in her, thereby making Max jealous enough to start a “Code War.” Yep, that’s another Seinfeld-ian self-labeled social phenomenon that’s unique to the group and ultimately reflective of this show’s general sense of idea-driven humor en masse. Meanwhile, beyond that series-revealing and character-developing A-story, there’s a subplot that comedically takes advantage of the super-competitive Jane — one of the show’s boldest comedic presences, existing most individually within funny ideas that she earns.
04) Episode 26: “The St. Valentine’s Day Maxssacre” (Aired: 02/08/12)
Max picks up his ex in the limo on Valentine’s Day while Penny tries to delay a breakup.
Written by Matthew Libman & Daniel Libman | Directed by Joe Russo
Valentine’s Day is the perfect thematic backdrop for a Happy Endings, given that the series is essentially another rom-com, with a group of people whose romantic relationships are the main focus of most stories (as four of the six are single and pursuing their, well, happy endings, which involve a partner). So, from the jump, this entry feels like an identity-evoking sample of the series, with narrative ideas that are naturally in accordance with what this show is intrinsically premised to explore. More specifically though, it’s amusing to see Brad have his consciousness altered by a bad trip to the dentist, while the parallelism in Penny and Dave’s respective dating subplots gives the storytelling a sense of cohesion. And it helps set up a climax with all the regulars in Max’s limo, before he — a typically un-romantic guy — decides to offer his ex-boyfriend a special romantic gesture that, again, speaks exactly to what this series is.
05) Episode 28: “The Butterfly Effect Effect” [a.k.a. “Spring Smackdown”] (Aired: 02/22/12)
The group waits for Brad and Jane’s annual Spring Smackdown.
Written by Jonathon Groff & Sierra Teller Ornelas | Directed by Victor Nelli Jr.
Here we have another quintessential example of Happy Endings’ comedic ethos, as the whole episode is built around a setup that’s self-created by the series and thus unique to these characters and their in-group experience (and deliberately named à la the social minutiae of Seinfeld). In this case, it’s the “Spring Smackdown” — an annual fight between Brad and Jane that the group uses to symbolize the pivot from winter to spring, akin to Groundhog’s Day. It’s a hilarious notion, and it’s enough to sustain this whole half hour, paired well with a subplot about Max in “hibernation” — a sign of winter that’s narratively and thematically connected to this centralized A-story. Yes, Adam Pally gets to act like a bear in support of this gag — another idea-driven bit that feels reminiscent of something we’d see on the idea-driven Seinfeld.
06) Episode 29: “Cocktails & Dreams” (Aired: 02/29/12)
The group has sex dreams about Dave while his truck’s new success nets him a famous pal.
Written by David Caspe, Matthew Libman, & Daniel Libman | Directed by Rob Greenberg
The group dynamics are played with thanks to this excursion’s temporary disruption of the status quo, as Dave suddenly finds new success with his food truck. It becomes such a happening place that all his friends are now having sex dreams about him, and he himself is running with a new set of people — namely B-list Hollywood actor Colin Hanks, who appears as himself. All of this is naturally comedic fare, but the gimmickry is off-set by the fact that it’s ultimately undergirded by the relationships between the main characters. Speaking of which, this is the outing that notably ends with Alex waking up in bed next to Dave — it’s the start of their romantic connection becoming a narrative focus on the series again, as it was very early on, following their failed wedding day in the pilot, which premised their new situation.
07) Episode 30: “The Kerkovich Way” (Aired: 03/07/12)
After waking up next to Dave, Alex gets Jane’s help in wiping his memory.
Written by Todd Linden | Directed by Steven Sprung
Following the events of the previous, Alex is determined to convince Dave that nothing happened between them the night before. To do so, she enlists her sister Jane, who takes control of what is basically a Gaslight-inspired operation. Only here, they call it The Kerkovich Way — a grand tradition passed down from the women in their family that also exists on this series as another bit of named social lore only known to these characters. It’s fun because we are wise to the truth, Dave himself is trying to put the pieces together, and it’s all outed before the half hour’s end. However, what I most appreciate is that it’s a perfect use of the controlling Jane, particularly in relation to Brad, on whom she’s done this many times, rendering this a hilariously personalized application of her character. Additionally, the subplot with Penny and Max is a prime chance for the series to indulge more of the idea-driven gags it most enjoys.
08) Episode 31: “Party Of Six” (Aired: 03/14/12)
The group starts to believe that Penny’s birthday is a cursed event.
Written by Lon Zimmet & Dan Rubin | Directed by Fred Goss
With heavy acknowledgment of the events of the pilot, this installment benefits from a sense of series-specific continuity that ties back to the show’s origins and thus feels well-rooted in Happy Endings’ conceptual foundations — its premise. It’s also, by design, a simple ensemble show that highlights the regulars and their friend group, which means it emphasizes the situation in a way that not every entry does, especially because there are usually two or three stories per week, forcing the separation of the cast. Here, they’re all together for essentially the whole time, making for a sublime display of their shared chemistry — not to mention their individual characterizations, which are maximized via this proximity and the accordant opportunities for their casual interactions to actually form the bulk of the comedy. Huzzah!
09) Episode 33: “Big White Lies” (Aired: 03/28/12)
Penny goes to great lengths to avoid hanging out with an obnoxious friend.
Written by Gail Lerner | Directed by Gail Mancuso
In support of both an A-story farce where Penny lies to an obnoxious friend to avoid hanging out and a light subplot involving a nosy landlord, there’s a winking self-awareness about this offering’s genre-based contrivances that I appreciate — if only because it’s genuinely reflective of the series’ overarching idea-driven comic identity. That is, because the show knows it’s got a typical sitcom yarn where calculated lies snowball and lead to a natural climax, it opts to acknowledge that fact and hang a proverbial lantern on it. This allows the script to remain smart by passing off anything obvious or inartful as intentional rather than accidental. In particular, references to Three’s Company — known for this kind of comedic storytelling (and also nosy landlords) — are akin to the kind of media-about-media literacy that we often find in the Peak TV decade, where TV shows aren’t just competing with their contemporaries, but anything that’s ever existed. In that regard, I see this as a stellar example of Happy Endings, not just stylistically, but also as a show that exists to satisfy its exact moment in our culture — as the “content”-filled 2010s was just beginning to define itself. So, this is my MVE (Most Valuable Episode) — this season’s best snapshot of the series. And one of the funniest.
10) Episode 34: “Four Weddings And A Funeral (Minus Three Weddings And One Funeral)” (Aired: 04/04/12)
The group attends another wedding — Penny’s friend Derrick’s.
Written by Leila Strachan & Josh Bycel | Directed by Rob Greenberg
Season Two ends on another wedding — a repeating template that helps remind of the premise via the situation that was established in the pilot, when Alex left Dave at the altar. By default, any time these characters attend a wedding, the show is acknowledging its foundational concepts and what renders it special. Also, a wedding is all about love and relationships, which is again, classic fodder for a show like Happy Endings, which makes no bones about being a rom-com, emphasizing its leads’ pursuit of romantic happiness. To that point, Dave and Alex begin to rekindle things here, and this will shake up the situation for the first time since the premiere, opening up the door to new stories and new ways to explore these characters going into Season Three. It’s an exciting prospect, and just what the show needs at this time.
Other notable episodes include two entries with great stories for Jane, “Makin’ Changes!” and “You Snooze, You Bruise.” I’ll also take this space to cite “Meat The Parrots,” where Dave’s dad (Michael McKean) hooks up with Penny’s mom (Megan Mullally), and “Everybody Loves Grant,” another fine rom-com show for the typically unromantic Max.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Two of Happy Endings goes to…
“Big White Lies”
Come back next week for Season Three! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!