I Totally Love This Show!


HAPPY ENDINGS


This show just ended a 12-episode run and the premise, 6 young friends livin’ and lovin’ in Chicago reminds me of another show I once watched but I can’t quite put my finger on what that one was called. Anyway, Happy Endings has been renewed for a second season and I am looking forward to the cast and writers getting a chance to stretch out and really occupy their time-slot.


The premise of the show began at Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave’s (Zachary Knighton) wedding when, at the last possible moment, Alex pulls the runaway bride. This setup was kinda lame but thankfully the powers that be realized this and got as far away from it as possible. I say this because the episodes that naturally followed the pilot were shown way later in the series run which gave the first season a bit of a disjointed feeling. IN terms of landing viewers, this was a smart move: showing episodes where the characters have more chemistry and the writers have warmed up has won this show the post Modern Family timeslot in the fall (It will, however, take the place of my beloved Cougar Town until Winter).


For me, so far, Casey Wilson is the standout on this show. She takes what could be a typical rom-com single gal and breathes some life into her. Below, we see the episodes where Penny quickly realizes that maybe she doesn’t want a gay BFF as much as she thought. In a later episode, she dates a hipster and learns to disdain all the things she likes to hilarious results. In yet another, she finds out her new potential boyfriend has the unfortunate last name “Hitler.” Her drunken speech at Shershow’s wedding ended with my laughing out loud.





I really like Max played by Adam Pally playing the gay guy that so many gay guys think they are but doesn’t really exist: the brews-loving, badly dressed, slobby, sports-loving macho man “who just happens to be gay.” But you know what? Now all the gheys who have convinced themselves that they don’t have any sugar in ‘em have a role model. The episode that centered on Max’ coming out was a standout.





Elisha Cuthbert’s funniest moment was in the above clip when she says “sculptress” and Zachary Knighton hasn’t really stood out for me yet but I have high hopes for Season 2. The writers of the show are a little on the smug side, but the actors gelled fast enough to get over it. While some of the jokes are a little on the lame side, so are a lot of jokes that close groups of friends share so it kinda works.





Rounding out the cast are Brad and Jane played by Damon Wayans Jr. and Eliza Coupe. These two have a snappy chemistry and Jane’s type A tendencies are well played. I find these two funny and they’ve had amusing storylines and, once again, I look forward to next season to see what these two get up to. Damon Wayans showed up and did a funny turn in the clip above and Jane shows her neurotic side in the clip below.