By Cookie 'N' Screen
Friends is literally the most iconic American sitcom to date. While you have your Cheers and your Fraiser, if you say sitcom to anyone they will instantly think of the six best friends living in New York, getting themselves into mad cap social situations with hilarity. In fact, 90% of my social interactions start with “oh this is like that episode of Friends”. People still enjoy the show so much that they will sit and watch repeated episodes over and over again. This giant of a television series has such a humungous legacy that it actually overshadows so many of the sitcoms coming out now. If I said “six friends living their dysfunctional lives together” then you’d roll your eyes and instantly compare it to Friends, hence the initially poor reaction to How I Met Your Mother.
But this is about Happy Endings, a sitcom centred around six friends living their dysfunctional lives together, but in Chicago. You may roll your eyes, you may do your comparing but Happy Endings is a unique, fresh slice of comedy that is wacky weird and yet so terribly real. In other words, it is one of the best situation comedies ever.
Friends is literally the most iconic American sitcom to date. While you have your Cheers and your Fraiser, if you say sitcom to anyone they will instantly think of the six best friends living in New York, getting themselves into mad cap social situations with hilarity. In fact, 90% of my social interactions start with “oh this is like that episode of Friends”. People still enjoy the show so much that they will sit and watch repeated episodes over and over again. This giant of a television series has such a humungous legacy that it actually overshadows so many of the sitcoms coming out now. If I said “six friends living their dysfunctional lives together” then you’d roll your eyes and instantly compare it to Friends, hence the initially poor reaction to How I Met Your Mother.
But this is about Happy Endings, a sitcom centred around six friends living their dysfunctional lives together, but in Chicago. You may roll your eyes, you may do your comparing but Happy Endings is a unique, fresh slice of comedy that is wacky weird and yet so terribly real. In other words, it is one of the best situation comedies ever.
I feel like I should’ve written about this sooner as after three seasons, it has been cancelled. I literally fell to my knees in a Darth Vader “Noooooo” moment. If you have a chance to catch the series currently being repeated on E4 (UK only) then do, because you will not disappointed. And when the boxsets come out, I urge you to rush to buy it. All I want is for the good people of the world to know the joys of Happy Endings and add to its already expanding cult following… because it is legendary.
Happy Endings is exactly that. It revolves around six best friends who are putting their group back together after two of them split up (or, she leaves him at the alter). The initial dilemma; stay friends or chose sides? While this is resolved in a matter of episodes, the show follows more complications and situations along the road. As we enter the mad world of Dave, Alex, Max, Penny and married couple Brad and Jane, we are taken on a road of hilarity. And trust me, there is a lot of hilarity.
Overshadowing Happy Endings with the other shows is understating the comedy within it. The shows main gags and jokes come from the tight dynamic of the group; as we’re let into their inner jokes and their conflicts with outside influences, the six friends here are perhaps the funniest people I have seen on television. They are so weird and unique but in a simplistic and realistic way. I’ve never related so much to conversations that are about nothing but still make you chuckle. It is not a set up where there is a joke and then pause, with canned laughter. It’s actually a fast paced quote fest that hits all the right places with the comedy. The cast nail the timing and acting to their quirky characters; within the ensemble, the highlight is Brad and Jane, the married couple played by Eliza Coupe (Scrubs) and Damon Wayans Jr, because their fighting and relationship is a very astute portrayal of married life and the banter between them is superb.
Happy Endings is exactly that. It revolves around six best friends who are putting their group back together after two of them split up (or, she leaves him at the alter). The initial dilemma; stay friends or chose sides? While this is resolved in a matter of episodes, the show follows more complications and situations along the road. As we enter the mad world of Dave, Alex, Max, Penny and married couple Brad and Jane, we are taken on a road of hilarity. And trust me, there is a lot of hilarity.
Overshadowing Happy Endings with the other shows is understating the comedy within it. The shows main gags and jokes come from the tight dynamic of the group; as we’re let into their inner jokes and their conflicts with outside influences, the six friends here are perhaps the funniest people I have seen on television. They are so weird and unique but in a simplistic and realistic way. I’ve never related so much to conversations that are about nothing but still make you chuckle. It is not a set up where there is a joke and then pause, with canned laughter. It’s actually a fast paced quote fest that hits all the right places with the comedy. The cast nail the timing and acting to their quirky characters; within the ensemble, the highlight is Brad and Jane, the married couple played by Eliza Coupe (Scrubs) and Damon Wayans Jr, because their fighting and relationship is a very astute portrayal of married life and the banter between them is superb.
As I said before, I should have written about Happy Endings before its cancellation. And despite critical claim, ABC didn’t pick up the series. Many shows have crumbled and risen from the cancellation flames but rest assured, there are still three seasons, and fifty seven episodes of that you can fill your days with.
And while it may be slightly bitter, that still counts as a happy ending.
TTFN,
Cookie.
And while it may be slightly bitter, that still counts as a happy ending.
TTFN,
Cookie.
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