Happy Endings: Spectacular Sitcom Shenanigans

Happy Endings aired on ABC from 2011 to 2013. During that time, it was critically acclaimed and adored, with many people begging audiences to tune in and boost the show's ratings. Sadly, I, like many others, did not pay attention, and the show was ignominiously cancelled. However, it has subsequently developed a cult following among people who discovered it online and on demand. Over the past month, I've binged through the entire run of Happy Endings and discovered a show that is wonderfully witty, sweet, and entertaining.

Stop me if you've heard this premise before: a group of six friends have adventures and fun times in an American city. Sure, it seems old hat, but Happy Endings delivers in its execution. The main characters are ditzy blonde Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), whose sister is the hyper-organized blonde Jane (Eliza Coupe), who is married to the put-together but laid-back Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.). Alex was supposed to marry Dave (Zachary Knighton) but she jilted him at the alter in the very first episode, which leads to a fair amount of confusion as they try to remain friends without descending into bitter arguments at every get-together. Dave is Alex's male ditz equivalent who owns a food truck and lives with Max (Adam Pally), a gay slob who is always looking to make a quick buck without actually being employed. The final member of the group is Penny (Casey Wilson), who grew up with Alex, Jane, and Dave, dated Max in college until she discovered he was gay, and is now perpetually on the hunt for a boyfriend. It's a fantastic cast of characters who initially seem like tropes but quickly reveal themselves to be far more zany and bizarre than anyone you've seen on traditional sitcoms.

The quality of the writing on this show is incredible. It's a constant barrage of jokes, and the cast has an "amahzing" rhythm and chemistry that allows them to sustain His Girl Friday-esque levels of high-speed banter. This is a show you could re-watch multiple times and still catch layers of jokes you missed the first time around. The jokes can be silly, sophisticated, satirical, or self-referential, but you are guaranteed at least one gut-busting laugh per episode. And apart from verbal dexterity, the cast excels in physical comedy (particularly Casey Wilson), which allows for even more comic gags. There is also a great deal of warmth and heart to the show, which often bursts out in the season finales and makes it so satisfying to watch.

Happy Endings should have stayed on TV for multiple seasons. It suffered from poor marketing and the hyper-competitive nature of network television that never really gives comedies a chance to find an audience. Thankfully, we at least have 57 episodes to indulge in. I urge you to seek out this show, and then seek out anything this cast does from here on out. They may no longer be able to make us laugh as a group, but they're still out there making comedy.