by Judson Wall
Staff writer
“Friends,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Cheers”…many friend sitcoms have come and gone in the past, some great and some awful.
“Happy Endings” is one of those cult sitcoms that have flown under the radar like so many other greats such as “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared.”
The first season starts off in a wedding service held for Dave and Alex. All looks happy and well until a man flies through the church doors, clad in roller blades, professing his love for Alex. While everyone expects her to brush him off and continue with the service, she says sorry to Dave and runs away with him.
If that doesn’t sound like a pretty engaging first five minutes of a pilot episode, I don’t know what does.
The show is set in modern-day Chicago and follows six intertwined friends: Jane, Brad, Max, Penny, Alex and Dave.
The friends go through many obstacles beginning with the situations that are produced by the wedding and trying to hold their relationship together. They go through breakups, post-breakup hookups, moving out and staying friends.
I’m sure everyone has had to go through most of those things at one point or other in their lives. The show brings a light and happiness to these dark times in a person’s life when one must choose what to do to make themselves happy.
Don’t for a second think this is a bunch of people whining about their problems. The situations that are produced make for some pretty hilarious viewing.
The characters’ quick wit and hilarious references to pop culture will make any fan of comedy come back every week for more.
Every cast member of this show is extremely talented, but the two who really stand out are Adam Pally and Damon Wayans Jr. as Max and Brad.
Pally’s character is an amalgam of everythign funny and quirky about folks from the Windy City.
Wayans is simply hilarious. He heirs from the comedy genius of Damon Wayans Sr., who is better known as “Major Payne.”
Put these two actors in a room together, and you will receive gold every time you watch it.
If you are a fan of quick wit and loads of laughs, then you will love this show. I was skeptical in the beginning myself, I thought “‘Happy Endings’? I don’t need another show to add on to my DVR.”
But trust me, you cannot go wrong with this show. Everything you want in a TV sitcom is all there; you just have to watch.
“Happy Endings” airs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC.