Jump to content

Happy Endings (TV series): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Online: Added content
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Line 197: Line 197:


As of June 1, 2021, the series is available to stream on [[Netflix]], in the US.
As of June 1, 2021, the series is available to stream on [[Netflix]], in the US.

As of June 13, 2024, the series is available to stream on [[Hulu]] in the US.


===Home media===
===Home media===

Revision as of 08:55, 13 June 2024

Happy Endings
GenreSitcom
Created byDavid Caspe
Starring
ComposerLudwig Göransson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes57 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Production locations
Editors
  • Sandra Montiel
  • Steven Sprung
  • Richard Candib
  • Cindy Mollo
  • Robert Bramwell
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time22–25 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseApril 13, 2011 (2011-04-13) –
May 3, 2013 (2013-05-03)
Related

Happy Endings is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from April 13, 2011, to May 3, 2013. The single-camera ensemble comedy originally aired as a mid-season replacement. The show was created by David Caspe. Caspe and Jonathan Groff served as the show's executive producers and showrunners.

On May 10, 2013, Happy Endings was canceled by ABC after three seasons. ABC's erratic scheduling of the third season, perhaps causing the season's lower ratings and subsequent cancellation, was called one of the "worst TV decisions" of the 2012–13 television season by the pop-culture website Vulture.[1]

Plot

Happy Endings follows the dysfunctional adventures of six best friends living in Chicago: "crazy-in-love" married couple, businessman overachiever Brad (Damon Wayans, Jr.) and his neurotic perfectionist wife Jane (Eliza Coupe); ditzy Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), a happy-go-lucky boutique owner and Jane's younger sister; daydreamer Dave (Zachary Knighton), an aspiring restaurateur and food truck owner; slacker manchild Max (Adam Pally), who struggles to hold a job and maintain a consistent relationship; and outgoing party girl Penny (Casey Wilson), a serial dater on an eternal search for Mr. Right.

The series begins with the wedding of Dave and Alex, which comes to an abrupt halt when Alex leaves Dave at the altar. The six friends must cope with a sudden change in the group dynamic as Dave and Alex mourn their relationship and the rest of the group try to preserve their friendship. Dave and Alex decide to stay friends, but there are many more complications down the road.[2]

While the initial premise of Dave and Alex's broken engagement was the focal point in earlier episodes, this premise was mostly abandoned as the series went on. Instead, the focus shifted to the group dynamic of six best friends, in a similar vein of ensemble comedies like Friends and How I Met Your Mother. Typically, each episode featured two plot lines, in which varying combinations of the six characters find themselves involved.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Eliza Coupe as Jane Kerkovich-Williams – Alex's older sister and Brad's wife. Before Dave and Alex's breakup, Jane wished to start a family and live a "perfect suburban life", a plan she abandoned when Alex called off her wedding. Jane is competitive, a perfectionist by nature, and something of a control freak. Despite her Type-A attitude, Jane had a wild past in college, most notably embracing her bisexuality, wearing pink streaks in her hair, and donating an egg her freshman year to finance a spring break trip to Cabo San Lucas. She and Brad are very affectionate in public, which often makes their friends uncomfortable. In season three, she takes a job working as a car salesperson, after dealership owner "The Car Czar" (Rob Corddry) is impressed with her negotiating skills.
  • Elisha Cuthbert as Alexandra "Alex" Kerkovich – Jane's younger sister and Dave's ex-fiancée. Alex is the youngest in the group of friends. Alex leaves Dave at the altar on their wedding day, a decision she sometimes regrets. She enjoys going on double dates and "girls nights out" with her best friend Penny. She runs a women's clothing boutique called Xela ("Alex" backwards, pronounced "Shay-la") in downtown Chicago. As the group's token dimwit, she often gets lost or confused during many of the gang's jokes, though she occasionally shows signs of intelligence. In season two, she moves in with Penny after accidentally ruining her apartment with smoke damage. She often eats a lot, to the surprise of the gang, though she keeps in shape. In season three, she moves into a new apartment with Dave as they enter a new phase of their relationship.
  • Zachary Knighton as David "Dave" Rose Jr. – Alex's ex-fiancé. In the aftermath of his broken engagement, Dave follows his dreams of owning and operating a food truck business, which he names "Steak Me Home Tonight." Dave becomes roommates with Max after his breakup, and decides to be friends with Alex while still dating numerous other women. Dave often goes out of his way to prove he is the "cool guy" of the group, as he is often the butt of his friends' jokes and ridiculed for his fashion choices, such as his love of v-neck shirts. Dave is also known to go overboard with embracing his 1⁄16th Navajo heritage. In season three, Dave and Alex get back together and try to make their relationship work again.
  • Adam Pally as Maximum Herbert "Max" Blum – Dave's best friend from college. Max is gay, but does not display the more common stereotypes: he is slovenly and uncultured, and described by Penny as a "straight dude who likes dudes". In college, he used Penny as a beard while he was still in the closet; he still perpetrates this ruse to his parents until coming out to them in Season 1. He and Brad met as cast members on The Real World. He enjoys playing video games, watching sports, and playing pranks on his friends. Max is fairly casual about relationships, more often settling for brief flings, but he notably dated Grant (James Wolk) until Max discovered that Grant did not want children. Max is Jewish, but is licensed as a minister of a non-denominational Christian church to officiate weddings. In season two, he buys a vintage limousine and attempts to start a limo driving service, until he blows up his limousine in a prank.
  • Damon Wayans Jr. as Bradley "Brad" Williams – Jane's husband and best friend of Dave and Max. Brad and Jane first met in college, while appearing on the MTV reality show The Real World based in Sacramento, CA. Despite his uptight day job in investment banking, he is generally laid-back and enjoys getting into crazy adventures with the gang. Brad will often show his effeminate side around Jane, while effecting a "manly" demeanor around the rest of the gang. At the end of season two, his department was cut, and he was briefly unemployed. He spent a brief amount of time working as a Bar Mitzvah hype guy alongside Max, then at a children's gym called "Chuckles & Huggs", before he was offered a new business job again.
  • Casey Wilson as Penelope Aziz "Penny" Hartz – a childhood friend of the Kerkovich sisters. Perpetually single and always seeking the right guy, Penny's tumultuous dating life is often a joke among her friends, and she is usually seen with a new boyfriend or love interest. She dated Max in college before he came out to her, and poses as his girlfriend to his parents. She has also shown romantic interest in Dave. Penny works in public relations and prides herself on being the most fashionable person in her office. Despite her unlucky love life, she remains optimistic, often declaring that it is "The Year of Penny". She is known for her unique pronunciations of certain words (e.g., "a-MAH-zing") and her habit of abbreviating words ("abbreevs" as she calls them). In Season 3, Penny meets Pete (Nick Zano) and the two become a steady couple. After four months of dating, Pete proposes to Penny and she accepts. However, she later called off their engagement when she realized they did not know each other well enough, a decision she regrets.

Recurring

  • Stephen Guarino as Derrick – The gang's "offensively stereotypical gay" friend, who loves to bring the "D-R-A-M-A!" Max first introduces him to Penny, after she complains that Max is not the gay best friend that she wants him to be. Penny later turns to Derrick to pose as her fake fiancé for a wedding, but the plan fell through when his only way of acting heterosexual was to impersonate Danny Zuko from Grease. He marries his boyfriend Eric at the end of season two.
  • Seth Morris as Scotty – Max's weird, creepy, and slightly psychotic friend. Max will occasionally call him in when he needs a favor, such as attempting to rough-up a coffee shop mascot or pretending to be a tour guide. He is also the new referee/judge at the annual "Rosalita's Run" scavenger hunt. It has been implied that he is stalking Max.
  • Megan Mullally as Dana Hartz – Penny's positive and upbeat mother. She has been divorced three times and is a traveling lounge singer. Dana and Penny used to perform as a mother-and-daughter singing duo called "Two Hartz Beat as One". She started dating Dave's father, "Big" Dave, after running into him at Alex and Dave's wedding.
  • Nick Zano as Pete – Penny's ex-fiancé. They first meet while Penny was shopping for a helmet after getting a concussion. According to Max, he is said to be Penny's first steady boyfriend to last more than her usual 10 days before breaking up. After 4 months of dating, he proposes to Penny, but she later calls off their engagement.
  • Rob Corddry as Lon "The Car Czar" Sarofsky – Jane's crude boss at the car dealership. Known for his famous "The Car Czar: He Knows What Cars Are" slogan. He briefly dates Penny while temporarily separated from his wife.
  • Michael McKean as Big Dave – Dave's single father who started dating Dana (Penny's mother) after running into her at Alex and Dave's wedding.
  • James Wolk as Grant – Max's former boyfriend who comes back into his life in season two when he shows up in Max's limo on Valentine's Day.
  • Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Chase – Max's former roommate who makes it his mission to ruin Max's life when he least suspects it, after Max accidentally causes him to lose his job and his wife.
  • Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Daphne Wilson – Penny's annoying childhood friend that she always tries to avoid.
  • Jon Daly as Brody Daniels – Dave's obnoxious buddy from college who often finds joy in Dave's misfortunes whenever he runs into him. At one point he gets in a "fistbump war" with Max.
  • Larry Wilmore as Mr. Forristal – Brad's boss who is often unaware that he has food on his face.
  • Paul Scheer as Avi – Max's creepy kimono wearing neighbor.
  • Christopher McDonald as Mr. Kerkovich – Alex and Jane's father who has run the family owned mattress business for 20 years.
  • Julie Hagerty as Mrs. Kerkovich – Alex and Jane's mother. Alex is said to have taken after her mom, while Jane gets her type-A personality from her dad.
  • Damon Wayans as Francis "Fran" Williams – Brad's dad, who never tells him he loves him, instead they share manly stories about sports, etc.. Brad's dad has a breakthrough allowing him to experience the feeling of expressing love, saying it about everything except his son. In season one, Brad indicates that his father was in the military, though he does not say which branch or what his father's rank might have been.

Episodes

Main article: List of Happy Endings episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
113April 13, 2011 (2011-04-13)August 24, 2011 (2011-08-24)
221September 28, 2011 (2011-09-28)April 4, 2012 (2012-04-04)
323October 23, 2012 (2012-10-23)May 3, 2013 (2013-05-03)


Development and production

On January 19, 2010, ABC green-lit the pilot episode, which was written by David Caspe and directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.[3] The show is from production companies Sony Pictures Television, ABC Studios, and executive producer Jamie Tarses' FanFare Productions. Executive producers are Jamie Tarses, Jonathan Groff, and The Russo Brothers.

Casting announcements began in February 2010, with Damon Wayans, Jr. first cast as Brad, Jane's husband who does whatever she says.[4] Next to join the series was Casey Wilson as Penny, the group's desperate and single friend.[5] Eliza Coupe and Adam Pally shortly joined that cast, with Coupe playing Jane, Alex's control freak sister who is married to Brad, and Pally playing Max, Dave's close friend and roommate.[6][7] Elisha Cuthbert later joined the cast as Alex, Dave's ex-fiancée who leaves him at the altar.[8] Zachary Knighton was last actor to be cast as the newly single Dave.[9]

The pilot was ordered to series on May 13, 2010, as a mid-season entry in the 2010–11 United States network television schedule.[10]

On May 13, 2011, the show was renewed for a second season,[11] which premiered on September 28, 2011. On October 13, 2011, the show received an additional episode order of 6 scripts from ABC, citing improved ratings for the series [12] On November 3, 2011, ABC picked up the series for a full 22-episode second season.[13]

On May 11, 2012, Happy Endings was renewed for a third season of 22 episodes.[14] This season premiered on October 23, 2012, at 9 pm.

Edits

In the sixth episode of the first season to air, "Of Mice and Jazz-Kwon-Do", Dave refers to the mouse he is trying to catch as "his bin Laden" and then went on to joke that he was referring to "Jessica bin Laden, a super hot Arab girl I went to college with. She was the one that got away". The episode, which was taped prior to the death of Osama bin Laden,[15] aired with ABC muting the final line, and removing the line entirely from online streams of the episode. The episode aired with the line unmuted on City in Canada[16] and is also left intact on the DVD release.[17]

The ninth episode of the first season to air, "You've Got Male", originally included a kiss between Max and Ian and was seen among several promotional images released prior to the episode airing. The kiss was ultimately removed from the episode. Before the episode aired, David Caspe explained that the kiss was cut purely as a creative decision and that there had been no pressure from the network to remove any gay content.[18]

Attempted continuation

On April 3, 2013, it was reported that Sony TV, which produces Happy Endings, had approached a few networks about continuing the series should ABC cancel it the following month, with USA being the most likely to pick up the show.[19] When ABC confirmed that they had canceled the show on May 10, 2013, Sony TV was said to be shopping the show around to other networks, with USA still reported as showing interest.[20] Talks were underway by May 15, 2013,[21] but showed signs of being unsuccessful as on May 16, 2013, the pickup was already labeled "unlikely"[22] as a result of Sony TV and USA being unable to agree on a price.[23] Two weeks later, despite coming to a general agreement regarding financials,[24] it was reported on June 1, 2013, that USA had opted not to pick up the show, with the low ratings during the third season being a factor as it would have required "a large investment in marketing and promotion" to successfully re-launch the show.[25]

As of June 14, 2013,[26] Sony TV was still talking to other distributors, with Amazon, Netflix,[25] TBS, and NBC[24] being named. At this point, there was just over two weeks left to finalize a deal as Sony's options on the cast contracts were set to expire on June 30, 2013.[27][28] By June 27, 2013, there were no serious talks to revive the series on broadcast, cable or streaming networks, as both NBC and TBS had also passed on the show.[29]

On June 28, 2013, Sony announced that the series had officially ended, citing an inability to find a new home for the show before the expiration of their contracts with the cast as the sole reason behind the decision.[27]

Continuation hoax

On December 9, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the show's set still exists[30] despite filming ending on March 16, 2013.[31]

On February 6, 2015, the Twitter account of the show's writers room tweeted a link to a timer counting down to exactly 12:00 a.m. CT on April 1, 2015, with the text 'It's almost a new day'.[32][33] This quickly led to speculation that the series would be revived for a fourth season, as the account also began following the Twitter accounts of Amazon, Netflix, and Yahoo! Screen[34] - though by February 9, 2015, all three had denied having any involvement in a revival, while Sony had simply stated "No comment".[35] The availability of the show's cast was also seen by some as giving credibility to theories of a revival – Eliza Coupe's show Benched was canceled in January 2015,[36] Adam Pally's exit from The Mindy Project was announced in November 2014[37] with his final episode airing February 3, 2015, and Damon Wayans, Jr.'s departure from New Girl at the end of the fourth season was announced on February 5, 2015.[38]

Subsequent tweets made reference to episodes of the show – including Natalie Imbruglia's music video for "Torn"[39] – and also referencing "four seasons" by sharing a music video by The Four Seasons[40] and the co-ordinates for a Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago.[41][42] Other tweets also referenced "waiting"[43] and "anticipation".[44]

In mid-March, cast member Adam Pally stated that "the origin of that 'Happy Endings' countdown clock was not intended to be where it is headed".[45] Two days later Casey Wilson explained that it was a joke by a suspected writers' assistant and that she "[didn't] think it's a welcome joke for everyone. I don't love that [someone] did that" and also stated that there was nothing moving forward.[46]

On April 1, 2015, a tweet confirmed that the entire "new day" countdown had in fact been a 55-day April Fools prank.[47] David Caspe then confirmed the story that Pally and Wilson had told weeks earlier - that a writer or writers assistant with access to the Twitter account had come up with the idea without his knowledge. He did note that after the initial speculation began in early February, the buzz sparked the possibility of an actual reunion but ultimately nothing came of it. Caspe also noted that the cast and writers are all keen for a possible reunion and that he wouldn't be shocked if at some stage in the future something occurred.[48]

Episode 401

On July 19, 2016, it was announced that the cast of the show would reunite at Entertainment Weekly's EW PopFest in October 2016 for a live reading of a lost episode of the series.[49] It was quickly revealed via Twitter that the script would be newly written, and was not actually an unused script from the show.[50]

The "episode", titled "Happy to Be Here", reveals that the characters all went their separate ways after a fight between Jane and Brad on the night of Brooke's wedding at the end of the third season. 939 days later (the exact number of days since the final episode aired and the live reading), they all reunite after Alex and Scotty came up with a plan to fake Scotty's death to bring them all back together. Eventually Alex's deception is revealed (as is the fact that Scotty actually killed himself while attempting to fake his death) and Jane and Brad reconcile. In the closing moments of the episode, it is revealed that the entire series was actually a dream Dave was having the night before his wedding to Alex, and after waking her up he inadvertently gives her the idea to leave him at the altar.[51]

Ongoing revival attempts

There have been multiple reports in the years since the show ended that Sony is attempting to work on a revival,[52] but to date nothing has come to fruition. In April 2020 Casey Wilson confirmed that there has been truth to the reports that Sony has attempted to get a revival underway multiple times but has always fallen apart when at least one cast member is under another deal with another studio.[53]

In May 2024, Casey Wilson said that "they are trying to make it happen" but the hold up is with securing contracts for the show's writers who have since been spread across different studios.[54]

And The Pandemmy Goes To...

In April 2020, Casey Wilson also confirmed that there would be an upcoming reading of new material,[53] which was announced in July 2020 would be streamed on July 20, 2020, via the Sony Pictures Television YouTube page. In addition to performing the new scripted material, which is titled "And The Pandemmy Goes To...", a live Q&A with the cast also took place. The event was organised to raise money for Color of Change and World Central Kitchen supporting Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 relief.[55] Stephen Guarino reprised his role as Derrick in a cameo during the episode.

During the Q&A, it was revealed that the episode was originally planned to be a table read of new material, similar to the reading of "Episode 401" at EW PopFest in October 2016, but after other shows such as 30 Rock and Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet remotely-produced full episodes the decision was made to produce and present it as an episode of the show.[56]

Marry Me

See also: Marry Me (American TV series)

Marry Me is a sitcom television series created and executive produced by David Caspe that aired on NBC, which premiered on October 14, 2014. It has been implied that both series exist in the same universe. Both shows are set in Chicago and Derrick, a recurring character played by Stephen Guarino, appears on both shows.

Three of the original six series regulars on Marry Me – Casey Wilson, Ken Marino and Sarah Wright Olsen – also appeared on Happy Endings, albeit in different roles. John Gemberling, also a series regular, appeared on Happy Endings, however as his character wasn't named — he was merely credited as 'Thief'[57] — it is unclear whether the two characters are considered separate people. In addition, several guest stars on Happy Endings — including Rob Huebel, Nat Faxon and Ryan Hansen — also had guest appearances as different characters on Marry Me.

Release

Broadcast

Season one

The first season of the show premiered on ABC on April 13, 2011, and concluded on May 25. The premiere aired at a special time at 9:31 pm[58] after Modern Family and was followed by another episode in the show's regular timeslot at 10 pm. The show was originally set to air a single episode each week that followed, but ABC decided to air a fourth episode immediately after the third episode on April 20, 2011, at 10:30 pm.[59] On April 29, 2011, it was announced that the show would air two episodes a week for three weeks at 10 pm and 10:30 pm beginning May 4, 2011.[60]

The season also aired mostly out of the intended broadcast order to make the initial episodes more "stand alone" in an effort to get more people invested in the show.[61] As a result, the episodes "Bo Fight" and "Barefoot Pedaler", which were intended to air as the second and third episodes[62] as they show the events in the weeks after Alex and Dave's wedding, aired as episodes 10 and 11. It was later revealed that the decision to air the episodes out-of-order was ultimately made by ABC.[63] The episodes later appeared in the intended order on the DVD release.[64]

The episode "Why Can't You Read Me?" was initially left unaired, however it later aired on August 24, 2011.

Season two

The second season of the show premiered September 28, 2011, and ended on April 4, 2012.[65] The season saw the show move to the 9:30 pm timeslot, previously occupied by Cougar Town. The show then left the schedule to make room for Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.[66]

Despite picking up the show for a full 22-episode second season,[65] the 21st episode to air was labeled as the season finale by ABC[65] as they needed to premiere Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 on April 11, 2012.[67] The episode, titled KickBall 2: The Kickening, later aired on E4 in the UK on May 17, 2012,[68] and also aired in other international markets,[69] despite the episode officially being held until the third season. Additionally, the episode was excluded from the second season DVD.

Season three

The third season of the show premiered on October 23, 2012, and ended on May 3, 2013. The season saw the show move again, this time to the Tuesday at 9 pm timeslot, where it aired immediately after Dancing with the Stars.[70]

The first six episodes of the season aired in Canada on City, two days prior to the American broadcasts airing on ABC.[71] KickBall 2: The Kickening, an episode from season two that previously did not air on ABC, made its debut as part of the third season on ABC and City on January 13, 2013, despite having aired internationally as part of season two.

On December 4, 2012, ABC announced that on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, Dancing with the Stars would re-take the Tuesday 9 pm hour, leaving the fate of unaired episodes unclear.[72] On December 21, 2012, ABC announced that new episodes of both Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 would replace the cancelled drama 666 Park Avenue for three weeks on January 6, January 13, and January 20, while maintaining its current timeslot.[73] Only two of the three scheduled episodes aired in the Sunday timeslot.

On January 22, 2013, ABC announced that it had removed Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 from the schedule and would instead air back-to-back Happy Endings concurrently on Tuesdays, but it was removed from the timeslot after episodes 12 and 13 aired.[74] However, on February 13, 2013, ABC announced that, starting March 29, the series would move to Fridays at 8 pm ET/PT with back-to-back original episodes.[75]

On April 19, 2013, ABC preempted its primetime programming in favor of coverage of the manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, after the Boston Marathon bombing,[76] pushing back the season finale date to May 3, 2013.

Online

See also: Happy Endings: Happy Rides

Full episodes of the series were initially available for streaming on both ABC.com and Hulu. While ABC.com removed the show, full episodes still remain available to stream on Hulu and to purchase on digital stores.[77] On February 29, 2012, ABC premiered the first of a six-part webisode series titled Happy Rides, which follows the events from Penny deciding to get rid of her storage space, which leads to her selling her first car. The webisodes were sponsored by Subaru.[78] In 2014, VH1 acquired the syndication rights and made all episodes available online using VH1's "TV Everywhere" platforms and the VH1 app but this is no longer available.

As of April 2021, the series is available to stream on HBO Max, in the correct production order.

As of June 1, 2021, the series is available to stream on Netflix, in the US.

As of June 13, 2024, the series is available to stream on Hulu in the US.

Home media

See also: Happy Endings (season 1) § Home media, Happy Endings (season 2) § Home media, and Happy Endings (season 3) § Home media
Complete season Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
1st September 20, 2011 March 12, 2012 August 15, 2012
2nd October 23, 2012[79] TBA TBA
1st & 2nd August 14, 2012[80] TBA TBA
3rd October 1, 2013[81]
(manufactured-on-demand release) 		TBA TBA
Complete Series August 7, 2018[82] TBA TBA

Syndication

On December 10, 2013, it was announced that VH1 has acquired all three seasons, with a marathon of all 57 episodes planned for December 31, 2013 and running through New Year's Day. The series initially aired in two-hour blocks every Wednesday, beginning in January 2014. In addition to airing the show, the network licensed rights to showcase episodes of the series online via its TV Everywhere platforms and also on the VH1 app. Beginning August 30, 2014, Logo also started airing all three seasons, beginning with a marathon on Labor Day weekend. The show aired in Australia in syndication on 111. On January 1, 2016, all three seasons began streaming on Hulu and it is also available on Disney+ (STAR) in select countries. It is available for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

Reception

Critical reception

The series initially received a mixed response from critics, many comparing it to several similar "relationship sitcoms" that had premiered around the same time - Perfect Couples, Mad Love, Traffic Light and Friends with Benefits.[83][84][85] However, as the first season progressed, reviews became increasingly positive - with several critics admitting that the show had grown on them since the pilot.[86][87] Happy Endings was the second "relationship sitcom" of the season to be renewed for a second season. BuddyTV ranked Happy Endings #7 on its list of 2011's best new TV shows.[88]

The second season received widespread critical acclaim, landing on multiple "Best of Year" lists; The New York Magazine,[89] The A.V. Club,[90] Hulu,[91] the Associated Press,[92] the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,[93] and Yahoo!TV[94] all included the series in lists of the top television programs of 2011.

The third season continued to receive critical acclaim. Verne Gay of Newsday wrote that "The show exists on the same cosmic (and comic) TV plane as Scrubs, Arrested Development and that other late bloomer, Cougar Town."[95] Maureen Ryan of The Huffington Post stated that "Happy Endings has so many things going for it that the occasional weak story line or meh scene is not a big deal at all. It's one of the sharpest and warm-hearted comedies on the air, and I enjoy it a lot more than Modern Family."[96] Anna Peele of Esquire claimed the show to be the "New and Improved Community."[97]

With the show facing possible cancellation due to low ratings, Rolling Stone declared that Happy Endings was "the most underrated, under-watched series on TV, that may also be the funniest", and went on to say "Despite flying under the radar, Happy Endings has stayed afloat for three seasons by earning both critical acclaim and a devoted fan following. Blending comedic elements of Friends, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock, it manages to serve up something new and refreshing by being both consumed by and annoyed with the frenetic world we live in. It's biting, but easy to swallow – social commentary at its best."[98]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations for Happy Endings
Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Outcome
2012 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Damon Wayans, Jr. Nominated
Directing in a Comedy Series Jay Chandrasekhar Nominated
Writing in a Comedy Series Prentice Penny Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Award Best Ensemble in Comedy series Elisha Cuthbert, Adam Pally, Eliza Coupe, Casey Wilson, Zachary Knighton and Damon Wayans Jr. Nominated
Dorian Awards[99] TV Comedy of the Year Happy Endings Nominated
LGBT TV Show of the Year Nominated
Unsung TV Show of the Year Nominated
Wilde Wit of the Year The Staff Writers Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Happy Endings Nominated
The Comedy Awards Best Comedy Series Happy Endings Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Male Scene Stealer Damon Wayans, Jr. Nominated
Female Scene Stealer Casey Wilson Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Damon Wayans, Jr. Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Casey Wilson Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical Happy Endings Nominated
2013 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Damon Wayans, Jr. Nominated
Writing in a Comedy Series Prentice Penny Nominated
Dorian Awards TV Comedy of the Year Happy Endings Nominated
LGBT TV Show of the Year Nominated
Unsung TV Show of the Year Won
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Happy Endings Nominated
American Society of Cinematographers Awards Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Half-Hour Episodic Television Series Michael A. Price Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Adam Pally Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Casey Wilson Nominated

U.S. ratings

See also: Happy Endings (season 1) § U.S. Ratings, Happy Endings (season 2) § U.S. Ratings, and Happy Endings (season 3) § U.S. Ratings
Season Timeslot Originally aired TV season Viewers
(in millions) 		Rank 18-49 Nielsen ratings
rank 		18-49 Nielsen rank
Season premiere Season finale
1 Wednesday 9:31 pm (April 13, 2011)
Wednesday 10 pm (April 13, 2011 – May 18, 2011) 		April 13, 2011 May 25, 2011 2010-11 5.04[100] 105th[100] 2.1/5[100] 75th[100]
Wednesday 10:30 pm (April 20, 2011, May 4, 2011 – May 25, 2011) 3.63[100] 122nd[100] 1.5/4[100] 103rd[100]
2 Wednesday 9:30 pm September 28, 2011 April 4, 2012 2011-12 6.64[101] 83rd[101] 3.0/8[102] 48th[102]
3 Tuesday 9 pm (October 23, 2012 – January 29, 2013) October 23, 2012 May 3, 2013 2012-13 4.59[103] 98th[103] 1.9/5[103] 77th[103]
Tuesday 9:30 pm (January 29, 2013) N/A[n 1]
Sunday 10 pm (January 6, 2013 – January 20, 2013)
Friday 8 pm (March 29, 2013 – May 3, 2013) 3.36[103] 127th[103] 1.2/5[103] 119th[103]
Friday 8:30 pm (March 29, 2013 – May 3, 2013) 2.83[103] 135th[103] 1.1/4[103] 123rd[103]

Notes

  1. ^ Rankings for the episodes that aired in these timeslots are not available as they were labeled as special broadcasts, which means they weren't factored into the 2012–2013 TV season rankings.

References

  1. ^ Adalian, Josef (October 31, 2013). "The Best and Worst TV Strategies". Vulture. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  2. ^ West, Kelly. "Happy Endings For ABC In 2011". Television Blend. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  3. ^ "Development Update: Tuesday, January 19". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  4. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Friday, February 12". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  5. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Wednesday, February 24". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  6. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Wednesday, March 3". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  7. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Friday, March 5 (Part 2)". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  8. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Thursday, March 11". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  9. ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: Tuesday, March 23". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  10. ^ "Breaking News - Chuck, "V," Eight Pilots Make the Cut for 2010-11". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  11. ^ Gorman, Bill (May 13, 2011). "'Happy Endings' Renewed By ABC - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Archived from the original on May 16, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  12. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (13 October 2011). "ABC Picks Up Full Seasons Of 'Revenge', 'Suburgatory', Gives Six-Script Order To 'Happy Endings'". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (3 November 2011). "ABC Gives Full-Season Orders To 'Once Upon A Time', 'Last Man Standing' & 'Happy Endings'; 5 Scripts For 'Pan Am'". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  14. ^ "'Happy Endings' Renewed by ABC - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  15. ^ "ABC bleeps bin Laden joke, but airs it in Canada". Reuters.com. May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  16. ^ Ng, Philiana (May 5, 2011). "ABC Bleeps Osama bin Laden Joke From 'Happy Endings' But It Airs in Canada (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  17. ^ "Of Mice and Jazz-Kwon-Do", in Happy Endings: The Complete First Season [DVD]. ABC Studios/FanFare Productions/Sony Pictures Television, 7:37–7:44.
  18. ^ "Exclusive: No Gay Kiss for Max on "Happy Endings." Here's Why". AfterElton.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  19. ^ "USA Network Eyes 'Happy Endings' Pickup If Cult Comedy Isn't Renewed By ABC". Deadline. 3 April 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  20. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 10, 2013). "'Happy Endings', 'How to Live With Your Parents' & 'Malibu Country' Canceled by ABC". Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  21. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (May 15, 2013). "It's not hype -- Happy Endings pickup talks are real at USA. May not be in time for tomorrow's upfront but they are proceeding..." Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  22. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 16, 2013). "Latest On The Future Of 'Happy Endings', 'Paging Dr. Freed' And 'Psych' At USA". Deadline. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  23. ^ Aurthur, Kate (May 17, 2013). ""Happy Endings" Deal Seems To Be Falling Apart". BuzzFeed. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  24. ^ a b Adalian, Josef (May 31, 2013). "USA Network Is Unlikely to Rescue Happy Endings". Vulture. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  25. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (June 1, 2013). "Tough Year For Cancelled Series: 'Happy Endings' No Go At USA, 'Body Of Proof' RIP". Deadline. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  26. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 14, 2013). "'Happy Endings' Creator David Caspe Inks New Overall Deal With Sony Pictures TV". Deadline. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  27. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (June 28, 2013). "No 'Happy Endings': Series Over After Three Seasons". Deadline. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  28. ^ Ausiello, Michael (June 3, 2013). "Happy Endings' Options Dwindling in Wake of USA Network's Failed Rescue Attempt". TVLine. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  29. ^ 'Happy Endings' unlikely to return to TV as cast options expire. Digital Spy. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  30. ^ "'Marry Me': Art Imitates Life on the Set of NBC's New Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. December 9, 2014.
  31. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (March 15, 2013). "Today is our last day shooting season 3!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  32. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (February 6, 2015). "itsalmo.st/#anewday_tlojt" (Tweet). Retrieved 2017-04-21 – via Twitter.
  33. ^ "It's Almost". ItsAlmo.st.
  34. ^ "Happy Endings Season 4?! Check Out The Cryptic Tweet That's Making Us Lose Our Minds". E! News. 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  35. ^ "The Happy Endings Producers Just Teased a Fourth Season and Our Heads Flew Off Our Bodies". E! News. 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  36. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2015-01-14). "Comedy 'Benched' Cancelled By USA". Deadline. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  37. ^ Ausiello, Michael (2014-11-21). "Adam Pally Leaving 'The Mindy Project' in Season 3 — Peter Prentice". TVLine. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  38. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2015-02-05). "Damon Wayans Jr Leaving 'New Girl', In Demand For Pilots". Deadline. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  39. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (February 13, 2015). "#ketchup #wintercomestwice" (Tweet). Retrieved 2017-04-21 – via Twitter.
  40. ^ Happy Endings. "Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Who Loves You (1975)". YouTube.
  41. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (March 2, 2015). "41.8993239, -87.6247264 #ketchup #wintercomestwice http://itsalmo.st/#anewday_tlojt" (Tweet). Retrieved 2021-12-11 – via Twitter.
  42. ^ "Google Maps". Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  43. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (February 9, 2015). "http://itsalmo.st/#anewday_tlojt #ketchup #wintercomestwice" (Tweet). Retrieved 2021-12-11 – via Twitter.
  44. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (February 7, 2015). "#ketchup" (Tweet). Retrieved 2021-12-11 – via Twitter.
  45. ^ "What Does The 'Happy Endings' Countdown Clock Really Mean?". HuffPost. March 14, 2015.
  46. ^ "This Week on Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend: Actress Casey Wilson". Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  47. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (2015-04-01). "Happy...April Fools' Day! Sorry! All for fun. Caspe & Co had nothing to do with it. Thanks for being so hyper-passionate about the show" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  48. ^ Snierson, Dan (April 1, 2015). "Happy Endings creator David Caspe explains that countdown clock—and the likelihood of more episodes". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2016-07-25. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  49. ^ "PopFest lineup: Nick Jonas, Happy Endings, more". Entertainment Weekly. July 19, 2016.
  50. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (July 20, 2016). "We're writing and the cast will read a "lost" episode of Happy Endings @EW PopFest in LA in October. Link for tix" (Tweet). Retrieved 2017-04-21 – via Twitter.
  51. ^ "Happy Endings' Reunion: The Cast Reads a 'Lost Episode'". TVLine.com. October 29, 2016.
  52. ^ "A Happy Endings Revival? ABC Boss Says She's 'Hearing Whispers'". 6 August 2019.
  53. ^ a b "Happy Endings Reunion Confirmed! Scripted Charity Reading to Feature New Material, Casey Wilson Says". May 2020.
  54. ^ https://sg.news.yahoo.com/casey-wilson-gives-major-happy-192448700.html
  55. ^ "'Happy Endings' Cast Reunites for Pandemic-Themed Zoom Charity Special". 14 July 2020.
  56. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Live Q&A with Cast of Happy Endings". YouTube.
  57. ^ "Listings | TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource". TheFutonCritic.com. 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  58. ^ "Shows A-Z - happy endings on abc". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  59. ^ "Breaking News - ABC to Double Up on "Happy Endings" Next Wednesday". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  60. ^ "Breaking News - ABC Nixes "Food Revolution" for Second Week, "Happy Endings" to Double Up Going Forward". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  61. ^ Ng, Philiana (May 18, 2011). "Q&A: 'Happy Endings' Creator Addresses 'Friends' Comparisons, the bin Laden Joke and Serializing Season 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  62. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (May 17, 2011). "Oh, about this week's episodes: They were originally supposed to air as the first two AFTER the pilot. So, re-watch the pilot" (Tweet). Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  63. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (May 23, 2011). "It was an ABC call..." (Tweet). Retrieved May 24, 2011 – via Twitter.
  64. ^ Happy Endings [@happywrites] (May 23, 2011). "Of course. RT: @FH14 @happ ..." (Tweet). Retrieved May 24, 2011 – via Twitter.
  65. ^ a b c "(#221) "Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and One Funeral)"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  66. ^ "Shows A-Z - don't trust the bitch in apartment 23 on abc". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  67. ^ "'Happy Endings' Creator David Caspe Talks Renewals, Sitcom Romance and Unaired Episodes (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. November 17, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  68. ^ "UK to see un-aired Happy Endings episode season 2 finale". TheTVKing. Archived from the original on 2012-05-21. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  69. ^ "Tonight in HD: July 11 | ScreenScribe". Screenscribe.tv. Archived from the original on 2014-10-11. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  70. ^ "ABC 2012-13 Primetime Schedule: 'Revenge' To Sunday, 'Happy Endings,' 'Don't Trust The B' To Tuesday, 'Last Man Standing' To Friday - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
  71. ^ Upfronts: Comedies dominate City's fall schedule | Dose Archived 2012-11-25 at the Wayback Machine
  72. ^ "ABC releases mid-season premiere dates for new and returning shows - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. December 4, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  73. ^ Ng, Philiana (December 21, 2012). "'Happy Endings,' 'Apartment 23' on Sundays". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  74. ^ O'Connell, Mikey; Goldberg, Lesley (January 22, 2013). "ABC Yanks 'Apartment 23' From Schedule, Doubles Up on 'Happy Endings'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  75. ^ Seidman, Robert (February 14, 2013). "ABC Midseason Scheduling Moves Ship 'Happy Endings' to Fridays". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  76. ^ "Boston manhunt for Dzhokar Tsarnaev live coverage: ABC preempts 'Happy Endings,' 'Shark Tank'". Zap2it. April 19, 2013. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  77. ^ "iTunes - TV Shows - Happy Endings, Season 1". Itunes.apple.com. April 13, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  78. ^ "Happy Endings - ABC.com". Beta.abc.go.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  79. ^ Happy Endings: The Complete Second Season. "Happy Endings: The Complete Second Season: Zachary Knighton, Elisha Cuthbert, Damon Wayans Jr.: Movies & TV". Amazon. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  80. ^ Happy Endings: Seasons 1 & 2 (14 August 2012). "Happy Endings: Seasons 1 & 2: Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Damon Wayans Jr., Casey Wilson, Adam Pally, Seth Morris, Stephen Guarino, James Wolk, Billy Merritt, Megan Mullally, Travis Van Winkle, Anthony Russo, Fred Goss, Fred Savage, Gail Lerner, Gail Mancuso, Jay Chandrasekhar, Jeff Melman, Joe Russo: Movies & TV". Amazon. Retrieved August 23, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  81. ^ "Happy Endings: The Complete Third Season: Damon Wayans, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Elisha Cuthbert, Eliza Coupe, Prentice Penny; Matthew Nodella: Movies & TV". Amazon. October 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  82. ^ "Amazon.com: Happy Endings - The Complete Series - BD [Blu-ray]: Eliza Coupe;Elisha Cuthbert;Zachary Knighton;Adam Pally;Damon Wayans Jr.;Casey Wilson, Various: Movies & TV". Amazon. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  83. ^ "'Happy Endings' review: Haven't we met before?". Zap2It.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-01. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  84. ^ "Review: ABCs Happy Endings another lame relationship sitcom". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  85. ^ Goodman, Tim (April 13, 2011). "Happy Endings: TV Review". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  86. ^ "'Happy Endings' Season 2 is at the top of our TV wish list". Zap2It.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  87. ^ "Review: A second opinion on ABCs Happy Endings". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  88. ^ "The 11 Best New TV Shows of 2011". BuddyTV. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  89. ^ "The Year in Television". NYMag.com. 2 December 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  90. ^ "Best TV of 2011". AVClub.com. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  91. ^ "The Best Comedies of 2011". Hulu.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  92. ^ Moore, Frazier (December 19, 2011). "'Breaking Bad,' 'Happy Endings' among year's best". boston.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  93. ^ Owen, Rob (December 22, 2011). "Best TV show: 'Breaking Bad'". post-gazette.com. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  94. ^ "Best TV Shows of 2011". yahoo.com. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  95. ^ Gay, Verne (October 19, 2012). "'Happy Endings' review: Finally funny". Newsday. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  96. ^ Ryan, Maureen (October 17, 2012). "'Happy Endings' Review, With A Side Of 'Suburgatory' And 'Don't Trust The B----'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  97. ^ Peele, Anna (October 24, 2012). "'Happy Endings Is the New and Improved Community'". Esquire. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  98. ^ Katy Kroll (May 2, 2013). "Why You Should Be Watching 'Happy Endings'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  99. ^ Kimberly Potts (January 11, 2012). "Muppets, Bieber, "Skin" among Dorian award nominees". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 12, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  100. ^ a b c d e f g h "ull 2010-2011 TV Season Series Rankings – Deadline.com". Deadline.com. 27 May 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  101. ^ a b "Complete List Of 2011-12 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'NCIS' & 'Dancing With The Stars'". Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  102. ^ a b "Complete List Of 2011-12 Season TV Show Ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'The Voice' & 'Modern Family'". Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  103. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings". 23 May 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Happy Endings (TV series).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Happy_Endings_(TV_series)&oldid=1228807032"