A little part of every '90s nostalgic cried when the cast of Friends walked out the door of that apartment we had grown to know so well. No more crazy New York City antics, no more Ross-and-Rachel drama; what could again fill the ensemble-comedy hole of the millennial 20-somethings? After a seven-year void, along comes Happy Endings.
The show, set amid the equally chaotic urban background of Chicago, compiles a cast similar to the one of Friends but different in all the right ways. With its own endearing repertoire of words - including 'staycations' and 'steaktanics' - and crazy scenarios which are equal parts silly and sweet, the show tells the story of six friends attempting to make it in the real world.
The script is undeniably funny and includes plenty of fast, witty banter; eventually, we come to know these characters, share in their stupidity and smile at their successes. The show's first season, which began with the premise of Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) leaving Dave (Zachary Knighton) hanging at the altar, received lukewarm responses from critics. Still, ABC held high hopes for the new show and it returned in the fall with a Modern Family lead-in and an enthusiastic fan base. Its newfound success can most obviously be credited to its seamless cast, which has somehow both recaptured and updated the perfect chemistry of the Friends ensemble.
In these characters we see the loveable do-nothing Max (Adam Pally), who is so much like Joey, as well as the corporate comedian Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), the image of Chandler. Yet, the tone is almost deliberately modern in making these comparisons. The nonchalant inclusion of gay culture and an interracial couple sets the show apart from the admittedly white-bread Friends troupe. More importantly, these elements don't come across as gimmicks or as pushing some aggressive diversity agenda, but rather as a natural portrayal of modern America.
The cast proves so ingratiating that I suspend my disbelief at the idea of these incredibly different characters becoming best friends - of the males, one is a CEO, one is a food-truck entrepreneur and one is a flamboyant limo driver. The feat is especially noteworthy in a season of flat comedies and stale scripts. There are times when Happy Endings comes dangerously close to those fatal sitcom clich
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