Things That Concern Me: December 9, 2012: A Show Everyone Should Watch

Can you laugh at least one of these quotes?

"Ah yeah David, I did take a whore's bath, okay? I had a one night stand and didn't have time to shower. So did I rub some dryer sheets on my pits and throw some water on my hush at Au Bon Pain? Yes I did."

"Every group needs a Dave, like Dave Matthews band...yeah, like in Dave Matthews Band, Carter Beauford is the Dave!"

"Okay, so if I take Tuesday before Monday, I'll die instantly..."

"He's talking about his Batman and Throbbin'."

"You absolutely know where Michigan is, you were an extra in '8 Mile'."

"No I'm not pretending I'm pregnant anymore. This is not eighth grade gym class."

"Quaint. Isn't that the space between a gal's goal and her penalty box?"

“If you wanna know what else is gay go to www.whatisgay.biz. I tried to get .gov but it was taken.”

If you did, read on, it you can't get off my blog and out of my life.

I felt compelled to write this concern on the last month of my "Things That Concern Me" posts* after seeing an article that popped up on my daily Google Alerts, stating that Happy Endings is being pulled from ABC's March schedule in lieu of the Dancing With the Stars Result Show.  This information and action is, dare I say, blasphemous. I was consumed with the thought to write this, and when I get obsessed with something, I get OBSESSED.

*For those of you who don't pay attention to me (preposterous), in January of this year I decided to write a post a month on what concerns me at the moment.

I know, I know... I'm not well versed in the things that matter like foreign or domestic policy, the stock market, how babies are made, religion, and/or makeup.  Someone, somewhere, once said "everyone is good at something."  Whoever said that though, didn't specify that the "something" may or may not have huge value in society.  When I was a youngin' (holla back) in my exploratory mid-twenties and someone had asked me what my strengths and weaknesses were, I'd probably lie and look them in the eye and say "I care too much and work too hard." They would look at me, and then I would add "These qualities are a double edged sword, that is my answer for both."  Now, in my more wisdomness (yup) years, if asked, I would pull out the pre typed two page double spaced paper with my weaknesses listed and for my strengths, all I would say is "Pop culture." My dialogue partner would question me and ask "Pop culture?" I would smirk confidently and add, "Yes, specifically in the medium of television." 

With this being my strength, allowing me to "write what I know" here is my question to you. Why don't you watch Happy Endings, why? 

To the people who have no idea who I am, I'm a tolerant person, I hide my anger and annoyance deep inside my core, which in turn, makes me break out monumentally on my cheekbones and gives me thoughts that I couldn't even share with a dead puppy. So you know it's a huge deal when I share my anger with friends and strangers (if the two people who have read this blog in Greece are reading this, and you are Greek Gods, call me, comment me, tweet me, do whatever)

I'm not a conversation starter, but if I do start one it usually goes like this and I'm getting sick of it:

Me: Do you watch Happy Endings?
Stupid Person: No.

If I'm feeling frisky I get into this conversation, which equally sucks:

Me: Do you watch Happy Endings?

Friend, I don't know for how much longer though: No.

Me: Seriously?

Friend, I don't know for how much longer though: No, should I?

Me: Yes. It's hilarious.

If I was asked to describe Happy Endings without saying "oh, it's like a modern day Friends, but different", I'd probably say it has a dash of the depravity of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a pinch of the nothingness of Seinfeld, a pinch of the edited for network TV sex of Girls, and a dollop of the heart of Friends.

It's been almost nine years. The year was 2004. I was laying on my favorite couch in the whole entire world with puffy eyes because she had gotten off the plane and here I was, looking at the purple walled, empty apartment that I had been in every Thursday night for as long as I could remember, just kicking it my friends. It was my favorite situational comedy's last new episode ever. Friends was gone and it took me a while to get over that.  It made me realize that "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" wasn't just a line in a Joni Mitchell song.

In the years since then, TV comedy shows have come and gone and some are still around, but none held a candle in my mind to that which was Friends. Then 2011 approached, and a midseason replacement popped up. It didn't so much pop up though, because ABC was giving it plenty of promotion, I decided to tune into the pilot after Modern Family which seemed to be on track to becoming my second favorite TV show of all time. Things changed after that episode, around me, inside of me and everything that is connected to me. 

Since it was a midseason replacement there's always that feeling the network is trying to burn off the episodes they ordered and the show will never see the light of day again. While it was thoroughly compared to Friends, it changed into something completely original and hilarious, and the critics saw it. Viewership is still a little iffy, which I cannot understand maybe just as much as I can't understand when people give me directions using north, south, east and west (HOW DO YOU KNOW?!).  With that, for the past couple years, my stress and acne on my cheeks grow during renewal season, due to the fear of cancelation. And for once its not because of quality, it's because of quantity. 

What makes a TV show amazing is the acting AND the writing, its hard to have one without the other and have it thrive. The writing is quick witted, relevant, smart and hilarious.  The actors are equally the same. It's tough to have an ensemble and like each of the members, this show does it, with ease. They all bring something to the table that is relatable just like my dearest friends of the Friends cast did. I'll admit some characters (acting wise) took a while to grow on me, but now I'm in it to win it and have a seven some with all of them.  It is hard for me to comprehend why more people aren't watching it. If you have watched it and just couldn't get into it, fine, maybe give it one more chance, for me. If you still aren't a fan at least I know you tried and I will still continue to write happy birthday each year on your Facebook wall. If you have never seen it and you like comedy, check it out, it won't disappoint you.

Need to see some correlations?
Friends - at some point, during some storyline, you can relate to all of the characters

Seinfeld - episodes about nothing - i.e. someone gets a racist, anti Semitic, homophobe parrot 

IASIP - horrid things they do, often to each other - i.e. Max "Misery's" Penny, who is in a half body  cast so he can get with her physical therapist

Girls- sex- i.e Brad and Jane's heard but not seen kinky sex life

And this concludes 2012's "Things That Concern Me" Thanks for reading, loving and hating it. This is the only thing I've EVER followed through with in my life.  This is a huge accomplishment for me, bigger than when I lost my virginity and even bigger than when I signed on the dotted line for my very first "real adult" job that included a 401k, yes I love throwing out that I have a 401k (don't worry my change jar in my room accrues more money than that account). It feels good. I should try to do this "follow through" thing more.