Happy Endings (season 1)

Happy Endings season 1

DVD cover art
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 13
Release
Original network ABC
Original release April 13, 2011 (2011-04-13) – August 24, 2011 (2011-08-24)

The first season of Happy Endings, an American television series, premiered on April 13, 2011 and concluded on August 24 of the same year. ABC officially picked up the show on May 18, 2010, where it premiered on April as a mid-season replacement,[1] [2] with a one-hour premiere of two back-to-back episodes starting at 9:30 pm ET/PT. In the weeks that followed, the show continued to air back-to-back episodes that began airing at 10:00 pm ET/PT.[3]

Cast

Starring

Recurring

Notable guest stars

Episodes

No. in
series		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code		 U.S. viewers
(million)
11"Pilot"Anthony Russo & Joe RussoDavid CaspeApril 13, 2011 (2011-04-13)HE1017.30[4]
Alex suddenly leaves Dave at the altar on the day of their wedding, putting their group of friends (Brad, Jane, Penny and Max) in an awkward position of having to choose sides. All these problems come to a head at Penny's birthday party the following week.
22"The Quicksand Girlfriend"Jeff MelmanJosh BycelApril 13, 2011 (2011-04-13)HE1055.70[4]
Dave has a one night stand with a girl he met at a bar. Feeling bad about just blowing her off, he decides to call her the next morning. But things go awry when he finds himself in a new relationship and the girl constantly smothers him. Meanwhile, Jane tries to help Alex find a new roommate, and Penny decides to find herself a more stereotypical gay friend to hang out with.
33"Your Couples Friends & Neighbors"Fred SavageJosh BycelApril 20, 2011 (2011-04-20)HE1094.59[5]
Jane convinces Brad to try and befriend a more sophisticated married couple (Brett Gelman and Danielle Schneider); Max and Dave try to figure out why stuff has been disappearing from their apartment; Penny encourages Alex to start dating again after finding out that Dave has been doing the same.
44"Mein Coming Out"Jeff MelmanGail LernerApril 20, 2011 (2011-04-20)HE1083.86[5]
Max's parents (Alan Rachins and Caroline Aaron) come to visit and his friends try to convince him to finally come out to them, but he is afraid of how they will react; on a blind date, Penny meets the man of her dreams and later discovers he happens to have a rather infamous last name.
55"Like Father, Like Gun"Tristram ShapeeroDaniel Libman & Matthew LibmanApril 27, 2011 (2011-04-27)HE1125.17[6]
After a health scare, Brad's uptight dad (Damon Wayans) now has a new lease on life and just wants to have fun, which Brad is having a difficult time dealing with; Penny starts to date an attractive Italian, but she can only speak his language when she's drunk; Dave and Max have fun in their apartment with nerf dart guns.
66"Of Mice & Jazz-Kwon-Do"Troy MillerRob Kerkovich & Todd WaldmanMay 4, 2011 (2011-05-04)HE1073.88[7]
Dave helps Alex with a mouse problem; Penny regrets inviting overly-competitive Jane to her self-defense class; Brad tries to set Max up with a guy he knows from the office.
77"Dave of the Dead"Randall EinhornLeila StrachanMay 4, 2011 (2011-05-04)HE1043.26[7]
Dave talks about quitting his office job to start his own restaurant; Max and Jane compete in a series of challenges to determine who would survive a zombie apocalypse; Penny has trouble keeping up with her new hipster boyfriend.
88"The Girl with the David Tattoo"Jay ChandrasekharPrentice PennyMay 11, 2011 (2011-05-11)HE1114.18[8]
Dave and Alex regret their couples tattoos and decide to get them removed; Jane feels Max is missing out on a perfect date; Brad and Penny try to make things right with a waiter they accidentally had fired.
99"You've Got Male"Matt ShakmanLeila StrachanMay 11, 2011 (2011-05-11)HE1103.46[8]
Alex teams up with other small business owners to fight a chain coffee store that moves into the neighborhood, but things become complicated when Max finds out he's dating the store's owner (Max Greenfield); Dave is thrilled when his favorite high school teacher Alan (Rob Huebel) is back in town. But when Penny goes out on a date with Alan, she realizes he's not as perfect as he seems, but keeps the information a secret to avoid disappointing Dave; Brad and Jane make a bet to see who can get a job by using either their charm or being prepared.
1010"Bo Fight"
"I'll Be There for You"[9]		Joe RussoDavid CaspeMay 18, 2011 (2011-05-18)HE1023.70[10]
Alex's string of "girls' nights out" start to get on Penny's nerves; Max convinces Dave to track down and fight the man who ruined his wedding; Jane and Brad try to have a night out on the town.
1111"Barefoot Pedaler"Anthony RussoGail LernerMay 18, 2011 (2011-05-18)HE1033.10[10]
A concert outing goes awry because of Alex and Dave's constant bickering; Jane gets progressively drunker throughout the night; Penny is determined to get backstage to reunite with the band's lead singer (Nick Thune) who she dated years before.
1212"The Shershow Redemption"Lee Shallat-ChemelTodd Linden, Steve Basilone,
Annie Mebane & Sierra Teller Ornelas		May 25, 2011 (2011-05-25)HE1134.02[11]
Being invited to the wedding of old friend Shershow (T.J. Miller) creates unexpected consequences and feelings among the group. Brad and Jane discover unsettling news about their marital status; Alex agrees to act as Dave's wingman at the wedding; Penny pretends to be engaged to Derrick; Shershow's fiancé (June Diane Raphael) thinks that Alex is a "wedding jinx".
1313"Why Can't You Read Me?"Lee Shallat-ChemelPrentice PennyAugust 24, 2011 (2011-08-24)HE1062.98[12]
Alex and Jane's sibling rivalry heats up; Dave starts to date a Lacrosse coach (Bre Blair) who has an unusual quirk; Max and Brad start to worry that Penny's new office assistant (Gina Rodriduez) is taking advantage of her.

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.[13] 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.[14] Next to join the series was Casey Wilson as Penny, the group's desperate and single friend.[15] 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.[16][17] Elisha Cuthbert later joined the cast as Alex, Dave's ex-fiancé who leaves him at the altar.[18] Zachary Knighton was last actor to be cast as the newly single Dave.[19]

The pilot was ordered to series on May 13, 2010, as a mid-season entry in the 2010–11 United States network television schedule.[20]

ABC originally aired the episodes out of production order, affecting the continuity of the show. For example, Dave owns a food truck in the third episode to be aired, Your Couples Friends & Neighbors, though he doesn't get into the food truck business until the seventh episode to be aired, Dave of the Dead. The DVD release puts the episodes back into their intended order.[21]

Reception

Critical reception

The first season currently holds a 57 out of 100 rating from critics on Metacritic, which indicates mixed or average reviews.[22]

While initially criticized, being negatively compared to several similar "relationship sitcoms" that had premiered earlier in the season - Perfect Couples, Mad Love, Traffic Light and Friends with Benefits - all of which were canceled after one season.[23][24][25] The series also drew comparisons from the hit 1990s sitcom Friends.[26][27][28][29][30] However, as the season progressed, the reviews from critics became much warmer - with some admitting that it had grown on them and that it had improved since the pilot.[31][32]

U.S. Ratings

The show's first season averaged 4 million viewers and a 1.7 rating in the adults among the 18-49 age demographic.[33]

# Episode Original air date Timeslot (EST) Viewers
(millions)		 Ratings share
(Adults 18-49)
1 "Pilot" April 13, 2011 Wednesday 9:31PM 7.301[4] 2.8/7[4]
2 "The Quicksand Girlfriend" Wednesday 10PM 5.700[4] 2.3/6[4]
3 "Your Couples Friends & Neighbors" April 20, 2011 Wednesday 10PM 4.591[5] 1.8/5[5]
4 "Mein Coming Out Wednesday 10:30PM 3.875[5] 1.6/4[5]
5 "Like Father, Like Gun" April 27, 2011 Wednesday 10PM 5.169[6] 2.1/5[6]
6 "Of Mice & Jazz-Kwon-Do" May 4, 2011 3.88[7] 1.7/4[7]
7 "Dave of the Dead" Wednesday 10:30PM 3.26[7] 1.4/4[7]
8 "The Girl With the David Tattoo" May 11, 2011 Wednesday 10PM 4.178[8] 1.7/4[8]
9 "You've Got Male" Wednesday 10:30PM 3.463[8] 1.4/4[8]
10 "Bo Fight" May 18, 2011 Wednesday 10PM 3.70[10] 1.5/4[10]
11 "Barefoot Pedaler" Wednesday 10:30PM 3.10[10] 1.3/3[10]
12 "The Shershow Redemption" May 25, 2011 4.02[11] 1.7/4[11]
13 "Why Can't You Read Me?" August 24, 2011 Wednesday 9:30PM 2.98[12] 1.3/4[12]

DVD release

Happy Endings: The Complete First Season
Set details Special features[34]
  • Banana Republic Style Previews
    • The Girls of Happy Endings
    • The Guys of Happy Endings
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Outtakes
  • Mike Relm Remix
  • Mark Douglas Interview with Adam Pally and Casey Wilson
  • Parody Theme Song
Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
September 20, 2011 March 12, 2012 August 15, 2012[35]

References

  1. ↑ "Pursuit Of Happiness - Love & Happiness Tips". Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  2. ↑ "How To Reach The Happiness". Retrieved 5 April 1992. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ Gorman, Bill (December 6, 2010). "ABC's 'Mr. Sunshine' Will Bump 'Cougar Town'; Plus Dates For 'Happy Endings' & 'Off The Map'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Modern Family,' 'Happy Endings,' 'Survivor,' 'Criminal Minds,' 'Suspect Behavior' Adjusted Up; 'Breaking In,' 'Minute,' 'Shedding' Adjusted Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'The Middle,' 'Modern Family,' 'American Idol,' 'Survivor' Adjusted Up; 'Cougar Town' Adjusted Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Survivor,' 'Top Model,' 'Voice' Repeat Adjusted Up; 'Breaking In' Adjusted Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Survivor,' 'Modern Family,' 'Law & Order: SVU' Adjusted Up; 'Breaking In' Adjusted Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'The Middle' 'Better With You,' 'Modern Family,' 'Survivor' Adjusted Up; 'Breaking In,' 'Cougar Town' Adj. Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Listings - HAPPY ENDINGS on ABC". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Modern Family,' 'Law & Order: SVU' Adjusted Up; 'Happy Endings' Adj. Down". TVbytheNumbers.com. May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Modern Family' Adjusted Up; 'Law & Order: LA,' 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior' Adjusted Down - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.com. May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  12. 1 2 3 Seidman, Robert (August 25, 2011). "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'America's Got Talent,' 'Big Brother,' 'Primetime Nightline' Adjusted Up; 'Happy Endings' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers.com. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Development Update: Tuesday, January 19". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Friday, February 12". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Wednesday, February 24". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Wednesday, March 3". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Friday, March 5 (Part 2)". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Thursday, March 11". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Breaking News - Development Update: Tuesday, March 23". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Breaking News - Chuck, "V," Eight Pilots Make the Cut for 2010-11". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  21. ↑ http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/happyendings1.php
  22. ↑ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/happy-endings
  23. ↑ "'Happy Endings' review: Haven't we met before?". Zap2It.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Review: ABCs Happy Endings another lame relationship sitcom". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  25. ↑ Goodman, Tim (April 13, 2011). "Happy Endings: TV Review". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Q&A: 'Happy Endings' Creator Addresses 'Friends' Comparisons, the bin Laden Joke and Serializing Season 2". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  27. ↑ Lyons, Margaret. "Happy Endings: Wait, Which Friends Clone Is That Again?". Nymag.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  28. ↑ McDonough, Kevin (2011-04-13). "‘Happy Endings’ gives nod to ‘Friends’ formula". .ljworld.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  29. ↑ Ken Tucker (2011-04-13). "Happy Endings - Entertainment Weekly Review". Ew.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  30. ↑ "'Happy Endings': A real winner or cheap 'Friends' rip-off?". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 2011-04-13. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  31. ↑ "'Happy Endings' Season 2 is at the top of our TV wish list". Zap2It.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Review: A second opinion on ABCs Happy Endings". HitFix.com. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  33. ↑ http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/happy-endings-ratings-2011-2012/
  34. ↑ http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/51260/happy-endings/
  35. ↑ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/happy-endings-the-complete-1st-season/dp/6116019
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