Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 4: “More Like Stanksgiving”
Written by Leila Strachan
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Airs Tuesdays at 9pm ET on ABC
Thanksgiving is in the house! That’s what this week’s episode of “Happy Endings” is all about. It’s nice to see them actually tackle the Thanksgiving holiday this season, especially since last season they dedicated an entire episode to Halloween and Christmas but forgot that good old turkey.
This episode is a nice change in pace in the fact that for the most part it has all six characters together; well, make that five- Dave is actually off trying to get clams for the group so that he can give them a perfect Navajo Thanksgiving.
The main centerpiece of the episode is a video that Max brings which is the “lost” season of Real World that he and Brad were on together. And it’s also when Brad ended up meeting the entire group. Let’s just say that Jane and his first meeting was not the ideal love story that you might have thought. The video ends up revealing that Brad was not Jane’s biggest fan the first time they met and he ended up calling her a name that Jane definitely doesn’t approve of. This in turn, of course, causes an argument and fight between the two of them. That doesn’t stop the group though- they continue watching the video to discover Penny (with a fantastic “Rachel” styled hair cut) somewhat admitting her feelings for Dave, which makes Alex second guess several of the things that Penny had said to her earlier in the day. After the video reveals several secrets to the entire gang they all turn to Dave to ask him what his opinion is and come to discover that Dave hasn’t been with them pretty much the entire time (poor Dave!).
All in all the episode definitely brings in the laughs and it’s a great Thanksgiving episode to enter into the books. However, that being said, there are a few things that unfortunately are more than likely going to get compared to another television show with six friends. It seems like in all of the Friends Thanksgiving episodes some big revelation comes into play, especially when all of them are together. The video portion of this episode has a little too much déjà vu. Granted there are always going to be things that get compared to other television shows, but this is the first episode that has a Friends vibe to it, and it’s not just because Penny rocks the Rachel.
That being said, the cast does phenomenally with what they are given and continue to impress and raise the stakes higher for the coming weeks. Highlights include Alex making the turkey dance, Jane switching out the turkey, and Penny and Max dating on the video. It is true, absurd craziness that we have come to expect from this band of misfits. Now keeping all that in mind, the MVP of the Week is actually Dave for the first time. Zachary Knighton actually has a chance to shine, since he is away from the cast the entire episode. His story line is absolutely hilarious and for once Knighton isn’t playing the straight man to the others. He is on his own and clearly having a ball. From being robbed by pilgrims to bartering for clams and ultimately being arrested for scalping in front of a police station, Dave definitely has an interesting Thanksgiving Day.
While there might have been some déjà vu, this episode definitely still brings in the great old turkey day with a bang. And as usual the crazy, brilliantly ah-mah-zing writers have us wanting to go back for a second helping. So until next time, enjoy a fun filled turkey dinner with Happy Endings and don’t forget the clamps…I mean, clams!
Josh Bouye