HAPPYish is a series that started out on a sad note. When Showtime picked up the series, it was starring Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was going to be Thom Payne, a depressed advertising executive who is losing touch with reality as he approaches what might be the end of his career at the old age at 44. He’s fighting for survival in the bitter jungle of Manhattan. His job is to make people feel happy about commercial products. Yet he can barely contain his contempt for life, humanity and God. However Hoffman never got beyond the pilot since he overdosed and died. After a massive search, the producers signed Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People). He was one a career rebound with The Trip and Philomena. HAPPYish: Season One showed that Coogan could uplift a depressing project without making overly cheerful.
Payne seems like he ought to be happy. He’s got an artistic wife (Parks and Recreation‘s Kathryn Hahn), smart son and a nice house in Woodstock. He’s a major player at a leading advertising firm. He should be happy. But he isn’t. His antidepressant prescription has killed his libido. His company is being run by a pair of Swedes who are old enough to bully his son on on the school bus. His animated product pitchman are tormenting his dreams. He’s struggling to survive emotionally. He is a creature of pure contempt for the world especially the manipulative advertising world. This adds to the comedy since there’s no telling how the clients will react. Are they in on the joke or too deep in the joke to know it’s not good to be impressed. How would you expect the Coca-Cola executives to react when handed a copy of a Nazi’s guide to branding?
Even thought Mad Men was a rather depressing show, there was a swagger in the attitude. Of course Don and his crew didn’t have to worry about being dumped for a bunch of egotistical straight out of college kids. The fear of being declared too old to play on Madison Avenue lurks behind every office day. Hired today and obsolete tomorrow builds the self loathing found in Coogan’s day. He does have a fearful compatriot in his boss Jonathan Cooke (Bradley Whitford). He fears the young Swedes are going to get him locked out of the executive bathroom.
The best part of the show are the flights of fancy. The Keebler elves become human and rather sad. Who could imagine Ernie the Elf putting a shotgun in his mouth? There’s a visit from the annoying Geico Gecko. The best episode is when adult star James Deen (of that Teen Mom‘s non-MTV production) explains how his line of work relates to Payne’s business day. They also explore the tyranny of Frozen that any parent of a six year old can embrace. There’s an amazing spoof of “Let It Go” which pushes Lexapro pills.
Sadly after these 10 episodes, Showtime canceled the show. If nobody tells Coogan that HAPPYish was canned, he’d probably think it’s extremely successful. Why? Because in England, 10 episodes is practically Gunsmoke meets NCIS. There is a happy side to HAPPYish. HAPPYish will make you smile from start to finish with the warped saga of Payne. The final episode doesn’t stick us with a cliffhanger. In a way, this is an amazing five hour movie broken up into 10 segments.
The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The transfers bring out the clash of urban Manhattan and the rustic Woodstock locations. Audio is 5.1 Surround Sound that brings out the insanity of the advertising office. There’s also a Spanish dub. The episodes are Closed Captioned.
No bonus features.
HAPPYish demands you be happy knowing they were able to make 10 episodes. Coogan and cast make sure the bleak tones are elevated with dark humor. Where else can you laugh at a cookie elf with a shotgun.
CBS DVD presents HAPPYish: Season One. Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Steve Coogan, Bradley Whitford and Carrie Preston. Boxset Contents: 10 Episodes on 2 DVDs. Released: October 6, 2015.
