Happy Endings - "The Code War"

Season 2, Episode 7

For the first time this season – and quite possibly the first time in the show’s run – Happy Endings crafted an episode that didn’t spin some of the characters out into the edges, but instead separated the group into two smaller groups. However, considering one of these groupings was just Brad and Jane, that left Alex, Dave, Max and Penny in another group, and I think it’s because of this that the episode faltered just a bit. With the show trying to have four characters have laughs from one story, and the lack of any crazy side gags, the show just wasn’t able to deliver the top notch tomfoolery that it normally does. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable all the same.

If I have to point out the main problem with the group of stories that I’ll call the A-plot, it’s that I don’t think we say enough of Angie (played by the hilarious Riki Lindhome, perhaps best own as one half of Garfunkel and Oates), especially considering that she was supposedly central to tonight’s storyline. I realize that she was probably just meant as a plot device, but it still would have been nice to see exactly why is was that Dave wanted to date her, or what made her so special that her presence would cause Max to get so upset.

But considering that the wake that she got lost under was Max and Dave’s Code War, it’s a bit more understandable. While I recognize that the Code War was just a series of jokes that had two friends act really mean to one another, it was also a series of gags that was just really funny. (My favorite was probably when Dave decided to start talking out the load-bearing post in their apartment, and the ensuing argument about the lease.) But even better, it lead to a surprisingly sweet moments towards the end where we learn just why Max is acting so pissy: It’s because Angie broke up with him, knowing that he was gay long before he did. It was not only a sweet moment, but perhaps the show’s best use of the fact that Max is a gay man, something that sometimes gets lost in the show’s more comedic moments.

(And okay, I recognize that Crazy Randy and his podcast, Meat ‘n’ Greet, technically counts as a side gag, but there wasn’t enough build to it, considering that there was only one scene with him it. You know what, I’m going to go ahead and go on record and say that I hope that the show brings him back. Because he was comic gold.)

Surprisingly, there seemed to be a role reversal among the ladies tonight, as Elisha Cuthbert somehow bested Casey Wilson to become the standout female performance of the night. A large part of that is no doubt due to the fact that Penny’s story here was essentially a one-note joke – that she can’t stop being “nice” to Max’s ex-girlfriend, who she says she irrationally hates – and it was a joke that didn’t even have some sort of ending/punch line. (And again, her weird passive-aggressive niceness might have made more sense if we got to see how it affected Angie, or if Angie stayed around long enough to explain why Penny was acting the way she was.) There was some nice resolution about how as Max’s first “gay girlfriend”, Penny holds a certain special place in his heart, but that’s small consolation for a weak story.

Of course, credit must go where it’s due: Cuthbert was just straight-up good in this episode. While I’ve railed against the show before for using someone that I haven’t found all that funny, in the past few episodes the show has really found her niche, and it’s in this sort of weird specific-stupidity, specifically in those areas that Alex has a soft spot for, like her pride and her loneliness. Case in point tonight, where, after expressing her disgust that no guy just wants to make out with her and go no further, Max’s kissing of her set off a sort of crush, as she had finally found such a man. It’s allows Alex to engage in stupidity for the sake of comedy, without being so stupid as to be unbelievable and/or offensive. (Seriously, I might have to start rethinking my listing of their performances.)

Tonight’s B-plot, which saw Jane and Brad struggle in their relationships with their work-spouses, was good for some laughs because Eliza Coupe and Damon Wayans, Jr. have great chemistry, but it sort of fell apart when they were at their respective offices. (Although that montage of all of Brad’s nicknames for Vanessa had me rolling.) That being said, I think this couple works best when they are allowed to interact with the rest of the group, and considering they had their own separate storyline in the previous episode as well, I’d hate for this to be a trend. Trust me; nobody wants them to become the Joel & Julia of this show. That’s a Parenthood reference, in case you didn’t know, and if you didn't, well, THEN WHY AREN’T YOU WATCHING? Shame on you.

Quotes, Etc:

That was Hayes McArthur playing Jane’s new work husband tonight, and that’s significant because he’s the second actor from Perfect Couples – following David Walton, who played the guy who thought Alex was a cross-dresser back in “Spooky Endings” – one of the many shows about 20-somethings dealing with love in the big city that premiered around the same time this past spring.

I wish I could have captured Brad’s entire “Oh know he didn’t” conversation with himself, but let’s just go ahead and say what we all are thinking: Line of the night.

“Penny, why are you talking out of the side of your mouth?” “Why are you talking out of the front of your mouth, weirdo?”

“Alex, don’t tell her your theory about how the perfect murder weapon is a knife that absorbs blood.” “It totally is.”

“What are you guys talking about?” “Water births. What happens to the water after the baby is born? Bottle it, sell it, make a million dollars.”

“I have two work husband, three work ex-boyfriends, one work dog and one work soccer.”

“Al, look at how he spells ‘come over’.” “I thought it was the European spelling.”

“Max, who once found a cricket in his mouth?” “The guy’s got mouth game.”

“Aww, two of my favorite people hanging out. It’s just like when Mike Meyers and Kanye West got together for hurricane disaster relief.”

“Oh my god. He’s kissing her like she has a penis.”

“Why is Angie trying to destroy our gang? She’s such a slut.” “She’s not a slut, Penny; we didn’t sleep together.” “She’s such a tease.” “Actually, she’s pretty cool.” “She’s such a bitch.”

“And then you told him you’re not a stranger to the three-hole punch.”

“Every time I try to draw genitals, it ends up looking like Brad Garrett.”

“Actually, I think he’s freaked out by you.” “So he is thinking about me…”

“Okay, don’t get all Mr. T on me.” “Ugh.”

“‘Shutting down the fallops. #Menopause.’ Not awkward at all.”

“If Harvey Milk could hear that…”

“I was wearing a hair net. No I wasn’t.”

“Whoa, that’s your bra, which is holding up your breasticles.”

“You look like Keri Russell after she ruined Felicity.” “You look like John McEnroe’s sister.” “You look like a huge lesbian.”

“You look you a Jonas uncle.”

“Temple Gradin!” “It’s Pat!”

“I was in love with her here, I was in love with you in here, but I was not in love you down here….talking about my penis.”