Holiday episodes are weird. On a show like Happy Endings, you have to ask the audience to suspend disbelief a little in order to get everyone together for a big Thanksgiving dinner where goofy hijinks take place. In the “real world” (as opposed to The Real World, which we will get to momentarily) it would be a little unlikely no one in a late-20s, early-30s group of friends would go home to spend the day with their family. This leaves you with two options: You can either try to explain the situation (“My parents are going to Hawaii without me! You guys are my real family!”), or, alternatively, you can just say screw it, sit them all around a table with a sex swing at one end, and let it ride reality-be-damned. I prefer the latter. Especially if it involves one of the characters standing the turkey up and making it pop and lock.
And now, the highlights:
- Do I love that all the characters met on an unaired season of The Real World? Yes. Do I love that Brad had dreads and Max did a confessional where he said of his then-current relationship with Penny, “There’s so much sex…and it’s all hetero”? Also yes. Do I plan on continuing to ask myself questions to bring these points up? Maybe.
- Brad did not like Jane at first, mostly because she was a total hot tub bummer. Although maybe that’s a little unfair. We all know they edit those shows to make you seem like a jerk when you really just love your wife.
- Max came out of the closet on television with his mouth full of food, and the subtitles said “I’m Greg” instead of “I’m gay.” This pleases me.
- I could have watched Max and Brad argue about the dishes for a solid 5-10 minutes. They are easily my favorite pairing on the show at this point.
- RELATED-ish: Here is the cast of Happy Endings ranked in order from most-to-least likely to become a bankable movie star: Damon Wayans, Jr., Adam Pally, Elisha Cuthbert/Eliza Coupe (tie), Casey Wilson, Zachary Knighton.
- We officially have a Dave problem. I tried very hard to give a single crap about any of the Native American-style atrocities that happened to him during the episode, and I just couldn’t do it. The only thing he brought to the table all night was the line “I am going to use this as an opportunity to educate — perhaps enlighten — all you white people, and throw an authentic Thanksgiving,” because it led to this…
- Personally, I prefer “Jerkovich” to “Kerkobitch.” You are welcome to disagree with me on this point. You will be wrong, but you are allowed to be wrong if you want. This is America, after all.
- The Battle for My Heart between Alex and Jane rages on: On one hand, Alex has to eat every 20 minutes or she gets lightheaded, takes naps with her eyes wide open, and was responsible for the aforementioned turkey dance. On the other hand, Jane is an insane person who brought a fully brined and cooked turkey to someone’s Thanksgiving dinner, and instructed her husband to wrap the other one in a rug and throw it in the river. HOW CAN ONE POSSIBLY CHOOSE?
- Note: There was a “Hologram Hall & Oates” joke in last week’s episode and I somehow neglected to mention it in the recap. I have been furious about it ever since. I apologize.
Feel free to leave your favorite moments and quotes in the comments. We’ll close out with this quote from Penny. I concur wholeheartedly.
Collect all the Happy Endings badges!
The more Happy Endings related content you read, discuss, and share on Facebook or Twitter, the faster you earn the best show moments in badge form. First Up: "Drunk Ribs". More details
How To unlock:
Log into UPROXX or create an account and participate.
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/happy-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/suck-150x150.gif)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/Cast-Happy-Endings-e1367606722909-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/04/tumblr_me6dqtlmZF1qdb1ik-e1360849777370-150x150.gif)
I want to eat Jane’s turkey.
give me my badge!
I’ve been thinking it was “Skanksgiving” this whole time like The Ladies Man on SNL.
Also, anyone else remember in a previous episode when they referred to Jane and Brad meeting at a concert (or something like that) and he was the only black guy there? Am I remembering that incorrectly? It’s kinda driving me crazy.
Jane stefani.
The part with the cat hair on the blanket had me on the floor.
This was a very good episode.
Also, DG, I love your posts so much. Good work.
Dave is awesome, they’ve been working on his character and he plays a great straight man to the rest of the group while diving into some great quirks. They’re all awesome. Just, some are more awesome.
Last week’s Doctor Style line killed me.
I actually thought his plot was pretty funny.
I think they’re finally figuring out what to do with him, and I love it.
Agree on Dave’s plot being great (and Danger being flat wrong).
The parallels they drew between his story and various native american tragedies were really clever – not too literal, lots of subtleties.
We also learned that he wanted the gang to call him Lindsay at one point – similar to how he previously wanted to change his name to Dustin. He’s sort of a more handsome version of Andre from the League.
I liked when the whole group thought he was there (Max: “I could have sworn he just handed me this beer”) and the whole time he was getting Navajo’d. That was great.
Dave’s, “TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS, DAAAAAAAVE!” was pretty great
Yes! This cracked me up as well.
Some people only look at 15/16ths of a man.
Why am I unable to even stay awake until 9:30 to watch this show when it airs? It is PAINFUL trying to make it through a Wednesday at work so I can get home and watch on my DVR.
Dave is basically just Ross/Ted Mosby.
Alex in that top HOOAHH
Alex was this week’s secret MVP.
“… And where I had berries for the first time. O-ver-at-ed!”
The Alex sweater puppies or Jane’s washboard abs. Who ya got?
sweater puppies. all day
That shirt was glorious.
Puppies – I think Coupe has a bit of an outtie. Still would pay 1/2 my lifetime earnings to be near it though.
amahzeng puppies
I agree that Dave is the weakest character on the show but his “I’m 1/16th Navajo” running gag is really funny.
Alex eyes wide open napping!
I wonder if the writers wanted to use “Jerkobitch” but couldn’t get it pass the censors.
Best comedy on TV right now.
I knew that “white people” line would become a gif.
Same with the pop-locking turkey.
This post could use more gifs. Specifically, open eye sleeping, multi-panel dish washing argument, Alex in the sex swing, swapping turkeys, and pinky Jane.
In my mind this entire episode was a salute to Mission Hill and there is nothing anybody can say to change my mind
Kind of felt that through the Dave segments. Also, I miss Undergrads so thanks for your profile pic.
Oooh nice association.
I’m gonna have to go with Jerkovitch. Also, Brad needs to bring back the dreads.
Unfortunately, people who sleep with their eyes open do not look that adorable. Their eyes are usually rolled back and they look like they are having a seizure.
What about the drool?
My roommate freshman year would sleep with his eyes open and sometimes leave the lights on. So I’d stroll in to the room and start talking to him get halfway through what I was saying and then realize he was asleep.
I just love how self aware the show is:
On the “Real World” being how the group came together:
Penny: “Isn’t odd that our foursome was forged on the ‘Real Word’ and yet we never talk about it?”
Alex: “Classic Penny overthink”
Also I don’t know how many of you stay on of “Don’t Trust The B” but…
Chloe: “We’re just going to go in for…a quick 9 hours max”
June: “9 Hours?!?! That is going to bleed into black Friday!”
Chloe: “June, you can have sex with black men any day of the week”
The writing on both shows is great.
I liked the premise of the 5 awesome ones hanging out completely oblivious to the fact that Dave was nowhere to be seen and isolated from them almost the entire episode. And there is no wrong answer to Jane or Alex?
dat sweater….
Alex’s shirt… something we can all be thankful for.
Well played, and Amen to that.
There really are worse things than seeing Elisha Cuthbert forcing a naked turkey to dance.
I very much approve of pink haired Jane and Alex’s sweater. As others have said, Dave getting arrested for scalping saved his bit. Also liked how most of the group never realized that Dave was gone most of the day.
WHOA FREE HAIRCUTS.
Blind posting, hoping for gifs of:
-Brad’s karate chop
-guy stroking the cat
-Alex’s open eye nap drooling
Aw… Also, I absolutely love that not only did they all meet on real world, the lampshaded the fact that it’s never been brought up before now.
How did Dave get the clams back? Did he pick them all up after he was arrested? I can only suspend disbelief by so much!
The bag the clams was in was different, I had meant to go back and see if it was an evidence bag- seems like an obvious gag.
That’s true, I’ll just rewatch it tonight.
Were Dave’s concert tickets in his pants pockets, because I thought that he pulled them out of the blanket when he was going to scalp them.
Dave: None of your ancesters were at the original thanksgiving.
Jane: Neither were the Navahoes.
Dave: One of our many snubs.
Hilarious.
The whole opening was awesome, I loved the continuity of Dave’s ancestors being brought up again.
Alex: “Ooh, fun factoid: At the time of the first Thanksgiving, our Serbian Ancestors were having a Thanksgiving of their own. They were thanking God for sparing them from the wolves while giving each other the plaque. That fact wasn’t a fun fact was it?”
Dave: “No. You’ll get ‘em next time, kid.”
Brad: “She will not.”
Well good mownin’ mister Brad, well ‘ellow mister wiener. Were ‘we aimin’ at this mownin’ mister Brad?
When Brad said “Kerkobitch,” I loudly gave a SinBrad-like “AWWWWW SNAP!!” The show has incepted me.
THAT’S SO WHACK YOUR FIRST NAME SHOULD BE KNICK KNACK PATTY.
^ best line ever
Is it me or is Alex’s breast getting bigger and bigger.
/not complaining.
Which one?
the right one if you know what I mean. which I don´t.
“Daaave… trust your instincts…! Apparently Dave’s native American instincts are to trust all white people and accept cat hair blankets. He’s has always been my least favorite character on the show, but last night earned his some points.
P.S. We watching stuff… I love watching stuff
I’m also going to be using Vanilla Sky as an excuse for all my bad behavior between 2002 and 2003 that will inevitably come back to haunt me.
He’s such a Ross.
This episode felt like one of the Friends Thanksgiving episodes where we see some of them meeting with unfortunate accidents (Monica cutting off Chandler’s toe ect..)
It would be remiss to acknowledge the Friends influence on this show.
Casey Wilson > Elisha Cuthbert and Eliza Coupe, Team Brunette, y’all
I don’t think any of them are a bad choice. Except maybe Jane, one mess up and you could end up in the rug with the turkey
TeamPenny
Every week I think about it and every week I decide that I’d sleep with 5/6 of the cast members.
mrejr8234, I agree with everything you said, accept none of it.
I’ll go with Jerkovitch. And Alex’s sweater. Dear lord.
That sweater has the greatest chance of becoming a major movie star.
Elisha Cuthbert didn’t become a star after her rack was featured in The Girl Next Door, and her ass was featured in Old School. Its going to take full frontal to get her to the next level.
I accept this.
Also, full penetration.
I thought the Dave storyline was weak when i watched the episode last night, but now that I’m actually thinking about it…. he goes out in his native american jacket, gets his car stolen by pilgrims, has to barter said jacket for clams and a diseased blanket, and then gets arrested for scalping……….. the whole thing is delightfully absurd.
I thought most of it was weak, but being arrested for scalping saved it.
I thought this was one of his best story-lines.
I’m OK with the over-the-top douchiness if it’s counter-balanced by unfortunate things happening to him. I thought last night was a success thanks in large part to cat hair.
They may be trying a little too hard to Ross him though.
feelin’ like alex right now. the scalping thing went completely over my head until now.
I didn’t get the scalping thing until now either, Leary. Yeesh.
I thought Dave’s story line was under the radar funny.
Getting his car stolen by pilgrims, trading for clams,scalping….funny stuff.
The only thing more absurd would be if he got arrested for scalping clams.
giggity
The scalping thing went over my head till now as well. Probably because I got to too many concerts and don’t know my American history.
CLAMS!
Thanks to Jane Stefani and Alex’s tank-sweater…I don’t really remember much else from the episode. Guess I’ll have to rewatch it…300 times.