10 Times Happy! Went Too Far
The strangest show on TV really pushed things...
Throughout the years, especially this past decade, television shows have been pushing the boundaries of what can be broadcasted to a wider audience. Years ago, back in the ‘70s or ‘80s, you would never see the violence of Game of Thrones, the despicableness of It Always Sunny In Philadelphia or even the complexity of Westworld airing during primetime.
Around this time, the most shocking thing you’d probably see is Sam or Diane trying to work through their differences in Cheers or see the latest mystery unfolding in Columbo. Not that the shows from decades ago weren’t good in their own respects, but with the constantly changing technological developments, television today is becoming more and more of an experiment of what people can tolerate.
Happy! was one of those experiments. Running for two seasons before being canceled by the Syfy Channel in 2019, the show followed ex-cop and hitman Nick Sax on the hunt to stop a child kidnapping ring with the help of an imaginary friend named Happy. Seems like a pretty interesting idea for show, almost like a crime-procedural show but with a fantasy twist. However, this show was easily one of the most insane TV experiences on the past decade, constantly jumping the over the line of insanity and sanity like Super Mario.
The question still remains unanswered, “Was it a welcomed experiment, or a failed experiment?” Warning, major spoilers are ahead for the whole series.
10. The Opening Scene
First impressions are often very important for TV shows, the first episode determines whether or not viewers will stay in invested in what the rest of the episode will give. So, obviously, the pilot episode really needs to make an impression.
It opens with calming Christmas jingle, setting the mood and time until suddenly it cuts to Nick Sax coughing up blood in a urinal. If that wasn’t bizarre enough, without any dialogue, he simply stares into his own reflection in the mirror, possibly contemplating his own mortality; takes a deep breath and shoots himself in the head.
Suddenly, blood is spurting from his head like a fountain, the bathroom turns into a disco scene and Sax is dancing with some go-go girls. After a few dabs, Sax finally snaps back to reality and goes back to the bar for another drink. Don’t worry, it only gets crazier from here.