Happy’s Place season 1 episode 9 “Emcee Squared” continues to deal with the aftermath of the death of Happy. And it’s something that I feel really grounds in the show. Because change and healing can be seen within all of these characters. But the grief and missing of someone presents itself in many unexpected ways. In “Emcee Squared” it presented itself in the form of Bobbie and the gang trying to figure out who was going to host the roast of the bar patrons. Along the way, Bobbie and Gabby did lose themselves. Isabella and Steven too. But watching them go through a journey in this episode was well worth it.
At the beginning of “Emcee Squared,” Bobbie and Gabby are clearly gunning for this MC spot for different reasons. Bobbie wants to follow in the footsteps of her father and honor him by taking on his mantle. And Gabby is doing what she always does. She’s trying to prove her place in Happy’s Place. A part of me feels like this is a bit repetitive. But if I look at myself, it took me years to feel like I deserved to be in certain spaces, even with family. And the death of Happy definitely shook things up for Gabby. Thrown on top of that Isabella coming around, and this is going to be a journey for Gabby. When you take both of these individual motivations and put them together, you have a recipe for disaster.
Happy’s Place of course balances out these very heavy topics by having hilarious moments with moments like Gabby’s dialogue with Takoda in the kitchen about their friendship and loyalty. There’s also the standoff between Isabella and Steve where they bet on things that would make the other uncomfortable. Those moments lighten the load for the ones watching at home and show how these people are dealing with the loss of Happy. Because it is a lot of sadness. But there is a lot of laughter along the way. We also remember the good. Right now everyone in Happy’s Place is trying to remember the good while making an entertaining mess.
While this episode is focused more on Bobbie and Gabby, Isabella doesn’t disappear either. She is the third lead of the series and she continues to hold her own against these comedy giants. Her comedic beats are on point, she gives herself completely to the process of it all, and makes you genuinely forget that you’re watching a show. Isabella feels like a friend you would know who just got out of college and is trying to find her place in the world. She’s relatable and she’s real. And in “Emcee Squared” you get to see her continue to work on her relationship with Bobbie by helping her with her lines. We also saw her deepening bond with Steve, who is probably closer to her age but that she consistently butts heads with.
By the end, it was a smart decision to have Emmett chose Bobbie and Gabby to do this together. It shows that they’re a package deal when it comes to Happy’s Place. Also that they complement each other in a way that will never replace Happy. But in a way that will continue on his legacy and keep everyone involved. Because yes, Bobbie and Isabella are mourning their father. But the rest of the gang is also mourning their friend and confidant. No one has left behind when it comes to their grief. Their grief is respected and they’re importance to the show, not just in the past, but in the present as they try to live without Happy but also for him.
Happy’s Place airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.
