Happy’s Place season 1 episode 17 “The Doctor is Out” was probably the first time that I’ve burst into tears watching this show. It’s a comedy. You don’t expect to burst into tears. Maybe a little crying here or there because family feels. But there was something so raw and honest about Steve’s portrayal of OCD in “The Doctor is Out,” that I couldn’t help connecting with him on a deeper level. Also, it was an unexpected connection that I don’t know if the show would do justice to.
Mental health is often treated as a joke when it comes to TV or film. They are little quirks that are given to characters to make them stand out. And not often do we actually explore where those quirks come from and how they shape people’s lives. Happy’s Place has precariously balanced between humor and seriousness when it comes to Steve’s OCD. It has led to some hijinks that I’ve admittedly laughed at. But there are also small and tender moments like in Happy’s Place season 1 episode 16 “Whiskey Business.” In that episode we saw Takoda putting down a rag or towel so Steve didn’t have to sit on the crate. And it’s because Takoda knew that Steve had OCD and cared. He didn’t make a big deal out of it. He just did it. It was normal.
Happy’s Place season 1 episode 17 “The Doctor is Out” they acknowledge Steve’s OCD gently at first. Isabella commented about making sure they are cognizant of the kind of language they use when talking about Steve’s mental health issues. And I was lured into this false sense of security that Happy’s Place was using Steve not wanting to go to therapy anymore as just another hijinks storyline. It wasn’t until the end where everything fell into place that I realized I’ve been in Steve’s shoes.
Mental health issues are taxing on every relationship you have and everything you do in your life. And even if you start going to therapy and you take medicine, there does come this point where you wonder when is it going to end? When am I finally going to get better to the point where I don’t need to go to therapy anymore? And it’s kind of devastating to realize that sometimes the mental health issues that we have, they are a forever kind of thing. They don’t just go away. And Steve went through that in Happy’s Place season 1 episode 17 “The Doctor is Out.”
At the end of the episode, Pablo Castelblanco broke my heart when he was talking to Bobbie about wanting to be normal. And I really like that Bobbie gave him perspective on there not being a normal. We’re just trying our best and some people are better at hiding than others that they’re not okay. Also, when it comes to our mental health, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s this single episode that puts into perspective Steve’s character in a way that I never expected to happen. That right there is smart writing that makes me want to go back and start Happy’s Place from the beginning to see if I can experience Steve with new eyes. That’s creating a dedicated viewer.
Comedy often gets a bad wrap when it comes to exploring serious topics. But in my experience, comedy is one of the best places to have nuanced conversations about different things. And Happy’s Place “The Doctor is Out” proves that by giving us a little bit more insight into Steve and how his OCD eats at him everyday. They also proved it during Happy’s Place season 1 episode 5 “Ladies Night” when Gabby’s wanted to have a baby while being older and single. And they also proved it in Happy’s Place season 1 episode 15 “Sisters Ink” when Christopher Rich returned and his real life disability was part of the plot. Comedy is a vehicle for opening people’s minds and Happy’s Place really has grasped that concept in a way that I need to see more. So yes, please give me seasons 2, 3, 4 of this show. Because if this is how they start, imagine where they can go?
Happy’s Place airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.
