Happy!

Happy! is a remarkable convergence of comedy, tragedy, and crime that uniquely showcases the imaginative yet horrifying aspects of life. Broadcast by Syfy from 2017 to 2019, the show takes viewers on an unconventional journey through the twisted world of Nick Sax, an ex-cop turned delirious hitman. Based on a comic book series of the same name by writer Grant Morrison and artist Darick Robertson, Happy! unabashedly deviates from the typical crime drama genre with its inventive pairing of grim reality and unbridled fantasy.

The series opens with Nick Sax, who, despite his sardonic wit and ruthlessness, barely manages to keep his life from falling apart. Alcoholic, corrupt, and wallowing in despair, Sax is detached from his once promising career as a heroic detective, now earning a meek living as a hitman. When a job goes awfully wrong, Sax finds himself teetering on the edge of life and death only to be "saved" by an unlikely partner, Happy, a small, energetic, and outrageously optimistic, blue-winged unicorn-pegasus hybrid.

Happy, voiced by Patton Oswalt, is an animated creature hailing from an imaginary world. He's also the relentlessly cheerful imaginary friend of Hailey, a young girl who has been kidnapped by a deranged man dressed as Santa Claus. The unlikely pairing of gritty realism and whimsical fantasy culminates in a strange, chaotic, and entertaining partnership that drives the narrative of the series. Happy recruits Sax in his mission to save Hailey, pulling the dispirited hitman out of his self-imposed exile and into a twisted rescue mission that he cannot ignore.

The show thrives on its continually disorienting contrasts. It's not purely a crime drama or a black comedy or a fantasy sequence. It's a peculiar mix of all these genres that somehow come together to create a captivating narrative that keeps the audience hooked. The storyline is peppered with shocking revelations and unexpected turns, making the viewing experience a wild roller coaster ride of emotions.

Underneath its chaos and mayhem, Happy! is a story about salvation and redemption. It explores Sax's fall from grace and his arduous journey towards reclaiming his lost ethics. The rekindling of his purpose and the will to fight against the most heinous criminals offers viewers a glimpse of the complexities of human courage and persistence. Happy, for all his seemingly irritating cheerfulness, represents hope and innocence in a world turning too dark too soon.

The show's aesthetic shifts smoothly from the grittiness of the real world to the color-drenched palette of Happy's imaginary world, emphasizing its duality. The lurid New York setting is an accurate reflection of the grim and unsanitized corners of the city, where Sax mostly operates. Christopher Meloni, who portrays Nick Sax, delves into the complexities of his character with a finely tuned balance of humor, anguish, and resilience. Simultaneously, Patton Oswalt lends his voice to Happy, whose relentless optimism and innocence provide comic relief, offering a glimmer of levity amid the grim narrative. These two deliver outstanding performances that carry the series through its most intense, absurd, and dark moments.

Aside from the main characters, the show is populated with a host of intriguing characters, each carrying their fair share of secrets and oddities. The deeply flawed yet compelling nature of these characters adds a layer of authenticity to the blending of reality and absurdity that is so central to the series.

Happy! is not a show for everyone. It takes risks, pushes boundaries, and blends genres in an unapologetically absurd way. However, for viewers who appreciate unconventional narratives and can stomach a series where violence and absurdity coexist with innocence and optimism, Happy! may just be a hidden gem. Amid its chaos and insanity, the series delivers profound reflections on life, humanity, and the ongoing struggle for redemption— all while challenging the perception of what a TV show can be.