Quick Thoughts: HAPPY ENDINGS, "Cocktails and Dreams"

Grant made his return to Happy Endings, and this time I didn't cringe at the thought of it. That's probably because he was relegated to scenes with just Max while the rest of the gang had sex dreams about Dave. Yup, this episode was as funny as it sounds.

By far the highlights were the sex dreams that everyone was having about Dave and how they reacted to them. Damon Wayans, Jr. once again proved that he's a comic genius and the show's MVP as he tried to repress his feelings for Dave. Sure, he may have come off a little bit too homophobic for my tastes, but it also came off as a bit of denial. Now, I'm not saying that Brad's gay, but there's some serious guy love going on between him, Dave and Max. What was even better than Brad's overcompensation was Penny's subtle admission that she may in fact have feelings for Dave. I'll admit that my Penny/Dave shipper tendencies might be taking over, but her dream had nothing to do with sex, and she didn't stop drinking when they figured out that was the source of the naughtiness. She even said it herself, her dream tapped into her subconscious desires, so she either likes Dave or she wants to marry a lumberjack.

Max's B-plot was probably the weakest of the night because it was the most sitcom-y. How many times have we seen the seemingly perfect couple break-up because the people involved wanted two different things? Honestly, it was kind of insulting how cliche this storyline was, but Max was able to get in some decent jokes, and I do have a hetero-sexual man-crush on James Wolk, so I guess I can give this one a pass. I just thought this show was better than having to rely on such a worn out trope, but I suppose you have to go with what works.

Alex's obsession with her cleanse, and her transformation into a hippie vegan was a little flimsy, but Elisha Cuthbert looked so cute in her flowerchild get up, so it wasn't a total loss. Plus, we got to see her chowing down on her now trademarked ribs. One thing that I don't think this show gets enough credit for is its arsenal of callbacks. Happy Endings may not be as serialized as How I Met Your Mother, but there are so many Easter eggs for those who really pay attention.

The only major gripe I had with "Cocktails and Dreams" was the twist ending involving Alex and Dave. A few weeks ago, I probably would have been all for these two being paired up again, but I think that Dave and Penny could make for a more interesting couple. Hopefully, the fact that they fell into bed together will force Penny to confront her feelings for him. The thing is, this show doesn't need a "will they, won't they" hook to be entertaining, so I'd be OK if neither one of these combinations happen.

Lines of the Night:

• "I call it the boxer thong. Business in the front, party in your rear."
• "Bitch, it is 5:30!"
• Dave: "What is that smell?"
  Brad: "It's my Bush. New fragrance by Kyle Bush"
• "I will have you know that these are not pajama jeans. These are pajoveralls."
• "You don't get to touch me."
• "OK, this isn't easy for us to say, but I'm not actually black. This is just a giant mole."
• Jane: "Mine was like the scene in Varsity Blues, but instead of winning the district championship, Dave had sex with me repeatedly."
  Penny: "How is that like Varsity Blues?"
  Jane: "Jon Voight was coaching us."
• "Do you guys realize what's happening? Dave is Freddy Kreugering us in our dreams with sex."
• "That's exactly why we're acting weird. You nailed me...it."
• Max: "Well, my life is in shambles."
  Penny: "Whoa, whoa Max. Hold your horses."
  Max: "Why?"
  Penny: "Because there's syrup all over the floor, and those look nice."
• "Floor bacon!"
• "This morning, I didn't want fritatas, and now if you told me I could never have one again, I'd kill you in cold blood. Assassin style."
• "Penny, judgments are the gluten of thoughts."

With the exception of a few old fashioned sitcom tricks, "Cocktail and Dreams" was a solid episode of Happy Endings, and the laughs were pretty much non-stop. I'll say it again, when this show's on, it's one of the best comedies on TV.