if you like this, you'll LOVE that! (by brooke, lauren's mind twin)

Hello, sevengrayfall friends, it's Brooke,  Lauren's mind twin. As she mentioned, we think creepily alike, so I thought it was only fitting to do a post that compares two other things that are similar. You know those Amazon sales tactics, or DVR programs (I wouldn't know, as I am sticking strong with On Demand) that kindly recommend "If you like Toddlers and Tiaras, you'll love Wife Swap!? I'd like to think if you like Lauren, maybe you would find me tolerable. And on that note, if you like either one of us, you might love the shows we love. It's a big, happy, like-minded circle!

Since Friends is now in full comeback mode on Nick at Nite (10 pm CT EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK!), I've regressed pretty much all the way back into my junior year of college obsessive state. But what's this? Not only can I watch my previous love every night of the week, but I've found a new love (a zero-calorie true love....does anyone else despise that commercial?) on Wednesday nights that is eerily reminiscent of those six pals living in a ridiculously charming and way-out-of-their-price range set of apartments. It's called Happy Endings, and it's pretty much an updated (and awesome) version of Friends, except Joey is gay, Chandler is African American (and a Wayans brother) and Monica and Rachel are now sisters. Also, it's set in Chicago, not New York (yay!).   Keeping up? Let's break it down:

1. The series kicks off with a bride who got cold feet and leaves her groom at the altar:

Rachel (after leaving Barry) sits next to Ross..her FUTURE LOVER (Whoops!  I'm sorry for the one person reading this who hasn't seen Friends. Spoiler alert.)

Alex right before she leaves Dave at the altar (Don't worry, this happens in the first five minutes of the pilot episode so I gave nothing away.)

The update? This time, the bride and groom are actually a part of the same circle of friends--and they've been in this circle forever, so now they all have to figure out how to get back to normal. Also, the altar scene is amazing. Just watch it, and you'll see. 

2.  The friends have all known each other since high school (providing us awesome flashbacks in Friends and hopefully awesome ones to come in Happy Endings)

3. They've nailed the group chemistry thing:

character cliffs' notes
a. Alex (Rachel): flaky and like-able (and hot)
b. Her sister Jane (Monica):  anal, controlling and the mom of the group (I love her even better than when she was on Scrubs!).
c. Dave (Ross): Alex's ex is cute, nerdy, and plays a vulnerable scene to a T (check out the one below).
d. Brad (Chandler): Jane's husband and the most seen in a suit (like Chandler when he was a trans- a trans- a transponder!),
e. Penny (Phoebes): not only shares the first letter of her name with Ursula's twin, but has a crazy mom and the quirkiest personality on the show.
f. Max (Joey): an amazing wingman to Penny and also gay, which the show impressively treats as naturally as they do Penny being single. Bravo. (Bonus: Max is funnier than Joey).

4. Holidays actually happen

A small matter, but I like my TV characters to be experiencing the same things I am. When it's Halloween, I want to see them dressed in costume. When it's Thanksgiving, they should be stuffing themselves just to the point where they're about to puke, but pass out in front of the TV instead. 

5. They have their own language

It's amahzing how many Happy Endings already has. Don't worry, I won't leave you out of the jokes. Go watch and come back and we'll discuss (or Lauren will discuss, as it were. Same diff).

Not convinced? I'll let YouTube take it from here. 

Thanks for having me, Lauren! And I'll see you all at the Happy Endings viewing party I am throwing next week. And by that, I mean on Facebook when I update my status every five minutes with lines I thought were funny.  

---Brooke from A Lightly Charmed Life