Happy Media for the Chronically Cynical

Martina Foquet is a J.D. candidate, class of 2022, in USC’s Gould School of Law. She took my Masters seminar on Arts and Culture journalism in the Spring and wrote two really compelling papers I wanted to share with you. Both consider contemporary television in a post-Pandemic or Late Pandemic framework.

Happy Media for the Chronically Cynical

Martina Foquet, USC

In the shadow of prestige television, cynical perspectives reign. Succession is a comedic but depressing look at the omnipotent power of America’s oligarchy, every Euphoria character experiences a traumatic event before they turn eighteen, and Squid Game introduced us to charming characters who were brutally killed in attempts to course correct their lives. I’m a self-proclaimed cynic and recent data suggests that I’m not alone. For the first time, the longitudinal General Social Survey found that Americans reporting they are not too happy exceeds the Americans reporting they are very happy. Naturally, media reflects the increasingly downtrodden emotion permeating the country.

But everyone needs balance and too much darkness is not a sustainable consumption pattern. The problem is that, for the cynic, happy depictions can feel vapid as the happiness is often reliant on unrealistic solutions or some deus ex machina plot device. To melt a cynic’s heart, conflicts and obstacles that are common in everyday life need to be thoroughly addressed and confronted. The cynic does not dismiss positive outlooks altogether, but rather struggles to find comfort in optimistic depictions that rely on unrealistic elements. However, a slew of recent television shows and movies have, in my opinion, successfully addressed the cynics' need for realism and optimism.

Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends stands out because within eleven minutes, the show’s episodes manage to address the most controversial topics in culture today while also imbuing fun irreverent humor. The show confronts suicide, cancel culture, cultural appropriation, and celebrity worship all while remaining accessible to all people along the political spectrum. The topics don’t feel heavy because they are appropriately contextualized, finding humor in the series of events that bring about the controversial topics as opposed to relying on opinions on the topics being humorous. In the first episode, Charlie and Pim are tasked with making a suicidal man, Desmond, smile. Pim optimistically pursues happy activities while Charlie immediately dismisses the man as a lost cause. Pim’s activities reveal the fallacies of a family or friends first approach and the limitations of escapist self-care days. When the pair realizes that it may not be possible to “cure” this man of suicidal ideation, they return to the office only to accidentally have Desmond find his purpose in bliblie termination services. Smiling Friends is a successful show because it understands how humor works. Humor finds absurdity in reality and great comedy understands the details that make even the most serious topics funny for all.

Abbott Elementary has taken America by storm and its sitcom format may trick the viewer into believing that it is another happy go lucky show. However, the show effectively addresses the reality of many teachers in America without succumbing to a dreary aura. The colorful cast of characters are all deeply flawed, frequently oscillating between being an encouraging presence and a nuisance. Janine consistently brings a positive perspective, but often disrupts the delicate balance that keeps the lights on (literally). Ava is a self-indulgent and corrupt principal that brings a necessary levity to overbearing conflicts. Barbara is a veteran teacher who sometimes adheres too rigidly to precedent. In Abbott Elementary the teachers are underpaid, understaffed, and overworked, but find realistic solutions that make coping in the environment possible. A key reason for the show’s light feeling is that both the cynical and optimistic characters have legitimate perspectives. This provides an environment where no one is demonized but rather the show highlights contexts where characters are strongest and weakest.

Free Guy also successfully addresses the ails of Big Tech while not succumbing to the “big bad tech” tropes. Two moments in the movie stood out to me (spoiler alert!). When the code-stealing tech CEO
Antwan almost completes his destruction of what remains of the Free City servers, Millie, the shrewd coding protagonist, proposes the exchange of what’s left of Free City for coding rights and the remaining profits from the game. Antwan identifies the offer as the “dumbest deal” he’s ever encountered. While a seemingly throw-away portion of the confrontation, it felt comforting as a born cynic to see recognition of the true cost of the offer. While Millie proceeds to justify the deal because she “built something special,” there is an underlying business rationale behind her offer. Instead of having Free City upheld in endless negotiations that would diminish the hype spurred by the NPC Guy, Millie and Keys are able to capitalize on the attention and monetize what remained of NPC Free City. Additionally, the film does not rely on the “boy gets the girl” trope. Free Guy addresses the limitation of a relationship between artificial intelligence and a conventional human. Even though it would seem like Guy is abandoned, the reappearance of Guy’s best friend Buddy leads to Guy’s happy ending. The movie suggests that romantic love is not the only type of love that leads to a fulfilling life.

In contrast, I would argue Ted Lasso struggles with the Ellen Degeneres syndrome. The podcast “Celebrity Memoir Book Club” identifies the Ellen Degeneres syndrome as the skepticism people feel when someone is overly optimistic. Optimism isn’t the issue, but optimism as the sole motivating factor can feel empty when other factors of life are not taken into consideration. In Ted Lasso’s first season, Rebecca, the new owner of the AFC Richmond football club, hires Ted to spite her ex-husband. Ted has never coached soccer and is subject to abuse from the team and fans, some who openly call him “wanker.” Despite the abuse, Ted is able to charm himself out of criticism. A smile and pithy aphorism seems to mends all Ted’s interpersonal issues. In a way, Ted is presented as a Messiah whose kindness converts everyone around him. While Ted Lasso is certainly a fun watch, the cynical viewer may not be moved by the fact that the show foreshadows the superiority of Ted’s approach. There is no real conflict between Ted and the other characters because the audience already knows that Ted will successfully convert all those around him. The solution to every problem seems to be smiles, homemade biscuits, and dad jokes. While the show is comforting, the cynic knows that the hope isn’t transferable to real life and therefore the show is not as satisfying. Season 2 seems more interested in developing Ted’s character, but the cynic may not be motivated to continue the show after an unconvincing first season. While the streaming era seems to treat television and movies as disposable content, a lot of innovations are occurring under the streaming model. And in the world of unhappy Americans and dark anti-heroes, some shows have proven powerful in brightening our black hearts.