Happy Endings on Hulu
Marathoning Happy Endings three years after its cancellation is like running into your old college buddy: No matter how long it’s been, you’ll quickly find your rhythm, recalling inside jokes and remembering why you clicked in the first place. Since hitting Hulu at the start of 2016 (It may finally be The Year Of Penny!), the oft-overlooked comedy has helped me curb the usual post-holiday blues. For those who stuck with the show back in its ever-changing-timeslot days on ABC, there are plenty of joys to be found spending time with your old pals Dave, Alex, Penny, Brad, Jane, and that lovable slob Max again. For starters, you can actually watch the first season in its intended order (though Hulu frustratingly lists it by air-date), which makes the story of Dave and Alex’s break-up and eventual “re-friending” much more comprehensible. Plus, the series is chock-full of guest stars you may not have recognized the first time around—T.J. Miller! Gina Rodriguez! Max Greenfield! And, for those coming into this show fresh: You’re in for a treat. Things start a bit slow, but, by the time the second season rolls around, the rapid-fire dialogue and unrivaled chemistry of its up-for-anything cast will have you hooked. Bless this show, and bless Hulu for making it readily available. It’s the most ah-mah-zing thing to happen so far this year. Sorry, I had to. [Cameron Scheetz]
Enamel dishware
At some point, I became old enough to consider dishes. I mean to actually consider what kind I might like to haul around from place to place for the rest of my life. Looking at the hodgepodge of hand-me-down dishes I owned, it became clear that a necessity was durability. (Nothing seems to match, because except for a set of four plates, I’ve managed to break one or two of everything.) But what about the design? Isn’t that something people consider when making those wedding registries? (I can assure you I’m only slightly bitter that I was not given the chance to have other people buy my new dishes for me.) My conclusion: Enamel dishware. I find it practical, because it’s easy to clean, durable, and apparently non-toxic. As for the aesthetic, you can find complete sets (They’re usually meant for camping, but who cares?) online, though I prefer to keep the hodgepodge, but with a little more self-curation. So far my budding collection includes two stunning enamel camp mugs from the Minnesota-based Sanborn Canoe Company, each with its own design and coloring—a crested, army green, and a red and white classic camping scene. Even if you don’t want an entire kitchen full of enamel dishware, these mugs are worth the purchase, as the thick and sturdy enamel coated steel will last for generations of hot tea served in your home or at your favorite campsite, making them the sort of wanted hand-me-down most secondhand dishes only aspire to be. [Becca James]
Bone Tomahawk
I was hesitant to watch Bone Tomahawk based on its lukewarm reviews and, more importantly, its frequent descriptor: “Horror-Western.” I’m not much of a horror fan, and the idea of that particular genre mash signaled an explosion of campiness to me. But I’m glad that double-A Dowd re-recommended it to me recently, because it’s way more Western than horror, and way more fun and engaging that it’s gotten credit for. Sure, it’s too damn long, but the performances—particuarly Kurt Russell and Richard Jenkins—and dialogue are fantastic. It rambles in the best ways, as a group of disparate men band together to save Patrick Wilson’s wife, who’s been abducted by a mysterious band of Native Americans. (Zahn McClarnon—Fargo’s Hanzee—even shows up to give some backstory.) The mission goes poorly, to say the least, but not until the group has spent some quality time together, both getting to know each other and then learning more about the gruesome ways of their new enemy. [Josh Modell]