Happy’s Place Season 2, Episode 4, “Testing, Testing” Spoilers Ahead
“Testing, Testing” had all the markings of a solid episode, but it’s sadly nothing remarkable until we get to the ending. Maybe it’s because I have severe test anxiety, so I basically watched the entire thing with my heart racing. Not to mention that there’s something inherently upsetting about characters accidentally hurting each other with their words, and that’s what happens here.
Happy’s Place Season 2, Episode 4 Is Slightly Upsetting
School is a sore spot for so many of us for so many reasons. But Bobbie says it best, “Certainty is a trap that keeps your life.” Sometimes, certainty is indeed wrong. It keeps us glued to things that are actively hurting us. With this in mind, the revelations and conversations we get in the end hit really hard, but the scenes in between feel a bit recycled.
Still, both Belissa Escobedo and Melissa Peterman do an excellent job of showing us why both Isabella and Gabby are bothered by the circumstances around them. Isabella’s case is especially relatable because a lot of us do feel like we’re floating sometimes because the world simply doesn’t operate the same way a school does. Circumstances are darker, and the lack of certainty feels extremely daunting sometimes.
At the same time, no one likes it when their education or capabilities are questioned, so the fact that Happy’s Place Season 2, Episode 4, “Testing, Testing,” gives Gabby a legitimate moment to be frustrated is impressive because it’s so honest. Bubbly people are often questioned about how much they know because silliness is often and wrongfully tied to stupidity. They are not and can never be the same thing, yet the world around us has almost drilled this belief too deep. So it’s easy to appreciate that, after all the games, Steve realizes where he went wrong. He knows that it’s his place to apologize, and he does so with yet another honest conversation with Gabby.
More than anything, the episode is ultimately improved by Takoda’s decision in the end with the desk. How he continues to pull through at the last second to show us just how much his character cares and listens is no small feat. He’s continually the unsung hero in more ways than one, and honestly, part of the reason this episode doesn’t work for me is that I wanted more of him.
It’s also a little hard to continue watching Bobbie and Emmett be adorable around each other when we know the secret he’s keeping is about to blow up in his face. It’s going to change everything for a while, and until we pass it, these little moments are cute but marred. Lastly, while I didn’t expect any follow-up with Gabby’s situation after “Straw Man,” I hope it’s something we’ll get in the mid-season finale to maybe tie us over with what can be another heartfelt episode while we wait for more in the new year.
Overall, while “Testing, Testing” isn’t a favorite episode, the show always manages to evoke the right emotions to give us something substantial to see how deeply these characters care about each other, and that’s why we’re here. It works every single time, and I’ll always happily take more of it.
Now streaming on NBC and Peacock: What are your thoughts on Happy’s Place Season 2, Episode 4, “Testing, Testing?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC)