‘Cooper Barrett’s Guide To Surviving Life’ Has One Of The Most Wonderfully Frustrating Will They/ Won’t They Scenarios

It’s hard to give the old will they/won’t they a real update. It’s been tested and tested again, through more TV shows than not, and when all the right elements come together, including a little bit of magic, it just works. From Nick and Jess to Ross and Rachel to Sam and Diane, our favorite sitcoms have handled their friendship to romance journeys in moving and hilarious ways, with minimal missteps along the way. But in the modern world, with advances such as Tinder and the word “millennial”, the will they/won’t they was going to need at least a tiny adjustment at some point. Leave it to a one-season Fox comedy from two years ago to figure out exactly how to do that.

Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life ran for 13 episodes in early 2016 and was cancelled that spring. You can now treat yourself to a rather fun mini binge-watch as the full season is available on both Hulu and Netflix and is totally worth it. Cooper Barrett didn’t quite reinvent the sitcom: using Zack Morris’ straight to camera monologues, we learn about Cooper (Jack Cutmore-Scott) and his pals, and follow them along on a wacky adventure in each half-hour episode, from recovering technology (TVs, cell phones) to making it through uncomfortable encounters (with former friends, the crazy landlord, a roommate’s girlfriend, a visit from parents), each installment packs almost as many action sequences as it does jokes. Yet throughout the various schemes that took place, it was the will they/won’t they between Cooper and his neighbor Kelly (Meaghan Rath) that really got hearts racing.

A lot about this paring can be credited to the perfect pacing the show figured out early on. It was clear that these two would become a thing within the ensemble during the first episode when they indulge the Kiss Cam at a Clippers game and then let the characters luxuriate in the awkward aftermath for a bit. Two episodes later, Cooper steps up (well, jumps at the chance) to be Kelly’s +1 at her ex’s wedding, but it’s not until episode four when we learn he’s tracking down his missing phone specifically for a picture of them together that’s just hanging out in his Photos app. It was a brilliant, and very 2016, way to up the emotional stakes between the two without relying on a purely physical step forward.

Oh, but we do get that satisfaction in episode six when the two share a mega hot kiss — and with assistance from a busted water pipe too! Cooper and Kelly spend the next three episodes calling each other’s bluff by dating other people specifically to get a reaction out of the other. Neither character goes fully pathetic, and while both hesitate to really make a significant move, they seem to be on the same page at most points. The sexual chemistry is lingering — and was even addressed back in the first half of the season! There was no denying it, there was only admitting and then letting it hang in the air for a bit. It was a painfully fun way of letting viewers hope for the next kiss or hookup or sly smile at each other, really any sign of the mutual attraction that could move things forward for the would-be lovebirds.

We get an advancement before the season comes to an end, or at least a sign that the two are progressing towards something more serious, but never an Instagram official announcement for the couple. Which is only fitting really: these are two characters that dropped nuggets of hopefulness with their playful looks and kisses and not-quite-hidden jealousy at the rate many young people experience today (or you know, in 2016). There’s a wide lack of labels on relationships these days, but there’s an even wider amount of flirting via phones and social media and sometimes even real life too. What Cooper Barrett captured is the correct and relatable speed to give satisfying signs of life for Cooper and Kelly’s potential relationship, and then quickly reverting back to letting viewers eagerly drool a bit waiting and wanting for more but without being annoyed.

With the right blend of anticipation, casualness, and friendship, Cooper Barrett created a will they/won’t they that wasn’t rushed or pressured to be something complete and official. The show gave it room to breathe, allowed the characters to become closer friends, and in turn, only made viewers root for them harder. Plus, there was enough going on in each episode to not force it into being the focal point of the show. By embracing the awkwardness that comes along with liking someone, the show developed a relationship that was realistic and romantic without being overly sappy or snappy. Cooper Barrett doesn’t just offer a Guide to Surviving Life: the show also gives a great example of how the will they/won’t they can thrive and evolve just the way real life dating does.

Where to watch Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life