Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Television history is filled with critically-adored shows canceled after a single season. We mourned the loss of beloved favorites like Terriers, The Grinder, Firefly, and Freaks and Geeks, but those shows went on to achieve cult status. All four of the aforementioned programs eventually found an audience on Netflix and/or Hulu, but that never happened with the NBC sitcom Marry Me.
Premiering in 2014, Marry Me was David Caspe’s followup to Happy Endings, a passionately adored critical darling that aired on ABC from 2011-2013. Starring Casey Wilson and Ken Marino as a mismatched couple who finally get engaged after six years of dating, the sitcom features many of the same endearing attributes that made Happy Endings such a joy to watch. Marry Me produced 18 episodes before it was quietly canceled in May of 2015. Despite earning positive reviews, the series drifted into obscurity. Much like similar NBC one-season sitcoms of the era — the under-appreciated duo of Bent and BFF spring to mind — episodes of Marry Me didn’t find a home on Netflix or Hulu. The series was nothing more than a pleasant memory. Until now.
If you’re looking for a joyous sitcom to binge over holiday break, all 18 episodes of Marry Me are now streaming for free on Crackle.
It’s impossible to duplicate the easy-going chemistry and immaculate joke writing of Happy Endings, but fans of the beloved ABC sitcom will enjoy the familiar comedic cadence of Marry Me. Wilson and Marino are predictably terrific as the central couple, but the series soars thanks to a talented ensemble that includes John Gemberling, Sarah Wright, Tymberlee Hill, Dan Bucatinsky, and Tim Meadows. Fun fact: If you wanna make your TV show, film, or abstract art exhibit just a little bit better, you add a bit of Tim Meadows into the mix.
Much like Happy Endings, Marry Me was nominally about a central couple but embraced the hangout comedy aspect more and more as the series progressed. Despite the never-ending avalanche of original content from Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and the like, the breezy, low stakes hangout comedy is a pop culture relic. New Girl, which ended earlier this year, was our last great hangout comedy and as viewing audiences continue to splinter, high-concept programs become decidedly more appealing to networks and digital platforms. It’s difficult to imagine shows like Happy Endings, New Girl, and Marry Me getting the green light in 2019, which is a shame. There’s room for both high and low concept TV shows in today’s fragmented zeitgeist.
Marry Me doesn’t try to impress you with smoke and mirrors. It’s a simple show that succeeds thanks to exceptional comedy writing, lively chemistry, and an abundance of charm. The future for the genre may be uncertain, but in the here and now, Marry Me is a forgotten hangout comedy worthy of rediscovery.
