‘Happy’s Place’ Recap: ‘Tapped Out’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

HAPPY'S PLACE -- "Tapped Out" Episode 102 -- Pictured: (l-r) Belissa Escobedo as Isabella, Reba McEntire as Bobbie -- (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Happy’s Place’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
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More often than not, stories that explore the power of loss and the surprise of learning the person that passed had a lot of secrets in their closet, find a stopping point when it comes to the shock and frustrations of such matters and just move on. Sometimes it is through an abrupt ending where the grieving individual that’s tried to square this up, does so in record time and just moves on. Or the story just fades to black, and we don’t know what comes next for that person. Which is frustrating and silly. Simply because, what’s the point of digging into a concept that powerful, if you’re not going to go all the way and explore all the ups and downs that accompany such a shock in life?

Which is why the new NBC sitcom, Happy’s Place, is of note and should be celebrated. Because it didn’t just fade to black last week and move forward with Bobbie and Isabella being besties at the start of this week’s episode. Instead ‘Tapped Out’ informed us it will explore the tough road back from grief, of the struggles of accepting new family into our lives out of the blue, and it made that clear… by offering up a mostly awkward time at the bar. For while Bobbie tolerated her sister being there, she didn’t let her sister be there. She did her best to keep her busy and keep her at bay. Making the acceptance aspect of this new twist in her life, a thoughtless act to placate as she tried to handle her grief, and her deep-rooted frustration at her father for lying to her.

Which isolated Isabella who was already in the dumps as is. Because this life-changing event was so much to process, and she really didn’t know up from down or left from right. She was just all over the place and unsure of how to proceed. Which prompted her to try and fit in and be helpful and come off in a forceful awkward manner in doing so. Because she simply didn’t know what to do, how to relate to these folks and those two plot threads are really where this episode shined. Because at last, we saw the fallout of such news, we saw real grief on display, and we saw the anger it creates and that made for a fascinating story that also asked an important question that these stories often don’t. In that, how then… do we start to heal in such matters?

Because that’s what we want ultimately, is to heal, to feel better and well… sometimes… we need a kind voice or several to help us understand we are doing a lot wrong. Which Emmett and others at the bar provided to Bobbie. To point out, she was punishing Isabella for actions that her father took, and she didn’t deserve that. She was family, she was blood and that deserved grace and understanding. Which Bobbie did offer in the most unique way possible, before offering even more to her family. Since she opened up her home to Isabella, to get to know the part of her life she never knew existed and to help Isabella finally feel at home and as though she belonged. Which one could cite as a rush to the finish line, the one this writer lamented a moment ago.

But when you think about it… we do good things when we hurt to feel better, and they don’t cure us, they just give us much needed respite, to steel ourselves for the work ahead, and lots of work still lie ahead for Bobbie and Isabella. Since they have so much to repair between each other and internally. But it does start with grace, for ourselves, for others in our orbit, and we are likely in for more ups and downs and more beautiful moments from this surprisingly refreshing sitcom. One that is just taking us on a supremely realistic ride through a difficult time in these characters lives, in a manner that is just beautiful, real and raw, and that means… we are all undoubtedly counting down the minutes until next week’s chapter in this story. To enjoy more of the incredible moments this fascinating series has to offer. Until next time.

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