Web Series Wednesday – Happy Epidemic

By: Spring Marie Cullen

WHAT? Happy Epidemic

BY: Jonathan Jude

WHY SHOULD I WATCH?

Happy Epidemic follows young twenty-something Jake Jones (Jonathan Jude) as he tries to make sense of the world around him during the coronavirus pandemic. The comedy series kicks off with Jake’s mother leaving him to fend for himself after she completely disappears and refuses to answer his calls. Each episode takes the audience through another day of Jake struggling to keep himself sane and entertained while in total isolation.

Everyone knew there’d be a lot of material born out of the lockdown, either using the virus as a backdrop or companies coming up with creative ways to work around it to still create good content. I’m typically wary going into the former, but Happy Epidemic quickly calmed my nerves and gained my trust. The series was made in self isolation in the midst of the early lockdown, so it’s true to the experience while still being engaging. The great toilet paper shortage of early 2020 is still so absurd that I almost forget it was a real thing that happened. Jake’s implication that he’s turned to receipts to take care of business and later dubbing a six pack of the toilet tissue as the “best birthday present ever” perfectly captures the feeling of early lockdown. No one really knew what to do and panic led to hoarding which led to people appreciating things they usually didn’t think twice about.

The mix of accuracy and simplicity really work for this series. Happy Epidemic never tries to do too much. At its core it’s a show about one man’s experience in lockdown; nothing more, nothing less. The show’s fourth episode, titled “Therapy,” is the one that really struck a chord with me. When Jake finds out pretty much everybody has some form of a therapist, he looks into getting one of his own. He opens up about something I think most people struggled with throughout lockdown and that’s the idea of not having a productive enough isolation. With all the free time there’s pressure and maybe even a self-imposed expectation to accomplish something, whether that’s learning a new skill or picking up a new hobby. I, personally, had that same worry at one point, and the contrast between Jake being bored after watching every show in existence and feeling like he’s not doing enough to better himself was a perfect depiction of the realities of the lockdown. I wouldn’t say I’m feeling nostalgic about the early stages of the virus, but it was interesting to see how far we’ve come and a reminder that we lived through something historical.

Happy Epidemic has been selected for a handful of web series festivals and has a few awards to its name as well. The self-isolation series is a super quick binge that’s absolutely worth the watch. The success of the series relied heavily on the performance of creator Jonathan Jude and he’s a real gem. With a mix of subtle comedic charm and an overall genuine portrayal, he’s reason enough for comedy fans to check this one out.

WHERE CAN I WATCH? Episodes are available on YouTube.

Follow on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpidemicHappy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyepidemic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HappyEpidemic/

Website: https://www.happyepidemic.tv/