Web Series Wednesday – Happy Playland

By: Spring Marie Cullen

WHAT? Happy Playland

BY: The Candle Wasters

WHY SHOULD I WATCH?

The Candle Wasters are a group of four women and their self-proclaimed “token” guy from New Zealand, dedicated to creating diverse original content for a feminist audience. After making a handful of adaptations based on the works of Shakespeare, they took a chance on something completely new. Welcome to web series “Happy Playland.”

“Happy Playland” is one-part romantic comedy, two parts musical and 100% queer. Taking place at the appropriately named children’s entertainment center called Happy Playland, the series tells the story of Billie (Neenah Dekkers-Reihana) and Zara (Dani Yourukova), two young twenty-somethings desperately trying to navigate life, their budding feelings for each other and everything in between. They also have the help of their Instagram obsessed co-worker Cris (Jen Smith) who often serves as the comic relief.

The episodes vary in time from about four to ten minutes, making the ten-episode series a little over an hour long. I, of course, watched all of it in one sitting and I’m glad I did. The show truly found its footing during the middle episodes, where it evolved from quirky comedy to something extremely real and relatable. The seventh episode perfectly showcases the way “Happy Playland shines.” Billie starts having an anxiety attack and Zara struggles to comfort her in the midst of it, all through song. Their duet is incredibly powerful, and they managed to expertly capture the feeling of anxiety, describing it in a way that makes it possible for even those who don’t struggle understand. Once the song ends, they begin a very important dialogue about what just happened. The way Billie open and honestly communicates her feelings about her anxiety, from her fears to her guilt, was done so beautifully that I was in shock. I’ve never seen a series land the nuances of an anxiety attack quite the way “Happy Playland” did and I’m grateful to them for not pulling any punches with the issue. If the series in general doesn’t interest viewers, I’d at least recommend giving this specific episode a watch.

The music is another highlight of the series, with musical numbers and campiness that rival “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” I’m particularly fond of the song “Drama!” in episode five. I swear it was ripped straight from an actual Broadway musical and Zara heckling a trio of buskers only to eventually be the star of their show is the exact kind of absurd hilarity that makes “Happy Playland” so entertaining.

If you’re a fan of musicals, silly love stories or in need of some queer representation than “Happy Playland” is the show for you.

WHERE CAN I WATCH? Episodes can be found on YouTube.

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