Happy Endings recap: 'Grinches Be Crazy'

Seasons greetings, fellow Happy Endings fans! Or, I guess I should say Merry Christmas and Happy Cccccccccchhhhhhhhhannukah. (That is the appropriate pronunciation, after all. Just axe Jane.) While it was disappointing that we didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving with the gang (and instead got the lackluster bad babysitter/crazy mailman/even crazier dress episode) it was easy to get into the holiday spirit with last night’s uproarious ep “Grinches Be Crazy.” (True story, and it case you hadn’t heard, “Women be stoppin’.”)

Max, perhaps the craziest Grinch of all time, took on the unlikely task of playing Santa for Penny’s work charity drive after she told him he’d get paid $500, money he desperately needed for his troubled limo business. (Quick sidebar: When Max bragged about knowing Leslie, “the smelliest guy behind the DMV who will introduce you to randos who will do anything for anything” I immediately imagined a perfect sitcom world in which he and Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would hang out under bridges and behind DMVs and get into some seriously sketchy situations. I would watch that show.) Of course, even the craziest of Grinches (in this case, a Jewish Santa who hates children and effort) can get into the holiday spirit. After being touched by some of the kids that sat on his lap (no, not that way, Penny, you sicko) Max made the holidays a little brighter for sweet youngsters and “freak gingies” alike. You could tell Adam Pally had fun with getting to play up Max’s rare sensitive side (poor Casey Wilson, however, unfortunately wasn’t given much of anything to do during last night’s ep besides get briefly mugged) and it was just as fun watching him do it. That said, he better go back to being creepy, non-money donating Max when the show returns in January.

NEXT: Jane’s dough

Meanwhile, Brad and Jane, the craziest couple on television (and by craziest I mean best….and craziest) were gearing up to spend their Christmas vacation in Turks and Caicos. Despite their best efforts to make everything go smoothly, namely Jane’s insanely organized Hub Tub bin, things went terribly awry. (Speaking of ideal sitcom worlds, what if Jane hung out with the equally hyper-neurotic clean freak Monica from Friends? I would watch that show.) After Jane accidentally gave Gita, their hard-working, but judgmental and very stereotypical cleaning lady, all of their Turks and Caicos vacation money instead of the $200 they had planned to give her, she and Brad try their best to get it back. While they were thwarted by Gita’s singing nieces (anybody else catch their verse about the sinful drawer?) and Jane’s compulsive stealing (not to mention that hilarious getaway run), they ultimately decided to send their cleaning lady on their trip and stay behind. While the Gita storyline bordered on ridiculous, any chance to watch Brad and Jane play into each others idiosyncrasies is worthwhile. Damon Wayans Jr. and Eliza Coupe have truly created a married couple that is equal parts lovable, believable, and totally outrageous. Plus, they Indecent Proposal together! Best couple ever.

Then again, Jane and Brad might have some competition in the best couple ever category as…Dave and Alex finally reunited! Okay, they might not officially be back together yet (key word, yet) but after the anticipation that’s been building (a-gain and a-gain) between the exes over the past couple of weeks, Dave and Alex found themselves entangled in a lip lock by the end of the episode. Sure, it was technically redeeming a coupon for a kiss, but a kiss is a kiss, dammit. Especially when its between two exes with a lot of unresolved feelings for each other.

NEXT: Redeemable coupons and the best lines from “Grinches Be Crazy”

Seeing as HE fans have only had the chance to experience the pair after the fallout of their relationship, it was a total joy to watch as Dave redeemed years of Alex’s Christmas coupon presents, which included ‘Free Basic Haircut or Bang Trim,’ ‘Nibble Your Name Into a Corn of Cob’ (Dave requested Helvetica), ‘Free Indoor Beach Party,’ a DJ and dinner session courtesy of DJ Alex Haley (not Alex Haley, author of Roots, for the record) and most importantly, ‘One Free Kiss, Even If I’ve Just Put On Lip Gloss.’ And what a kiss it was. I hope the show continues to explore this relationship, or even gets them back together, because I think I fell even harder for Alex (who knew Elisha Cuthbert was such a secret comedy weapon) and Dave during the corn on the cob moment at the very end. Even though HE is refreshingly non-sentimental, nothing wrong with a corn-y ending every now and again.

Here now are the best lines from “Grinches Be Crazy”:

“Kinda like Garry Marshall and Hector Elizondo. Yeah, they may be coming for Julia Roberts and Annie Hathaway, but they’re staying for Elizondo” –Alex’s very accurate assessment of underrated pairings

“More like Jerks and Bacos! Bacon substitute. And you guys are jerks, so..” –Dave, not quite landing his comeback at Jane and Brad bragging about their trip

“No, I’d rather be surprised by disappointment than happy with what I expected. It’s why I never ask is a pool is heated.” –Penny

“I love making extravagant promises that I don’t have to fulfill.” –Max’s reasoning for wanting to play Santa, in addition to having “a giant lap” and looking “amazing in a chunky belt”

“I love Indecent Proposal-ing with you!” –Brad, engaging in one of his favorite non-sinful drawer activities with Jane

“All I know is, I was in high demand in college. All the black fraternities hired me.” –DJ Alex Haley on the ones and twos

“Sweet! This is the only store in Chicago that sells the porn I like. It’s called Bloody Guys. It’s British guys. Covered in blood!” –Max, riiiight after Penny declared he’s not a terrible person

“I feel terrible, but this is not my fault. You know when I panic I steal…which is wrong” –Jane to Brad.

“So, you were ready to lead me away based on nothing, but Gwyneth Paltrow over here confesses and she just gets to sort it out by talking?” –Brad, to the mall security guard

What did you think of last night’s Christmas-themed episode of Happy Endings? Did you expect that Dave and Alex would get back together by the end of the episode? Even so, were you excited when it finally happened? Will they top Jane and Brad as the show’s best couple or is that simply impossible? Which lines and moments in “Grinches Be Crazy” did you in? Will this episode tide you over until the show comes back in a few weeks or were you let down? Share your feelings on the episode in the comments!