Merry Happy Whatever - A Netflix Series Review

Better get packing. We’re heading home for the holidays.

Merry Happy Whatever is a Netflix series that arrived in 2019. It’s Christmas time in the Quinn family. Each member of the family wants to make it a memorable holiday. As tempers rise, arguments flare, and secrets are revealed, it’s a question if anyone will make it through the holiday season.

A friend recommended I watch Merry Happy Whatever for the holiday season. Binging the entire series while on the treadmill, it’s a fun and entertaining show. While some aspects of the series could have been better, it praises the importance for family’s to be happy with who they are and what they have.

Christmas is an exciting and chaotic time of year. The cast of Merry Happy Whatever did a spectacular job studying their characters, motivations, and relationships. Holding onto loose baggage, and an overly strict patriarch, everyone learns a lot.

There were time’s when Don’s strict behavior got on my nerves. He ruled against everyone in the family, hardly letting anyone have a voice. I didn’t like how he wasn’t open with his in-laws (or the outlaws as they called themselves).

Overall, I was impressed with Dennis Quaid’s connection to his character. He didn’t have enough layers though, feeling one-dimensional.

Bridget Mendler and Brent Morin were great in all of their interactions. I liked Morin’s own performance, along with how he played Matt. I feel that better direction should have gone to Mendler. At times, her character came off as selfish. Then again, that trait could have been intentional of how Don’s behavior affects the family.

As one of my favorite characters, Kayla (Ashley Tisdale) is a positive figure. Tisdale did a wonderful job in the journey of her character, slowly opening out of her shell. Kayla conquers that nobody should ever be afraid to be who they are. That is a monumental lesson.

I like how each member of the family has their own subplot. In each storyline, the family members are going through relatable dilemmas. Other credits as the Quinn’s include Siobhan Murphy, Adam Rose, Elizabeth Ho, Hayes MacArthur, Mason Davis, and Lucas Joye.

With all the characters, some should have earned more focus over others. Davis and Joye needed more screentime because I forget about their characters with how minimal they appear. Thankfully, none of the series felt forced.

The only element that felt forced was the laugh track. Due to the writing, the comedy was a little forced. The series did not need a laugh track. It was distracting and also unnecessary. It would go off during the most inconvenient times, ruining the moment.

At times, the series tends to fall on similar cliches of the genre. Tucker Cowley’s main intent was to give audiences something they could relate to, especially around the holidays. I enjoyed the series, mostly for the characters. Some parts of the series could have had better quality, specifically with the dialogue.

Merry Happy Whatever is a series that all families can relate to. Christmas is a busy time of year. It’s a lesson for family’s to be open with one another. We shouldn’t have to keep secrets, look down, or be cruel.

We should all be confident in what we want to do for a living. Not only in careers, but we also need to be confident in our relationships, no matter what anyone says.

Don’t turn the series off after the first episode. Trust me, it gets better as it goes. Watch Merry Happy Whatever this holiday season. It’s a festive series that will keep you laughing.