Image Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC

Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19.

There’s a moment in Happy Endings‘ season 2 finale, “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and a Funeral),” in which guest star Stephen Guarino (as groom Derrick) tells the show’s regulars he doesn’t have time for their endless bantering: “The back and forth, it’s exhausting. I don’t even know what you’re saying half the time. So slow down!” As a fan of Arrested Development, 30 Rock, and Aaron Sorkin, creator David Caspe admits he’s preconditioned to enjoying a fast-paced show. (Exec producer Jonathan Groff says EP/director Joe Russo even told the cast — Casey Wilson, Damon Wayans Jr., Adam Pally, Zachary Knighton, Elisha Cuthbert, and Eliza Coupe — to go see The Social Network as they began work on the series.) But Caspe can think of two other reasons for its rapid-fire dialogue, which he’s been told some fans have to rewind to catch: The show’s writers find the six characters so funny, they want them all to get jokes in every episode and pen scripts that are too long, and his own insecurity.

“A window into my troubled soul is I tend to think well, f—, if we just keep throwin’ them at ‘em, they won’t have any time to hate any of them,” Caspe says, with a laugh. “In my opinion, it kinda takes the pressure off the jokes. If you didn’t like this one, maybe this one! It’s sorta my desperate attempt to be liked. I sometimes watch the show and feel like it’s just me screaming out ‘Love me! Love me! Love me! Love me! Love me!”

Here, Caspe and Groff take us inside the ABC comedy’s season finale and tease what’s to come.

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Image Credit: Michael Desmond/ABC

Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19. 

“My dad is giving out nominations for best daughter. That’s probably what I’ll get nominated for this year,” jokes Casey Wilson. Not if we have anything to say about it. As unlucky-in-love but optimistic Penny on ABC’s Happy Endings, Wilson embodies the concept of total commitment — whether the role requires her to wear pajoveralls (or flowy Angela Bassett pants), perform a defensive monologue about having taken a “whore’s bath,” or stage both a sing fight and a “Torn” duet with Penny’s mother (guest star Megan Mullally) at a boat show. “We choreographed the dance moves to ‘Torn’ together, and for that alone, I feel she deserves an Emmy nomination,” Wilson says. “That was the most fun I had all season, just being so happy to work with her.” Watch a clip below as Wilson takes us inside their collaboration. READ FULL STORY »