HAPPY!

Nick Sax used to be a cop, then he became a corrupt enforcer and now spends his days drinking and often doing dirty work. His life flips when a relentlessly upbeat, imaginary blue winged horse calling itself Happy shows up and insists it's real. Happy's cheerfulness collides with Nick's violent cynicism and pulls him into a surreal case that mixes crime, dark comedy and oddball fantasy. As Nick tries to sort out why the horse appeared, he gets pulled deeper into a world of strange allies, brutal enemies and moral messes. The show keeps you in the present tense, balancing obscene violence with moments of unexpected tenderness, without revealing how things will end.

Based on the comic by Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson, Happy premiered in 2017. The TV adaptation stars Christopher Meloni as Nick Sax and aired on Syfy, translating the source material's black humor and surreal visuals into live action format.

Happy earned attention for its audacious tone and Meloni's committed lead performance, but it didn't rack up major industry awards. It picked up some critical mentions and fan praise, yet widespread award recognition was limited, the series more often discussed for style and shock value than trophies.

The surreal pairing of violent noir and a smiling blue horse made Happy an odd fixture in late 2010s pop culture. Its bold tonal mix spawned online discussions, fan art and a modest cult following, with the image of Happy standing in for joyful absurdity within a grim crime setting.

Critics gave Happy mixed to positive reviews, reflected by an average user score of 7.4/10 (468 votes). Viewers reacted to its tonal swings. Major themes include guilt, addiction, fractured identity and an odd friendship between a battered man and an imaginary companion, all presented with dark humor and violent spectacle.