Watch the Original ‘Happyish’ Pilot Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman
Ever wondered what Showtime’s Happyish would have been like if Philip Seymour Hoffman had played the lead role instead of Steve Coogan? Well, you can stop your wondering because the long-lost, original John Cameron Mitchell-directed pilot that stars Hoffman is now available to watch (see below). Mitchell shared a link to the unaired episode earlier today via Instagram. The dark comedy’s pilot, which sees Hoffman (in his last filmed role) playing 40-something Thom Payne, is eerie viewing.
Happyish with Steve Coogan as Thom Payne
The pilot for the Shalom Auslander-created series wrapped filming in 2013, mere weeks before Hoffman passed away on February 2, 2014 at the age of 46. It finds Kathryn Hahn playing Lee Payne, the wife of Hoffman’s character, the same role she played in the series that made it to air. However, many other actors were recast for the Coogan-starrer. Ellen Barkin replaced Parker Posey, who played the headhunter in the pilot. Similarly, Rhys Ifans, who is Hoffman’s boss in the pilot, didn’t make the series leap. Bradley Whitford assumed his role.
Oddly, fallen comedian Louis C.K. has a cameo in the episode. He plays himself shilling a Nike sneaker. When they filmed the pilot, it was around the time of his peak, American Hustle was just about to come out, and the premiere of Louie Season 4 was a few months away. Still, it’s jarring to see him there.
The show’s tone shifts with Hoffman in the lead role and Mitchell behind its direction. It’s much darker. Hoffman delivers an understated yet resounding performance as a Prozac-popping, married dad who loathes his ad agency day job. And when his character talks about his mortality, it’s chilling.
Shot in and around New York City, the episode delivers another haunting turn. In one scene, Hoffman and Posey’s characters eat lunch at the now-closed Blue Water Grill in Union Square. In the distance is another shuttered restaurant, Coffee Shop. It’s almost as if everything in the Happyish pilot was cursed.
The scripts of the pilot and the Ken Kwapis-directed first episode of Happyish Season 1 are almost identical. If you want to compare and contrast, Happyish is available for viewing on several streaming platforms. And to read about how the execs scrambled to bring the show to air after Hoffman’s death, go here. Showtime canceled the series after the first season.
UPDATE 2/18: We thought this would happen. It appears YouTube removed the video due to copyright infringement.
Photo of Happyish courtesy of Showtime.