Why Steve From The Main Event Looks So Familiar

After appearances on late night shows like The Colbert Report and sketch shows like NTSF:SD:SUV, Pally finally booked a big role on a flashy new sitcom — ABC's Happy Endings. With an ensemble cast that included Eliza Coupe (Scrubs), Elisha Cuthbert (24), Damon Wayans Jr. (New Girl), Casey Wilson (Saturday Night Live), and Zachary Knighton (FlashForward), Happy Endings might have seemed like a knockoff of Friends or How I Met Your Mother at first glance — but thanks to whip-smart writing and excellent running jokes, Happy Endings proved its worth soon enough.

Pally starred on the show as Max Blum, and throughout three seasons, he succeeded in creating one of television's most layered and dynamic LGBTQ+ characters. Though Max was gay, he eschewed every single stereotype seen on most other sitcoms, paving the way for characters like Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Raymond Holt and presenting a totally different depiction of modern sexuality. Beyond his sexual orientation, Max was essentially a lovable mess; from buying an old limousine and offering totally inaccurate tours of Chicago to his entirely chaotic friendship with Wilson's flighty and free-spirited Penny, Max had no plans for his future, and he definitely liked it that way.

Sadly, Pally's journey as Max came to an end when Happy Endings was abruptly canceled by ABC, a decision that drew derision and uproar in 2013. However, now that the series is streaming on Hulu, audiences can rediscover Pally's performance and relive Happy Endings as many times as they'd like.