If you love cozy best friend comedies and haven’t watched Playing House yet, I consider it my
civic duty to tell you to absolutely watch Playing House.
Playing House originally aired on the USA Network for three seasons. It’s the story of Emma
and Maggie, who have been best friends since high school. When Maggie’s marriage dissolves
while she’s in the third trimester of pregnancy, Emma moves back to their small town to help her bestie transition into singlehood and motherhood.
There are a bajillion reasons to love this show, but here are just a few of the top things I
appreciate about it:
Pinebrook Is The Perfect Small Town
Maggie and Emma live in the fictional town of Pinebrook, Connecticut. It’s the kind of place that
has only a few major stores and restaurants and everyone lives in quaint little houses.
Pinebrook also contains a delightful cast of wacky and lovable characters. Mark (Emma’s ex
from high school) and his wife Tina (hilariously nicknamed “bird bones” due to her general
fragility) are two of the top supporting characters. Maggie’s ex-husband Bruce is still around
town as a schmuck with a heart of gold. Maggie’s brother, Zach, pops in every now and then
with oddball opinions and highbrow tastes.
And that’s just the start! Pinebrook is a community with many side characters that make it feel
like a real place with friends and family that make it special. If you’re a fan of small-town shows
like Schitt’s Creek or have ever imagined running away to Stars Hollow, I bet you’d feel right at
home in Pinebrook.
Everything Looks Perfect All The Time
This seems like something so simple and silly, but it’s actually one of my favorite things that sets Playing House apart from other shows. In dialogue, the characters are clear about their love of Real Simple Magazine, and I’ve got to believe the showrunners are big fans, too. Each room is gorgeously airy, bright, and perfectly decorated. Maggie and Emma’s home even includes little details like an immaculately organized giftwrapping station.
In addition to the picture-perfect set, both of the main characters always look like they’ve had a
fresh blowout! All of these touches could feel weird or superficial, but instead it’s like being
lulled into a perfect feminine fantasy or a Pinterest board come to life. It makes the already
endearing story even more fun to watch!
It’s A Funny Show With A Big Heart
In between all the silly antics and weird adventures, Playing House contains some genuinely
heartfelt moments. The birth of Maggie’s daughter always makes me cry, because Emma is right
by her side coaching her. When Emma is diagnosed with breast cancer (a plotline pulled from
Jessica St. Clair’s own life), Maggie is with her the whole time helping through her treatment
and recovery. The most heartfelt episodes of Playing House are the ones I turn to during tender moments in my own friendship. When my best friend moved from Ohio to Minnesota, thereby drastically decreasing the number of times we could hang out each year, I binge-watched the second season of Playing House. When this same best friend gave birth to a baby girl a couple years later, I watched the birth episode of Playing House to feel closer to her.
Even though Playing House is most memorable for its chilled out, goofy sense of humor, its
moments that tug on my heartstrings are what keep me coming back!
If I’ve done my job well (and oh, how I hope I have!), you may be asking where you can watch
Playing House and join in the fun. It’s actually showing on IMDB TV, which is a free channel
on Amazon Prime! Should you start watching Playing House today? As Maggie and Emma would say, absolutes magoots!
