“Happiest Season” is one of the first holiday movies that centers around an LGBTQIA+ couple. This film debuted Nov. 25 and has captured the attention of many Hulu subscribers. While the intentions of the movie are crucial to creating a more diverse and open conversation in American society, the film itself was mediocre at best. 

“Happiest Season” was a predictable spinoff of any Hallmark movie. The plot itself was foreseeable throughout the entire runtime. It followed the traditional storyline of most Christmas movies — the main character and their significant other are happy at the beginning, a big secret devastates the couple, they have a huge fight that ends with them splitting and at the end they get back together.

What stands out about “Happiest Season” is that it features more LGBTQIA+ characters than almost every other romantic holiday movie. While the existence of these characters is exciting, the plot simply doesn’t hold up, leaving many viewers bored.

The comic relief character, played by Dan Levy, does offer some relief from the tired plot. His role was a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the movie. He provided differing commentary and a hysterical character arc. 

Despite the cliche writings of the plot and characters, “Happiest Season” was able to target the LGBTQIA+ audience — an audience that does not have much mass media representation. The young couple within the film have to navigate the emotionally taxing process of coming out to family, and the audience can see the pain and conflict they face. 

“Happiest Season” helps create an understanding for the audience about what the LGBTQIA+ community has to go through, especially during the holidays.

“Happiest Season” is available to watch on Hulu. 

Final Verdict: 7/10