Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 7 Review: #Happy

On Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 7, “#Happy,” the show explores the damage social media and childhood trauma can cause. It’s a casual episode. 

This episode does, unfortunately, make the mistake of tackling more than one fantasy, which always leaves the story feeling disjointed. 

Yet it is a thriller-like episode as a family works to inspire being grateful for what you have and not asking for too much. With harsh red lighting, and an unknown creature looking to take over, this storyline fits into Fantasy Island better than almost any other fantasy. 

Sometimes the things people think they want aren’t actually what they want, and “#Happy” does a fantastic job showing us how that can pan out.

Social media is incredibly damaging sometimes, whether for a person’s mentality or how they see themselves. This episode displays how difficult it is to live up to a social media lifestyle and how unauthentic it can sometimes be. 

What breaks Amber and her family out of their trance is that Amber realizes she’s been overcompensating for what she didn’t have as a child. 

It’s heartbreaking to learn that what happens early on in life will impact you for the remainder. 

As Amber proves, the best way to get out of that is by realizing what’s right in front of you and being grateful for it. 

Even though the message seems a bit hollow after going through that much, and even though I believe this show can do better, the truth is sometimes what matters most.

Alexa Mansour is a star. Every time she’s on screen, it’s hard to look away from her. She brings life to Helene — sarcastic, sardonic Helene — that has been missing.

The show has already set up an avenue for Helene to leave, and it’s understandable, but it’s also incredibly difficult to imagine Fantasy Island without her. 

Helene and Ruby are the besties we need — especially if Elena isn’t going to let herself be open with Ruby and vice versa. 

Then there’s Isaiah’s story, which, without Helene, would have been the weakest part of this episode. 

No, the weakest part of “#Happy” comes when Javier discusses his breakup with Elena with Ruby. 

Javier is upset because Elena broke up with him, which makes total sense, but for him to list off every nice thing he’s done for her and expect that to be why she shouldn’t have broken it off is — odd. 

It’s shallow, and it doesn’t make sense for Javier to be upset because he gave Elena everything and didn’t receive that back. 

Javier has shown time and time again that he’s proud to do things for Elena, even for Ruby and Segundo. He’s just that type of person. Unfortunately, doing nice things doesn’t amount to a relationship, and the Javier we know knows that. 

To twist that on its head and use it against him in a breakup facilitated by forced drama is an incredibly weak, unfortunate plot point. 

This episode is good, don’t get me wrong, but the direction we are heading with Javier and Elena makes me fear that; eventually, I’ll just be rooting for a single Elena. 

Stray Thoughts

• Please give us more horror-based episodes. 
• Imagine wasting your fantasy on learning a lesson you could’ve discovered going skydiving. 
• “You know what? I’m not gonna second guess.” Top 10 moments before disaster. 

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Fantasy Island airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX.

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