I’ve already said most of what I’d like to say about about Playing House, the USA show created by and starring Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, but having just devoured Season 3, a new feeling came to me: a burning desire to shout out the talented cast of comedic actors these women have gathered to play their family, friends, and foils.
A summary of the show: St. Clair plays Emma, who leaves her high-powered job and moves back to the small town she grew up in to help Parham’s Maggie raise her baby. Each season is brief but, for lack of a less hackneyed word, perfect; funny, calm, pleasant. These are people who, when they have drama, have it realistically and minimally, but generally are kind to each other and behave well. Watching them makes me feel good, bringing about a sensation not dissimilar to that which comes from watching Bob Ross paint trees, but with significantly more substance (no offense to Bob, though he is dead and will never know I wrote this).
Anyway, onto this list of some of my favorite characters over the seasons, some of whom are around semi-regularly, but others of whom only showed up for an episode or even less time. (If you haven’t watched at least up to Season 3 of Playing House, this contains some minor spoilers; only four episodes have aired so far, but all of them are streaming online.) This isn’t really a show where I think spoilers matter much—I have now watched every season three times—but if you do, don’t read this, go watch the show, and then come back and read this.
Keegan Michael-Key as Mark, the handsome cop whom Emma used to date in high school and with whom she finally, finally reconnects with after Mark realizes he and his wife Tina are not a good fit.
Zach Woods as Maggie’s brother Zach, a totally sweet weirdo with a sometimes-fixation on Emma.