Television moves fast. One minute you're the "it" person of the year, and the next, your face is plastered across a "What Ever Happened to...?" listicle. That’s kinda the vibe surrounding Super Fun Night, the short-lived ABC sitcom that starred Rebel Wilson. It premiered back in 2013 with a massive amount of hype. People expected the next Bridesmaids or Pitch Perfect on the small screen. Instead, we got seventeen episodes of awkward humor, singing, and a lot of Spanx jokes. Looking back at it now, it’s clear the show was caught in a weird transitional period for network TV. It was trying to be edgy but had to stay within the safe confines of a 9:30 PM slot on a major network.
The show followed Kimmie, Helen-Alice, and Marika. Three best friends. Every Friday, they had a "super fun night." They'd been doing it for thirteen years. Usually, it involved staying in, maybe some cosplay, or just generally avoiding the terrifying reality of social interaction in Manhattan. Then Kimmie gets a promotion at her law firm. Suddenly, the "staying in" lifestyle is challenged by the need to network with the high-flyers, including her crush, Richard, and her rival, Kendall.
The Rebel Wilson Effect on Super Fun Night
Rebel Wilson didn't just star in this. She created it. She wrote it. She was the driving force. At the time, Wilson was riding a massive wave of popularity following her breakout role as Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect. ABC banked on her brand of self-deprecating, physical, and unapologetically bold humor. They really wanted a hit.
The pilot was interesting because it actually existed in two forms. There was an original multi-camera version developed for CBS that never went anywhere. Then, it was reworked into a single-camera format for ABC. That switch is usually a red flag. It suggests a show that doesn't quite know its own identity. Is it a loud, laugh-track-heavy sitcom? Or a quirky, indie-style comedy? Super Fun Night tried to be both, and that's probably why it felt a bit disjointed to some viewers.
Wilson’s performance was exactly what you’d expect if you’ve seen her work. She was fearless. She leaned into the physical comedy, often making herself the butt of the joke to prove a point about confidence. Honestly, it was a bit polarizing. Some critics found the constant focus on her weight or her "unconventional" look to be repetitive. Others saw it as a refreshing take on the female lead who doesn't look like a standard sitcom trope.
The Supporting Cast: The Real Secret Sauce
While Rebel was the star, the show wouldn't have worked without Liza Lapira and Lauren Ash.
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Liza Lapira played Helen-Alice, the hyper-organized, anxious one of the group. Lapira is a veteran of the industry—you’ve seen her in everything from Fast & Furious to The Equalizer. Her deadpan delivery was a perfect foil to Wilson’s high energy.
Then there was Lauren Ash as Marika. Marika was the "tough" one, often dressed in athletic gear, harboring a secret that the show eventually explored: her struggle with her own sexuality. Ash, who later went on to be a standout in Superstore, showed early signs of her comedic brilliance here. The chemistry between these three women was the only thing that felt truly grounded. You believed they had been friends since high school. You believed they actually liked spending time together.
Why the Critics Weren't Feeling It
Critics were harsh. There’s no other way to put it. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show sits at a pretty dismal 38%. Why? Mostly because of the "cringe" factor. The show relied heavily on second-hand embarrassment.
- Kimmie gets her dress stuck in an elevator.
- Kimmie accidentally flashes a crowd.
- Kimmie tries to sing and fails (or succeeds, depending on the episode).
By 2013, audiences were starting to move away from that specific type of humor. Shows like Parks and Recreation or Brooklyn Nine-Nine were finding success with a mix of optimism and wit, rather than just "look how awkward this person is." Super Fun Night felt a little bit like a throwback to the mid-2000s, and not necessarily in a good way.
The pacing was also an issue. Because it was a network sitcom, it had to hit certain beats every 22 minutes. You had the setup, the "fun night" gone wrong, the emotional realization, and the reset. It didn't have the room to breathe that a streaming show would have today.
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The Musical Element
One thing people often forget about Super Fun Night is how much singing there was. Rebel Wilson loves a musical number. Since she had just come off Pitch Perfect, the producers leaned into this. Almost every episode featured Kimmie singing some pop song, usually as a way to express her feelings or win someone over. It was charming, sure. But it also made the show feel a bit like a variety hour at times. It broke the reality of the world they were trying to build.
The Ratings Rollercoaster
The premiere was actually a massive hit. It pulled in over 8 million viewers. That’s huge for a comedy. But the retention was the problem. It was scheduled after Modern Family, which was the biggest comedy on television at the time.
People would stay tuned after Modern Family, watch ten minutes of Super Fun Night, and then change the channel. The audience dropped significantly week after week. By the time the finale aired, it was down to about 2.6 million viewers. In the world of network television, that's a death sentence. ABC officially canceled it in May 2014.
What the Show Got Right
Despite the cancellation, it’s worth acknowledging what the show did well. It was one of the few shows at the time that centered entirely on female friendship without making it about competing for a man—at least, not primarily.
The bond between Kimmie, Helen-Alice, and Marika was central. It celebrated "nerd culture" before it was trendy. They liked LARPing. They liked board games. They liked being "uncool." In a sea of shows about perfect-looking people in perfect-looking apartments, these women felt like people you might actually know.
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The Legacy of the "Super Fun" Experiment
So, what did we learn?
First, the show proved that Rebel Wilson could carry a series, even if the series itself wasn't perfect. It paved the way for more diverse body types in lead comedic roles. Second, it served as a launchpad for Lauren Ash, who is now a household name in the comedy world.
If you go back and watch it now—it’s available on various digital platforms—it feels like a time capsule. It’s a relic of that era when networks were trying to figure out how to transition from traditional sitcoms to the "weird" comedy of the internet age. It didn't quite stick the landing, but it wasn't a total failure either.
Key Takeaways for Fans of TV History
If you're a fan of sitcoms, there are a few things to keep in mind when looking back at this show:
- Format Matters: The struggle between multi-cam and single-cam can ruin a show's DNA before it even starts.
- Lead-in Power is Real: Just because a show follows a hit doesn't mean it is a hit. The "drop-off" rate is the metric that matters most to executives.
- Chemistry Can't Be Faked: The best parts of the show were the unscripted-feeling moments between the three leads.
- Know Your Brand: The show struggled because it couldn't decide if it was a raunchy Rebel Wilson movie or a family-friendly ABC sitcom.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check out the pilot: If you haven't seen it, watch the first episode to see the "high-energy" marketing in action. It's a masterclass in how to launch a star-driven vehicle.
- Compare to Modern Sitcoms: Watch an episode of Super Fun Night and then an episode of something like Hacks or Abbott Elementary. Notice how the "cringe" humor has evolved into something more character-driven.
- Follow the Cast: Look into the later work of Liza Lapira and Lauren Ash. Seeing where they went after this show provides great context for their comedic ranges.