"Guess Who's Coming to Visit"


Things are settling in a little on this B- February 5, 1974 episode.  We even get a glimpse of Ralph's cowardice, which would Flanderize over time.  It's the first episode where Richie doesn't kiss or get kissed by a girl, although he has a crush on one of the "Assorted Nuts."

Notes:
  • Howard is angrier with Richie about being a drag-race flagger than when Richie got drunk, but Marion intervenes, despite Joanie's hopes of Richie being severely punished.
  • Chuck teases Richie about his basketball skills, while Joanie can go from baton-twirling to shooting hoops.  Also, Chuck apparently lives in the dorm, but they still have his bed in Richie's room, which is convenient when Potsie comes to visit.
  • Potsie and Howard are wary of each other, while Joanie (ironically in light of her later crush) calls Potsie a nerd.
  • Two actual nerds steal the spotlight at the end, when all the grounded kids clear out of Arnold's at suppertime.  In this first season, including in the opening credits, there's a sense of Richie's life being one of many we could've followed in this time and place.
  • And speaking of this time, The Untouchables is on, and it's not a brand-new show, so this may be the winter of '59-60!
  • We see Fonzie in his leather jacket, for the drag-racing scene.
  • I love the casting of Agnewy-looking Herb Voland (then probably best known as General Clayton on M*A*S*H) as the Police Sergeant.  It adds a little comic fillip to the line-up scene.
  • I'm not sure who "Moose" is (the fat nerd at the end?), but Barry Greenberg would play the role twice more.
  • Lowell Ganz would write three more episodes, Mark Rothman eight more.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JOANIE LOVES CHACHI: "Goodbye Delvecchio's, Hello World"

Image
  Al reluctantly fires the band for irresponsibility, so Uncle Rico gets them a gig at an Irish-themed pub.  The wardrobes look more anachronistic than ever.  I'm going with C+ again. Note that Bill Kirchenbauer (the future Coach Lubbock) makes a brief appearance as Phil, not as memorable as when he'd guested on Mork & Mindy, but still nice to see.
Read more

"Fonzie's Spots"

Image
It is September 24, 1984.  The final episode of Three's Company aired last week.  This isn't even Tuesday, but Monday.  Eight p.m. on Tuesdays this Fall will be (as it was for much of last season)  Foul-Ups, Bleeps, & Blunders, now followed by the 3'sC spin-off/sequel Three's a Crowd.  Before long, the outtakes show will be pushed to 9:00 and Crowd will foolishly be placed at 8:00, followed by Who's the Boss? , which has a much longer future ahead of it.  I will keep watching ABC, but I'm sixteen now and have a boyfriend who will eventually be my ex-husband.  The Tuesday Night ABC Line-Up I grew up with will become a set of mangled memories. I don't know if I watched this episode at the time.  I certainly didn't recall anything about it today.  I'm going with a C-, since it's pretty forgettable, except for the talk between Fonzie and Howard. Notes: Howard has been Grand Poobah for five years and has allegedly only recruited Potsie, but wh...
Read more

"Fonzie the Superstar"

Image
This is definitely a better (B-) proto-crossover although still odd in ways I'll discuss in the notes.  The title is a fitting one since Fonzie, sort of as distinct from Winkler the actor, was a superstar in real life in 1976, as odd as that is to recall now.  Anyway, Ralph wants Fonzie to sing in Potsie's place while Potsie is out of town (for reasons), but Fonzie has stage fright.   Lots o' notes: Potsie has a rich uncle who wants him to go to Notre Dame, so Potsie's parents (who it's well established hate him) want him to tour the campus that weekend. Fonzie will be out of town shortly before the "Senior Dance," which is being held at Arnold's because apparently they tore down the sock hop sets from the first couple seasons. Fonzie is going to the Powderpuff Derby, to help Pinky Tuscadero, which, like really?  That's historic!  (I want to say she doesn't show up until Season Four though, and this reference may be retconned.)  They had quite ...
Read more