"Wish Upon a Star"




This one sort of plays with the idea of image vs. reality, with a "wholesome" Hollywood star (played by the lovely Cheryl Stoppelmoor, in I think her first appearance as Cheryl Ladd) who drinks and smokes but is also faithful to her secret husband.  This tension is very Happy-Days I think, especially in the early seasons.  And the thing of Fonzie have Richie literally "sniff Coke" (to see where he's hidden the booze) is one of those moments where I'm not sure if it was meant innocently or they were trying to slip something past the censors (and succeeding).

Other thoughts:
  • This feels a little early for Frankie Avalon to be a teen idol, unless it is 1959 after all.
  • It's pretty clear that Potsie and Ralph are meant to be virgins, considering how eager they are to hear details of what Richie did at the starlet's hotel.
  • Richie is definitely going steady with Gloria, and certainly we've seen more of her than his other girlfriends so far.
  • James Daughton is Larry here and would be Harold Croft on the "Hollywood" three-parter in '77.

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