"Big Money"



Although people think of Happy Days as a shiny view of the '50s (especially with that title), that wasn't always the case, as this post-Watergate episode about honesty and corruption shows.  It appears to be set before the quiz show scandals of 1957-58, since everyone is surprised when Richie is supplied with the answers for Big Money.  And Howard contrasts his own "weakness" with what he imagines would've been Ozzie Nelson's reaction to cheating.

Other thoughts:
  • Richie's middle initial is J.
  • He plans to use most of the $5000 for college.
  • Fonzie in these early seasons has a weird not exactly consistent moral code.
  • Dave Madden has the hair and sideburns of Reuben Kincaid, rather than the look of an actual '50s game show host.
  • There's a very mild anti-Ike joke.
  • This is the first of two HD episodes written by Greg Strangis, who'd also do an early one for Laverne & Shirley.
  • His co-writer for both HD episodes, Jerry Rannow, I know better for his nine Welcome Back, Kotter scripts.

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