"American Musical"


I can remember cringing a bit at this time, but honestly, for Season Eight, it's not bad.  It's not good either though.  So C.

A couple notes:
  • Joanie and Roger are Irish on their great-great-grandmother's side, but he's Russian on his presumably paternal grandfather's side.
  • Potsie refers to "the U.S.A." in 1600ish, but it is Fonzie telling the story.
  • Fonzie quotes Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, in an episode presumably set in the spring of '63, a bit premature but oh well.
  • Molinaro shows up as a priest, but I don't know if it's Al's brother, L&S's Father Gucci, or a random cleric.
  • It's nice to see Goodfriend dance a bit again.
  • J. Elizabeth Bradley has hardly any other IMDB credits, but her co-writer Dunne had done some other HD scripts, including a couple musical ones.
Season Eight of Happy Days ranges from D to B-, averaging out to a C.  It's not as terrible as I dreaded, but the loss of Richie and Ralph does make a difference.  Roger isn't actually on much, but he doesn't add much as a character.  Jenny is kind of fun.  Fonzie's students, and what that class does to his personality, I definitely dislike.  And, yes, Potsie and LB's characters feel more pointless without Richie.  Richie's parents and sister carry on much better, and Al is always Al.

HD was No. 15 in the ratings that year, Laverne & Shirley No. 20, and Three's Company No. 8 (with Too Close for Comfort, airing at 9:30, tying with HD).  The ABC Tuesday Night Lineup still beat its competition (e.g. Lobo) and, considering all the shakeups, that's impressive, although the glory days were over.  But there are three seasons left for HD and 3'sC, so the story definitely does not end here.

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