"All I Want for Christmas"


We get not one, not two, but three estranged families in this episode, which is a bit much.  That and the flatness (including a shockingly subdued studio audience) means a C-.

Notes:
  • Richard Paul, of Carter Country etc., plays Howard's brother Dick, whom he hasn't spoken to in 15 or 16 years.  Dick appears to be the elder brother, even though their father was 18 when Howard was born.
  • Jenny says she "still" lives with her parents, but she is in her seventh year of high school or whatever it is by now.
  • I don't like Fonzie pressuring Ashley to reconnect with her parents, but on the other hand, it'd be nice if there was some closure, since it was brought up.
  • Roger and Flip are visiting their parents, whom they presumably still get along with.
  • Richie calls from California, or wherever he is these days, and we of course don't even get a voiceover.
  • This is Beverly Bloomberg's penultimate HD script, and the first of two for Pamela Ryan.


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