Reliving Happy Days

This is one of the best episodes so far, with some laugh-out-loud moments and some heartfelt moments, which somewhat overlap, as in the "sex talk" scene between Marion and Joanie.  And, yes, the irony is thick as Fonzie doesn't seem too concerned about Joanie dating his twelve-year-old nephew Spike, when she'd later date and marry his cousin Chachi.  This also of course is the debut of Richie as protective older brother, which would be a big part of the next five and a half seasons. Notes: I know Tony Randall was then working for Garry M. at Paramount on The Odd Couple, but I was definitely not ready to see him as an untransformed werewolf kissing in a black & white movie! Is Carol the first girl to kiss Richie, Potsie, and  Ralph?  I like how we can both sympathize with her and understand Richie's sense of honor that requires him to keep ditching her. The aptly named Danny Butch would return as Raymond "Spike" Fonzarelli thrice more and he's qui...

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 Daughto...

This Halloween episode (airing on October 29th) is pretty funny, and I like that we get a better sense of the Richie-Joanie sibling dynamic outside the home.   Marsha looks blonder now, and she actually has the opening scene with Bag.  Also, Bag writes misspelled profanity, including on Joanie's pumpkin.  (She doesn't know what the word means, but Richie does.) I have no idea what the F on Potsie's costume stands for, but presumably not profanity. Joanie being in the Chipmunks actually figures into the plot a bit here. Three of Garry Marshall's kids (10-year-old Lori, 6-year-old Kathi, and 5-year-old Scotti) show up as trick-or-treaters. Garry himself directed the episode. Bruce Kelly and David Ketchum co-wrote.  Kelly wouldn't do anything further for the show, but Ketchum not only would write nine more episodes, but he had already appeared as Lt. Col. Binicky in the "R.O.T.C." episode.

I'm giving out another C, because I didn't care about the plot and the dream sequence was just odd.  (Mickey Rose didn't write any other HD episodes.)  This episode is notable for I think the first mention of panty raids on the series, although I assume none actually happen until the college years.  (I can't remember.)  Note that, even though Marion said in Season One that she didn't raise her boy to be a soldier, she seems perfectly fine with him being in the ROTC here. David Ketchum is Army Lt. Col. Binicky here but would return in two other roles, all the way into the final season, as well as soon writing for the series.

I have to give this episode a C because of how it handles mental illness and because Fonzie gives terrible advice and then Richie's parents wonder if he makes house calls.  Still there were things I liked, such as (something I remember from before) Richie experiencing Middle Child Syndrome, although it does feel odd that Howard is proud of absent Chuck #3's basketball skill, since he never was proud of Chuck #2 for anything.  If I recall correctly, this is the first time we see Ralph in Richie's bedroom and the two redheads have a semi-serious conversation, despite Ralph's jokes. This time Christina Hart's Carole Actman character is an "intellectual" and Richie just weirds her out.  Note that James Dean is referred to in the present tense, but maybe this is set before his death on September 30, 1955.  Also, Richie is seventeen again.  This is the only episode Jerry London directed, although he'd done some for The Brady Bunch and The Bob Newhart Show, a...

Tannis G. Montgomery returns, after "three years," as Arlene Nestrock.  We see some of the Love American Style episode in flashbacks, and I guess Richie is retconned to thirteen or fourteen there.  (It would've been more plausible, and accurate, to say two years.)  Although Richie has gone steady before (including with another Arlene), he doesn't like this Arlene's clinginess.  The scene of Richie trying to horrify Arlene's parents by his Fonzification is one I vaguely remember from syndication, although in this case I'm going to argue that it might've been funnier further into the run. We are starting to see a nerdier Potsie now, no longer boasting of his nonexistent success with girls.  For instance, he got gum in the ear of a girl named Rita DeFazio, who may or may not be related to Laverne.

Although this episode aired on September 17th, it's clearly set before "Richie Moves Out," since it contains Richie's first couple dates with Gloria.  Also, Richie and Potsie buying a "heap" is supposed to have happened "last year," whenever that was.  We can see the dynamic between Richie and Fonzie starting to shift in the second season, with them more like equals, as Richie stands up to the Fonz, rather than just acting in awe of his cooler friend.  And there's a nice outdoor scene of Richie driving around the neighborhood, Potsie up front, Ralph in the back.  Furthermore, I should note that Richie seems to be a better kisser than he was in Season One, and generally not quite as stunted and awkward. A couple casting notes: We finally see Fonzie's boss, "Happy," but this would not be a recurring character. Lew Horn is Officer Marlow here and would later be Hinstead.