Most actors would kill (or at least maim) for the chance to star in a long-running, popular sitcom. But two? It boggles the mind.
First Opie, then Richie? Ron Howard was twice-blessed. Just when you thought it would be hard for him to top the eight-year run he had with "The Andy Griffith Show," which finished as the top-rated show its last year, along comes "Happy Days," which lasted eleven seasons and also finished one year as the most-watched show in America. And while "The Andy Griffith Show" was a spin-off of the old "Danny Thomas Show," "Happy Days" spawned "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork & Mindy," and "Joanie Loves Chachi." That might not be the greatest measure of success, but how about the fact that the leather jacket worn by "Happy Days" greaser "Fonzie" is now on display at the Smithsonian, alongside Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair?
AAAAYYYYH!
Like "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" underwent quite a few changes over the years, with characters moving in and out of the picture. The second season is the last you'll see of Richie's older brother, Chuck (this year played by Randolph Roberts with no more panache than his predecessor, Gavan O'Herlihy). But as Richie's good friend Ralph Malph (Donny Most) always says, "When you got it, you got it!" The heart of the show quickly became the relationship between geeky good-guy Richie and his pals and older leather-jacketed drop-out Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler).
This season, we see signs saying Arnold's Drive-In is under new management, but Arnold (Pat Morita) himself doesn't appear until Season Three. This is the first year we see Fonzie's mini-me nephew, Spike, and the last year we see Bag Zombroski, the leader of a gang called The Demons. It's the year that Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) really starts throwing around his catch phrase, "Got it made in the shade," and the season that spawned several episodes with serious moments involving Fonzie--one, which saw him rescued from a lonely Christmas by the Cunninghams. The show really hit its stride in Season 2, and much of that has to do with the wacky but warm energy of creator Garry Marshall.
Of course, Howard owes a bit to George Lucas too. It was his success in Lucas's "American Graffiti" the year before that led to his "Happy Days" debut. As Richie Cunningham, Howard is a likable Everyboy trying to become an Everyman, with friends who are just as clueless as he. The setting is Milwaukee in the '50s, and at that time there were just three types of high school students: greasers, jocks, and dupers (everybody else, nerds and otherwise). Richie is the latter, and the contrast between his wholesomeness and Fonzie's savvy is but one point of interest. Richie also has a younger sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), to spar with, and parents who are a lot hipper (Tom Bosley, Marion Ross) than most would have been.
What sets this sitcom apart is that it doesn't have an easily recognizable three-act structure. Instead, it feels like a slice of life, with the focus on Richie. We see moments with Richie and his friends, Richie and his parents, Richie and his awkward dating attempts, Richie confronting his fears and insecurities, Richie and his siblings, and Richie and his Obi-wan figure, The Fonz. Mom and Dad may be good with advice related to morals and ideals, but when it came right down to the nitty-gritty, Fonzie was the go-to guy, especially where females were concerned. This season, Fonzie was still a character who hadn't grown into too much of a caricature, and that's frankly one of the best things that can be said about the show that "jumped the shark" when Fonzie water-skied over a shark pen. Fonzie became a phenomenon, but when the "Happy Days" gang started to make him a character t rival Richie, the show lost its charm and central focus.
Like "WKRP in Cincinnati," though, "Happy Days" has had its problems obtaining affordable rights to some of the '50s music that was incorporated into the episodes. Alas, as "WKRP" was forced to do, "Happy Days" is presented with music replacement. But as with "WKRP," the replacement is so skillfully done that you hardly even notice, unless you have a photographic memory. The acting and the characters are still as fun as they were when the show first aired. So enjoy Season 2, when it's still almost as strong a slice-of-life coming-of-age story from week to week as "American Graffiti." The writing is is certainly better-than-average, especially delivered with the wide-eyed innocence of these wannabe grownups.
Potsie: "This girl's got potential. I took her to the drive-in last night and she's still talking to me."
Here's a quick rundown on the 23 episodes, housed on four single-sided discs in a clear plastic keep-case that's the size of a standard DVD case, but which has a center "page" that holds two of the discs. It's a nifty design, actually.
1) "Richie Moves Out"--Chuck gets more air time than usual as Richie moves in with his basketball-dribbling older brother, because Mom and Dad are cramping his style.
2) "Richie's Car"--Richie gets a bright red convertible and a few headaches when the "Love Bandit" Fonzie gets for him turns out to have quite a past.
3) "Who's Sorry Now?"--Richie has an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu when a girl who rejected him comes back to Jefferson High, and he ends up going steady with her.
4) "You Go to My Head"--As Richie reads a book about abnormal psychology, he starts to think he needs a shrink.
5) "R.O.T.C."--Richie gets a taste of leadership, and alienates his friends when he puts them on report.
6) "Haunted"--Ralph decides to host his annual Halloween party at the legendary haunted house in town, and Richie gets spooked.
7) "Wish upon a Star"--When Richie gets to escort Hollywood starlet Cindy Shea to the school's victory dance, he's the envy of Jefferson High.
8) "Not with My Sister, You Don't"--Dad pays Richie 50 cents an hour to double-date with Joanie and pint-sized Spike, to make sure the Fonzie-clone doesn't try any of the big guy's patented moves.
9) "Big Money"--Richie is selected to go on a game show for a chance to win $3200.
10) "A Star is Bored"--One of the serious-moment shows has Fonzie educating the crowd with his take on "Hamlet."
11) "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas"--Another serious/poignant show, which finds Fonzie all alone for the holidays with only his motorcycle . . . until the Cunninghams insist he join them.
12) "Open House"--Potsie invites three stranded beauty pageant contestants to spend the night while Richie's parents are out of town, much to Richie's horror.
13) "Fonzie's Getting Married"--It's Mr. C. to the embarrassing rescue when Fonzie introduces the family to his fiancée, and Howard suddenly remembers where (and how much) he's seen of her.
14) "The Cunningham Caper"--Home alone for the teen set. Richie is sick and home alone, and he and his buddies have a burglar to contend with.
15) "The Not Making of the President"--Dad likes Ike, but Richie's hot for a girl who's campaigning for Adlai Stevenson.
16) "Cruisin'"--When Richie, Potsie, and Ralph leave Milwaukee to meet some girls and get in trouble when their boyfriends show up, it's the Fonz to the rescue.
17) "The Howdy Doody Show"--Richie gets the scoop of his juvenile life when he interviews Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody for the school paper and gets a photo of Clarabell without make-up.
18) "Get a Job"--Richie becomes involved with an older woman, who requires a bit more cash and attention than the average gum-popping high school girl.
19) "Fonzie Joins the Band"--When Fonzie takes up the bongos and decides he's going to play with Richie's band at a country club gig, it's Splitsville for the guys.
20) "Fish and the Fins"--Flash Cadillac and The Continental Kids make their TV acting debut in this episode.
21) "Richie's Flip Side"--Richie annoys his friend after his head swells when he gets his own radio show as a teen deejay.
22) "Kiss Me Sickly"--When Fonzie leaves town, Richie is saddled with the responsibility of keeping an eye on his girl. Oops.
23) "Goin' to Chicago"--Richie, Potsie and Ralph make the big trip to the Windy City, with predictable but funny results as they try to go "clubbin'."
First Opie, then Richie? Ron Howard was twice-blessed. Just when you thought it would be hard for him to top the eight-year run he had with "The Andy Griffith Show," which finished as the top-rated show its last year, along comes "Happy Days," which lasted eleven seasons and also finished one year as the most-watched show in America. And while "The Andy Griffith Show" was a spin-off of the old "Danny Thomas Show," "Happy Days" spawned "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork & Mindy," and "Joanie Loves Chachi." That might not be the greatest measure of success, but how about the fact that the leather jacket worn by "Happy Days" greaser "Fonzie" is now on display at the Smithsonian, alongside Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair?
AAAAYYYYH!
Like "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" underwent quite a few changes over the years, with characters moving in and out of the picture. The second season is the last you'll see of Richie's older brother, Chuck (this year played by Randolph Roberts with no more panache than his predecessor, Gavan O'Herlihy). But as Richie's good friend Ralph Malph (Donny Most) always says, "When you got it, you got it!" The heart of the show quickly became the relationship between geeky good-guy Richie and his pals and older leather-jacketed drop-out Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler).
This season, we see signs saying Arnold's Drive-In is under new management, but Arnold (Pat Morita) himself doesn't appear until Season Three. This is the first year we see Fonzie's mini-me nephew, Spike, and the last year we see Bag Zombroski, the leader of a gang called The Demons. It's the year that Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) really starts throwing around his catch phrase, "Got it made in the shade," and the season that spawned several episodes with serious moments involving Fonzie--one, which saw him rescued from a lonely Christmas by the Cunninghams. The show really hit its stride in Season 2, and much of that has to do with the wacky but warm energy of creator Garry Marshall.
Of course, Howard owes a bit to George Lucas too. It was his success in Lucas's "American Graffiti" the year before that led to his "Happy Days" debut. As Richie Cunningham, Howard is a likable Everyboy trying to become an Everyman, with friends who are just as clueless as he. The setting is Milwaukee in the '50s, and at that time there were just three types of high school students: greasers, jocks, and dupers (everybody else, nerds and otherwise). Richie is the latter, and the contrast between his wholesomeness and Fonzie's savvy is but one point of interest. Richie also has a younger sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), to spar with, and parents who are a lot hipper (Tom Bosley, Marion Ross) than most would have been.
What sets this sitcom apart is that it doesn't have an easily recognizable three-act structure. Instead, it feels like a slice of life, with the focus on Richie. We see moments with Richie and his friends, Richie and his parents, Richie and his awkward dating attempts, Richie confronting his fears and insecurities, Richie and his siblings, and Richie and his Obi-wan figure, The Fonz. Mom and Dad may be good with advice related to morals and ideals, but when it came right down to the nitty-gritty, Fonzie was the go-to guy, especially where females were concerned. This season, Fonzie was still a character who hadn't grown into too much of a caricature, and that's frankly one of the best things that can be said about the show that "jumped the shark" when Fonzie water-skied over a shark pen. Fonzie became a phenomenon, but when the "Happy Days" gang started to make him a character t rival Richie, the show lost its charm and central focus.
Like "WKRP in Cincinnati," though, "Happy Days" has had its problems obtaining affordable rights to some of the '50s music that was incorporated into the episodes. Alas, as "WKRP" was forced to do, "Happy Days" is presented with music replacement. But as with "WKRP," the replacement is so skillfully done that you hardly even notice, unless you have a photographic memory. The acting and the characters are still as fun as they were when the show first aired. So enjoy Season 2, when it's still almost as strong a slice-of-life coming-of-age story from week to week as "American Graffiti." The writing is is certainly better-than-average, especially delivered with the wide-eyed innocence of these wannabe grownups.
Potsie: "This girl's got potential. I took her to the drive-in last night and she's still talking to me."
Here's a quick rundown on the 23 episodes, housed on four single-sided discs in a clear plastic keep-case that's the size of a standard DVD case, but which has a center "page" that holds two of the discs. It's a nifty design, actually.
1) "Richie Moves Out"--Chuck gets more air time than usual as Richie moves in with his basketball-dribbling older brother, because Mom and Dad are cramping his style.
2) "Richie's Car"--Richie gets a bright red convertible and a few headaches when the "Love Bandit" Fonzie gets for him turns out to have quite a past.
3) "Who's Sorry Now?"--Richie has an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu when a girl who rejected him comes back to Jefferson High, and he ends up going steady with her.
4) "You Go to My Head"--As Richie reads a book about abnormal psychology, he starts to think he needs a shrink.
5) "R.O.T.C."--Richie gets a taste of leadership, and alienates his friends when he puts them on report.
6) "Haunted"--Ralph decides to host his annual Halloween party at the legendary haunted house in town, and Richie gets spooked.
7) "Wish upon a Star"--When Richie gets to escort Hollywood starlet Cindy Shea to the school's victory dance, he's the envy of Jefferson High.
8) "Not with My Sister, You Don't"--Dad pays Richie 50 cents an hour to double-date with Joanie and pint-sized Spike, to make sure the Fonzie-clone doesn't try any of the big guy's patented moves.
9) "Big Money"--Richie is selected to go on a game show for a chance to win $3200.
10) "A Star is Bored"--One of the serious-moment shows has Fonzie educating the crowd with his take on "Hamlet."
11) "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas"--Another serious/poignant show, which finds Fonzie all alone for the holidays with only his motorcycle . . . until the Cunninghams insist he join them.
12) "Open House"--Potsie invites three stranded beauty pageant contestants to spend the night while Richie's parents are out of town, much to Richie's horror.
13) "Fonzie's Getting Married"--It's Mr. C. to the embarrassing rescue when Fonzie introduces the family to his fiancée, and Howard suddenly remembers where (and how much) he's seen of her.
14) "The Cunningham Caper"--Home alone for the teen set. Richie is sick and home alone, and he and his buddies have a burglar to contend with.
15) "The Not Making of the President"--Dad likes Ike, but Richie's hot for a girl who's campaigning for Adlai Stevenson.
16) "Cruisin'"--When Richie, Potsie, and Ralph leave Milwaukee to meet some girls and get in trouble when their boyfriends show up, it's the Fonz to the rescue.
17) "The Howdy Doody Show"--Richie gets the scoop of his juvenile life when he interviews Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody for the school paper and gets a photo of Clarabell without make-up.
18) "Get a Job"--Richie becomes involved with an older woman, who requires a bit more cash and attention than the average gum-popping high school girl.
19) "Fonzie Joins the Band"--When Fonzie takes up the bongos and decides he's going to play with Richie's band at a country club gig, it's Splitsville for the guys.
20) "Fish and the Fins"--Flash Cadillac and The Continental Kids make their TV acting debut in this episode.
21) "Richie's Flip Side"--Richie annoys his friend after his head swells when he gets his own radio show as a teen deejay.
22) "Kiss Me Sickly"--When Fonzie leaves town, Richie is saddled with the responsibility of keeping an eye on his girl. Oops.
23) "Goin' to Chicago"--Richie, Potsie and Ralph make the big trip to the Windy City, with predictable but funny results as they try to go "clubbin'."
Most actors would kill (or at least maim) for the chance to star in a long-running, popular sitcom. But two? It boggles the mind.
First Opie, then Richie? Ron Howard was twice-blessed. Just when you thought it would be hard for him to top the eight-year run he had with "The Andy Griffith Show," which finished as the top-rated show its last year, along comes "Happy Days," which lasted eleven seasons and also finished one year as the most-watched show in America. And while "The Andy Griffith Show" was a spin-off of the old "Danny Thomas Show," "Happy Days" spawned "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork & Mindy," and "Joanie Loves Chachi." That might not be the greatest measure of success, but how about the fact that the leather jacket worn by "Happy Days" greaser "Fonzie" is now on display at the Smithsonian, alongside Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair?
AAAAYYYYH!
Like "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" underwent quite a few changes over the years, with characters moving in and out of the picture. The second season is the last you'll see of Richie's older brother, Chuck (this year played by Randolph Roberts with no more panache than his predecessor, Gavan O'Herlihy). But as Richie's good friend Ralph Malph (Donny Most) always says, "When you got it, you got it!" The heart of the show quickly became the relationship between geeky good-guy Richie and his pals and older leather-jacketed drop-out Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler).
This season, we see signs saying Arnold's Drive-In is under new management, but Arnold (Pat Morita) himself doesn't appear until Season Three. This is the first year we see Fonzie's mini-me nephew, Spike, and the last year we see Bag Zombroski, the leader of a gang called The Demons. It's the year that Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) really starts throwing around his catch phrase, "Got it made in the shade," and the season that spawned several episodes with serious moments involving Fonzie--one, which saw him rescued from a lonely Christmas by the Cunninghams. The show really hit its stride in Season 2, and much of that has to do with the wacky but warm energy of creator Garry Marshall.
Of course, Howard owes a bit to George Lucas too. It was his success in Lucas's "American Graffiti" the year before that led to his "Happy Days" debut. As Richie Cunningham, Howard is a likable Everyboy trying to become an Everyman, with friends who are just as clueless as he. The setting is Milwaukee in the '50s, and at that time there were just three types of high school students: greasers, jocks, and dupers (everybody else, nerds and otherwise). Richie is the latter, and the contrast between his wholesomeness and Fonzie's savvy is but one point of interest. Richie also has a younger sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), to spar with, and parents who are a lot hipper (Tom Bosley, Marion Ross) than most would have been.
What sets this sitcom apart is that it doesn't have an easily recognizable three-act structure. Instead, it feels like a slice of life, with the focus on Richie. We see moments with Richie and his friends, Richie and his parents, Richie and his awkward dating attempts, Richie confronting his fears and insecurities, Richie and his siblings, and Richie and his Obi-wan figure, The Fonz. Mom and Dad may be good with advice related to morals and ideals, but when it came right down to the nitty-gritty, Fonzie was the go-to guy, especially where females were concerned. This season, Fonzie was still a character who hadn't grown into too much of a caricature, and that's frankly one of the best things that can be said about the show that "jumped the shark" when Fonzie water-skied over a shark pen. Fonzie became a phenomenon, but when the "Happy Days" gang started to make him a character t rival Richie, the show lost its charm and central focus.
Like "WKRP in Cincinnati," though, "Happy Days" has had its problems obtaining affordable rights to some of the '50s music that was incorporated into the episodes. Alas, as "WKRP" was forced to do, "Happy Days" is presented with music replacement. But as with "WKRP," the replacement is so skillfully done that you hardly even notice, unless you have a photographic memory. The acting and the characters are still as fun as they were when the show first aired. So enjoy Season 2, when it's still almost as strong a slice-of-life coming-of-age story from week to week as "American Graffiti." The writing is is certainly better-than-average, especially delivered with the wide-eyed innocence of these wannabe grownups.
Potsie: "This girl's got potential. I took her to the drive-in last night and she's still talking to me."
Here's a quick rundown on the 23 episodes, housed on four single-sided discs in a clear plastic keep-case that's the size of a standard DVD case, but which has a center "page" that holds two of the discs. It's a nifty design, actually.
1) "Richie Moves Out"--Chuck gets more air time than usual as Richie moves in with his basketball-dribbling older brother, because Mom and Dad are cramping his style.
2) "Richie's Car"--Richie gets a bright red convertible and a few headaches when the "Love Bandit" Fonzie gets for him turns out to have quite a past.
3) "Who's Sorry Now?"--Richie has an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu when a girl who rejected him comes back to Jefferson High, and he ends up going steady with her.
4) "You Go to My Head"--As Richie reads a book about abnormal psychology, he starts to think he needs a shrink.
5) "R.O.T.C."--Richie gets a taste of leadership, and alienates his friends when he puts them on report.
6) "Haunted"--Ralph decides to host his annual Halloween party at the legendary haunted house in town, and Richie gets spooked.
7) "Wish upon a Star"--When Richie gets to escort Hollywood starlet Cindy Shea to the school's victory dance, he's the envy of Jefferson High.
8) "Not with My Sister, You Don't"--Dad pays Richie 50 cents an hour to double-date with Joanie and pint-sized Spike, to make sure the Fonzie-clone doesn't try any of the big guy's patented moves.
9) "Big Money"--Richie is selected to go on a game show for a chance to win $3200.
10) "A Star is Bored"--One of the serious-moment shows has Fonzie educating the crowd with his take on "Hamlet."
11) "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas"--Another serious/poignant show, which finds Fonzie all alone for the holidays with only his motorcycle . . . until the Cunninghams insist he join them.
12) "Open House"--Potsie invites three stranded beauty pageant contestants to spend the night while Richie's parents are out of town, much to Richie's horror.
13) "Fonzie's Getting Married"--It's Mr. C. to the embarrassing rescue when Fonzie introduces the family to his fiancée, and Howard suddenly remembers where (and how much) he's seen of her.
14) "The Cunningham Caper"--Home alone for the teen set. Richie is sick and home alone, and he and his buddies have a burglar to contend with.
15) "The Not Making of the President"--Dad likes Ike, but Richie's hot for a girl who's campaigning for Adlai Stevenson.
16) "Cruisin'"--When Richie, Potsie, and Ralph leave Milwaukee to meet some girls and get in trouble when their boyfriends show up, it's the Fonz to the rescue.
17) "The Howdy Doody Show"--Richie gets the scoop of his juvenile life when he interviews Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody for the school paper and gets a photo of Clarabell without make-up.
18) "Get a Job"--Richie becomes involved with an older woman, who requires a bit more cash and attention than the average gum-popping high school girl.
19) "Fonzie Joins the Band"--When Fonzie takes up the bongos and decides he's going to play with Richie's band at a country club gig, it's Splitsville for the guys.
20) "Fish and the Fins"--Flash Cadillac and The Continental Kids make their TV acting debut in this episode.
21) "Richie's Flip Side"--Richie annoys his friend after his head swells when he gets his own radio show as a teen deejay.
22) "Kiss Me Sickly"--When Fonzie leaves town, Richie is saddled with the responsibility of keeping an eye on his girl. Oops.
23) "Goin' to Chicago"--Richie, Potsie and Ralph make the big trip to the Windy City, with predictable but funny results as they try to go "clubbin'."
First Opie, then Richie? Ron Howard was twice-blessed. Just when you thought it would be hard for him to top the eight-year run he had with "The Andy Griffith Show," which finished as the top-rated show its last year, along comes "Happy Days," which lasted eleven seasons and also finished one year as the most-watched show in America. And while "The Andy Griffith Show" was a spin-off of the old "Danny Thomas Show," "Happy Days" spawned "Laverne & Shirley," "Mork & Mindy," and "Joanie Loves Chachi." That might not be the greatest measure of success, but how about the fact that the leather jacket worn by "Happy Days" greaser "Fonzie" is now on display at the Smithsonian, alongside Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair?
AAAAYYYYH!
Like "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days" underwent quite a few changes over the years, with characters moving in and out of the picture. The second season is the last you'll see of Richie's older brother, Chuck (this year played by Randolph Roberts with no more panache than his predecessor, Gavan O'Herlihy). But as Richie's good friend Ralph Malph (Donny Most) always says, "When you got it, you got it!" The heart of the show quickly became the relationship between geeky good-guy Richie and his pals and older leather-jacketed drop-out Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler).
This season, we see signs saying Arnold's Drive-In is under new management, but Arnold (Pat Morita) himself doesn't appear until Season Three. This is the first year we see Fonzie's mini-me nephew, Spike, and the last year we see Bag Zombroski, the leader of a gang called The Demons. It's the year that Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) really starts throwing around his catch phrase, "Got it made in the shade," and the season that spawned several episodes with serious moments involving Fonzie--one, which saw him rescued from a lonely Christmas by the Cunninghams. The show really hit its stride in Season 2, and much of that has to do with the wacky but warm energy of creator Garry Marshall.
Of course, Howard owes a bit to George Lucas too. It was his success in Lucas's "American Graffiti" the year before that led to his "Happy Days" debut. As Richie Cunningham, Howard is a likable Everyboy trying to become an Everyman, with friends who are just as clueless as he. The setting is Milwaukee in the '50s, and at that time there were just three types of high school students: greasers, jocks, and dupers (everybody else, nerds and otherwise). Richie is the latter, and the contrast between his wholesomeness and Fonzie's savvy is but one point of interest. Richie also has a younger sister, Joanie (Erin Moran), to spar with, and parents who are a lot hipper (Tom Bosley, Marion Ross) than most would have been.
What sets this sitcom apart is that it doesn't have an easily recognizable three-act structure. Instead, it feels like a slice of life, with the focus on Richie. We see moments with Richie and his friends, Richie and his parents, Richie and his awkward dating attempts, Richie confronting his fears and insecurities, Richie and his siblings, and Richie and his Obi-wan figure, The Fonz. Mom and Dad may be good with advice related to morals and ideals, but when it came right down to the nitty-gritty, Fonzie was the go-to guy, especially where females were concerned. This season, Fonzie was still a character who hadn't grown into too much of a caricature, and that's frankly one of the best things that can be said about the show that "jumped the shark" when Fonzie water-skied over a shark pen. Fonzie became a phenomenon, but when the "Happy Days" gang started to make him a character t rival Richie, the show lost its charm and central focus.
Like "WKRP in Cincinnati," though, "Happy Days" has had its problems obtaining affordable rights to some of the '50s music that was incorporated into the episodes. Alas, as "WKRP" was forced to do, "Happy Days" is presented with music replacement. But as with "WKRP," the replacement is so skillfully done that you hardly even notice, unless you have a photographic memory. The acting and the characters are still as fun as they were when the show first aired. So enjoy Season 2, when it's still almost as strong a slice-of-life coming-of-age story from week to week as "American Graffiti." The writing is is certainly better-than-average, especially delivered with the wide-eyed innocence of these wannabe grownups.
Potsie: "This girl's got potential. I took her to the drive-in last night and she's still talking to me."
Here's a quick rundown on the 23 episodes, housed on four single-sided discs in a clear plastic keep-case that's the size of a standard DVD case, but which has a center "page" that holds two of the discs. It's a nifty design, actually.
1) "Richie Moves Out"--Chuck gets more air time than usual as Richie moves in with his basketball-dribbling older brother, because Mom and Dad are cramping his style.
2) "Richie's Car"--Richie gets a bright red convertible and a few headaches when the "Love Bandit" Fonzie gets for him turns out to have quite a past.
3) "Who's Sorry Now?"--Richie has an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu when a girl who rejected him comes back to Jefferson High, and he ends up going steady with her.
4) "You Go to My Head"--As Richie reads a book about abnormal psychology, he starts to think he needs a shrink.
5) "R.O.T.C."--Richie gets a taste of leadership, and alienates his friends when he puts them on report.
6) "Haunted"--Ralph decides to host his annual Halloween party at the legendary haunted house in town, and Richie gets spooked.
7) "Wish upon a Star"--When Richie gets to escort Hollywood starlet Cindy Shea to the school's victory dance, he's the envy of Jefferson High.
8) "Not with My Sister, You Don't"--Dad pays Richie 50 cents an hour to double-date with Joanie and pint-sized Spike, to make sure the Fonzie-clone doesn't try any of the big guy's patented moves.
9) "Big Money"--Richie is selected to go on a game show for a chance to win $3200.
10) "A Star is Bored"--One of the serious-moment shows has Fonzie educating the crowd with his take on "Hamlet."
11) "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas"--Another serious/poignant show, which finds Fonzie all alone for the holidays with only his motorcycle . . . until the Cunninghams insist he join them.
12) "Open House"--Potsie invites three stranded beauty pageant contestants to spend the night while Richie's parents are out of town, much to Richie's horror.
13) "Fonzie's Getting Married"--It's Mr. C. to the embarrassing rescue when Fonzie introduces the family to his fiancée, and Howard suddenly remembers where (and how much) he's seen of her.
14) "The Cunningham Caper"--Home alone for the teen set. Richie is sick and home alone, and he and his buddies have a burglar to contend with.
15) "The Not Making of the President"--Dad likes Ike, but Richie's hot for a girl who's campaigning for Adlai Stevenson.
16) "Cruisin'"--When Richie, Potsie, and Ralph leave Milwaukee to meet some girls and get in trouble when their boyfriends show up, it's the Fonz to the rescue.
17) "The Howdy Doody Show"--Richie gets the scoop of his juvenile life when he interviews Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody for the school paper and gets a photo of Clarabell without make-up.
18) "Get a Job"--Richie becomes involved with an older woman, who requires a bit more cash and attention than the average gum-popping high school girl.
19) "Fonzie Joins the Band"--When Fonzie takes up the bongos and decides he's going to play with Richie's band at a country club gig, it's Splitsville for the guys.
20) "Fish and the Fins"--Flash Cadillac and The Continental Kids make their TV acting debut in this episode.
21) "Richie's Flip Side"--Richie annoys his friend after his head swells when he gets his own radio show as a teen deejay.
22) "Kiss Me Sickly"--When Fonzie leaves town, Richie is saddled with the responsibility of keeping an eye on his girl. Oops.
23) "Goin' to Chicago"--Richie, Potsie and Ralph make the big trip to the Windy City, with predictable but funny results as they try to go "clubbin'."
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