Laverne & Shirley

"Happy Days" spin-off about the two titled characters (Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams) and their total comedic and romantic misadventures as Milwaukee brewery workers in the 1950s and 1960s. The series seemed to work in spite of itself due to the likable leads and their ever-lasting love interests (scene-stealers Michael McKean and David L. Lander). The characters were silly, but had a reality to them that could not be over-looked. Adequate writing and above average direction were sufficient in keeping the show a ratings winner for a good eight years from 1976 through 1983. Still a show that has a strong following as it survives the years in relatively wide-spread syndication. 4 stars out of 5.

Great show. Laverne and Shirley are great together. Their co-stars are great. In the last season, the show lacked one BIG thing: Shirley. The supporting characters could not make up for this big loss. But it was still good but there was less emphasis on what the show's concept had been.

Laverne and Shirley was one of my personal favorites growing up. Of course, we had reruns and repeats in those days. I loved Laverne and Shirley. They were the underdogs and perfectly suited as roommates and best friends. They were played brilliantly by Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams. Unfortunately, the show never recovered after Cindy Williams left to have her daughter and who could blame her. She was happily married to Bill Hudson, Kate's father, for twenty years with two children. Penny Marshall and the gang did their best to recover but never fully did. The reason and there are many that this show was so popular was the physical antics that Laverne and Shirley got into. I don't know if I preferred Milwaukee or Burbank but the supporting cast was top notch featuring Lenny and Sqiggy who could have had their own show. The delightful Carmine as the aspiring dancer. Elaine Joyce as the beautiful neighbor in Burbank. Betty Garrett and Al Molinaro as the landlady and Mr. Defazio. The show had plenty of it's moments too and great guest stars. It's certainly still a beloved show even in repeats.

If you seen the movie Wayne's World, there's a reference to the original show Laverne and Shirley where Wayne and Garth parody the intro to the show by working at a factory in Milwaukee, that's how i know the show and also watched it in reruns on TV Land as I was too young to remember the last episode more than 35 years ago. The success of this show led to a cartoon in which the main characters join the army; that cartoon was made by Hanna Barbera, who also did another show with Paramount called Fonz and the Happy Days Gang which later teamed up with Mork and Mindy for an hour long show on saturday mornings. Before this show came out, the producers of the show came out with the hit show Happy Days which was a spinoff show of Love, American Style. Happy Days also spun off Joannie Love Chachi which featured the late Erin Moran. All of these shows first aired on ABC during ABC's glory years in the late 1970s. It's a funny show!!!

I watch over and over and I still laugh. I feel better after stress. Those two girls are so hilarious. They have great chemistry. The last season wasn't the same without Cindy Williams, however it was okay. The first 5 seasons are the best. But I watch all the way through.