Happy Days - Les jours heureux

I guess I'm like most people. The first couple of years of Happy Days were terrific but then things went downhill. The show shouldn't have made Fonzie into such an unbelievable character. In the first couple of seasons he was just kind of a greaseball who was on the outskirts then they made him into some kind of superhuman character who could do no wrong. It took away any semblance of reality. Also whatever happened to Chuck (the older brother). If they wanted to get rid of him they should have come up with some kind of excuse instead of just forgetting about him.

Happy Days was a great show when Ritchie, Potsie, and Ralph were still in high school, but when they moved on to college the show just skyrocketed down hill. The relationship of Chiachi and Joannie turned into boy band type pop with them singing almost half the shows, Jenny Piccolo was useless in the show, and Ted McGinley just has the knack somehow for making every show he's in, to destroy a show. I thought one of the funnier characters in the show was Sheriff Kirk, and Arnold in the earlier shows, but Ashley and LoriBeth were so so. I always thought the Fonz was funnier in his gray jacket days, but when he just had powers beyond belief, it detracted from his character to me.

All that aside, the 1st few seasons were 1st rate. I always loved the show, but it lasted way to long to continue. There were a few shows after Ritchie and Ralph left, and some of the Leather Tuscadero episodes that were good, but it just didn't have the nostalgia feel that the 1st seasons had.

This was one of the greatest shows of the 1970's. Many people think of it as a simple comedy, but in the early years the series tackled some serious issues such as racism and nuclear war. The strength of the show was the friendship between Richie and Fonzie. The chemistry between Ron Howard and Henry Winkler made this show a classic. Unfortunately, after Howard left, they tried to keep the show going by focusing on Joanie and Chachi and that was when the show began to go downhill. However, just ignore the final years of the show and pay attention to the early years.

Cool show, lots of fun, heart warming and really charming and entertaining, and, last but no least, Happy Days got Arthur 'Fonzie' Fonzarell, the coolest cast in town. Like Mork & Mindy, I Dream of Jeannie or Get Smart and many other shows, this one is still excellent entertainment now flavored with a good shot of nostalgic superpowers. There is just one question left: what happened to the movie business? Neflixed, disneyed and superheroed to death, I guess. At least we got still all those exquisite shows of gone times just waiting for us to visit them again.

I remember when this show was King, c. '76 or so, Tuesdays at 8pm. It was one of those shows that you watched faithfully, got into the characters, jokes, knew the punchlines beforehand every time, and talked about the day after w/ friends. Kids loved it the most, as the Fonz Was a TV hero like you don't see anymore.

I always felt that this should have ended about 5 years before it did too-when Malph and Richie left. Putting the show on in the 80's w/ Chachi as a lead, set in the '60's, Ted McGinley, etc--it was really outta gas and a shadow of its former self. If you ever see the repeats from c. '82 you know what I mean.

Happy Days was the Malachi Crunch, Fonz jumping things on his bike, swarmed by 'the chicks', Richie learning about adulthood from Fonz, and of course Mr and Mrs C offering their bemused, befuddled support. That was the show. I don't think you could make it again.

*** outta ****