Richie Almost Dies

"Happy Days" did attempt some serious shows once in awhile, but usually they were cringe-worthy. Possibly in an attempt to let break-out star Henry Winkler stretch his acting muscles, they actually let his character Fonzie go blind in one episode. Although tragedy strikes Richie in this fifth-season show (via a motorcycle accident), once again it is pal Fonzie who gets to do all the emoting--praying and grieving at Richie's hospital bedside. The sequence which worked for me was a montage of happy family memories set to a tune sang and played on the piano by Leather Tuscadero (Suzi Quatro). The song was not listed in the credits for this episode, nor did it end up on any of real-life rocker Quatro's records, but it is hauntingly sung and, when coupled with the clips, very emotional. But, not to worry, the episode ends happily, with a rather unsubtle warning to kids that cycles can be dangerous...if you're not Arthur Fonzerelli, that is.