𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

The show should have ended after Season 7 (1979-80). Having the show dragging on to 1984 was a BIG mistake.

Starsky and Hutch went downhill right at the end of season two.

I agree.
It jumped the shark before it jumped the shark.
I think it was better when it was a dramady and before The Fonz became this unrealistic superman type of character.
Let me know if I'm on your ignore list.
Thanx!

Okay not a sitcombut I want to nominate Buffy the Vampire Slayer as runner up
First seasonswhen it was about teen girl in high school fighting evil (both of supernatural and growing up) it was cool. Then when they moved her to collegeand especially real world, it tanked
They needed to have ended the series after the high school graduation
And third place Beverly Hills 90210which was supposed to be about the Walsh family adjusting to life in Beverly Hills. Somebody decided to STILL continue the series w/out zero Walshes around?? Not cool. Cancel the series!1

Five words: "Filmed Before A Live Audience"
If you remember, the early episodes were on film, not videotape, were not filmed in front of an audience and you got a higher quality result. They dumbed it down to appeal to a "target audience". It became The Fonzie Show. The feel of the 1950's were not only lost, they didn't even care. They would, once in a while, make references to President Kennedy or The Beach Boys or whatever, but it was a 1978 show. The long hair, the styles, etc.
And, yes, it would still be popular had they stopped after 3 seasons. It's 61 years since The Honeymooners ran ONE season and it's still a much-beloved show, selling tons of DVD's.

The first couple of seasons were quite dark, the guys talked about scoring with women not just making out with them. The Fonz really did come across as a hood rather than a wuss with an underprivileged background.
I also agree that Laverne and Shirley was never a great show, nothing ever actually happens in the episodes and when they finish you have already forgotten what it was about.
Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.

I just don't see the original two seasons of Happy Days as rerun fodder like those shows became.
When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

Sure we would. Look at Gilligan's Island, The Musters, Star Trek. They all lasted around three seasons and have become iconic. I would have rather seen three or four seasons of the well made original Happy Days than the long running circus it became.

Lack of quality or not, it stayed on 11 seasons and became an American institution and generally one of the most popular shows in television history; had it stayed on just those first couple years and gotten cancelled we wouldn't be speaking much of it now.
When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

Once the show became a hit, it all went to crap. It became all about Fonzie sticking up his thumbs and saying "Eeyyy," and a lot of dumb jokes and stupid situations, playing to the live studio audience. I remember it was the same time that "Welcome Back, Kotter" became a big hit - I think they changed the tone of Happy Days to reach the same big, dumb crowd.
True. Some people liked that and it fulfilled them. I don't think the fans were necessarily dumb, but a certain type. There was no wit or inspired writing, or "funny" actors. Even Three's Company was funnier.

Yeah, the first season was like TV's version of "American Graffiti" - a nice mix of nostalgia and humor, with a serious attempt to capture a retro 1950's look and vibe.
Once the show became a hit, it all went to crap. It became all about Fonzie sticking up his thumbs and saying "Eeyyy," and a lot of dumb jokes and stupid situations, playing to the live studio audience. I remember it was the same time that "Welcome Back, Kotter" became a big hit - I think they changed the tone of Happy Days to reach the same big, dumb crowd.

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This is the public's fault. Happy Days was going to be cancelled until they made the Fonz a cartoon.

That's what happens when people lose their passion and just worry about the big paychecks. I still watched it because it was my favorite show even when Joanie and Chachi left it was probably one of the worst shows on television but I still liked it because it was Happy Days.

watching early episodes makes you realize what a clown show this became.NEVER watch Laverne and Shirley. EGADS. that was awful.

The Fonz's popularity pretty much killed the series, they started to focus everything around him and even gave him magical powers. Then it no longer looked like the era it was set in and became a cartoon.
It became a kids show when in the beginning it could be pretty dark and serious at times.
Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.

Isn't that the truth. The show was really good in the first two seasons, and steadily waned in every season after.

High Definition had a longer steady decline?

𝙽𝚈𝙲 []

Penny Marshall was really never good at anything anyways. Only got into showbiz because of her brother, Garry. Nepotism at its finest.

Unlike you, who is completely demanding and entitled. Only Lucy is good enough to meet with your approval. How superior of you. If Lucille Ball met you IRL, she would have zero patience.
I thought I was gonna die! - Roseanne Roseannadanna

Laverne and Shirley was unfunny and silly, and Happy Days was not witty enough. Was the awful Mork * Mindy also produced by Garry Marshall? I think he appealed to the central U.S. suburban folk who were not demanding.

I agree Laverne & Shirley was terribly awful along the lines of maybe Three's Company which along with Happy Days we're all on the same night for a couple of years. Tuesday nights on ABC. Believe it or not the train wreck that Laverne and Shirley is it was the number one show on television for two years of its run.

Not sure what year the show was up to when Mork turned up but it would have made slightly more sense to tie it in with the first trips to the moon. Still a bad idea but at least relevant to the era.
Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.

The reason they believe it was because Robin Williams was a superstar at the time and everybody wanted a piece of him. All anybody then or now ever cares about is a big paycheck and that's it. I watch Mork & Mindy when I was a kid but I can honestly say since it's been in reruns for the last 25 years I don't think I've watched a single episode after its run was done. I still watch Happy Days on Me-TV sometimes when I shuffle through the episode's end find one I like.