Happy Days exists in four distinct stages:
Seasons 1-2: Filmed without a studio audience (barring one episode) and a more realistic, if sentimental, evocation of the 1950s, with Fonzie a mysterious cool guy rather than near demi-god. There's some genuinely great, heartfelt moments in both seasons, and the episodes almost feel like mini-movies.
Seasons 3-4: A more traditional sitcom, with Fonzie more pronounced (and Potsie dumbed down. And don't mention Chuck!).
Yes, the humour is broader, but it's also genuinely laugh out loud funny, and it's not hard to see why Fonzie-mania took off.
Seasons 5-7: Chachi! Why didn't Baio just play a re-cast Spike, who they'd already introduced in previous seasons?
Fonzie increasingly demonstrates ridiculous super-powers, and, while it's funny, he's also prone to kiddy-like petulance that ruins the mystique of the character as it was originally portrayed.
Ralph and Potsie are still good value, particularly when they get their apartment together - what a shame they didn't get a spin-off show.
The show itself becomes noticeably more sentimental - there are still clever jokes, and very funny jokes, but also lots more heart-to-heart moments.
Seasons 8-11: Ah, the post-Richie years. They really ought to have called it a day after he left, but I suppose when you have a hit show you want to keep it going as long as possible.
Fonzie becoming a teacher is a massive betrayal of the character - I'm assuming Arthur lied his teeth during the interview! - but Live And Learn is a brilliant episode, with Winkler the undoubted star of the show having nominally shared first position with Howard since season 3.
Roger Phillips, played by Ted McGinley, is an obvious attempt to have a new Richie - but, as noted above with Baio, why not just have McGinley as the old Chuck, returned from - oh, who cares! Chuck is back! :)
Fonzie is starting to look his age, and his hanging around high school girls is getting a bit weird at best, and creepy at worst. Giving him a permanent girlfriend in Ashley in season 10 was a logical development, but also seems to diminish him as a character.
Too many old favourite characters are gone (even if Joanie and Chachi do come back), many of the new ones - KC in particular - are just bland, and everything's starting to look a bit threadbare.
Season 11 was a fine return to form, with Richie getting a genuinely emotional return AND goodbye. Although it's a shame that Ralph and Potsie weren't in the show's proper finale, Passages.
All in all, a great show. Come on Paramount, pay up for the music rights and give us a complete DVD/Blu Ray box set!
Seasons 1-2: Filmed without a studio audience (barring one episode) and a more realistic, if sentimental, evocation of the 1950s, with Fonzie a mysterious cool guy rather than near demi-god. There's some genuinely great, heartfelt moments in both seasons, and the episodes almost feel like mini-movies.
Seasons 3-4: A more traditional sitcom, with Fonzie more pronounced (and Potsie dumbed down. And don't mention Chuck!).
Yes, the humour is broader, but it's also genuinely laugh out loud funny, and it's not hard to see why Fonzie-mania took off.
Seasons 5-7: Chachi! Why didn't Baio just play a re-cast Spike, who they'd already introduced in previous seasons?
Fonzie increasingly demonstrates ridiculous super-powers, and, while it's funny, he's also prone to kiddy-like petulance that ruins the mystique of the character as it was originally portrayed.
Ralph and Potsie are still good value, particularly when they get their apartment together - what a shame they didn't get a spin-off show.
The show itself becomes noticeably more sentimental - there are still clever jokes, and very funny jokes, but also lots more heart-to-heart moments.
Seasons 8-11: Ah, the post-Richie years. They really ought to have called it a day after he left, but I suppose when you have a hit show you want to keep it going as long as possible.
Fonzie becoming a teacher is a massive betrayal of the character - I'm assuming Arthur lied his teeth during the interview! - but Live And Learn is a brilliant episode, with Winkler the undoubted star of the show having nominally shared first position with Howard since season 3.
Roger Phillips, played by Ted McGinley, is an obvious attempt to have a new Richie - but, as noted above with Baio, why not just have McGinley as the old Chuck, returned from - oh, who cares! Chuck is back! :)
Fonzie is starting to look his age, and his hanging around high school girls is getting a bit weird at best, and creepy at worst. Giving him a permanent girlfriend in Ashley in season 10 was a logical development, but also seems to diminish him as a character.
Too many old favourite characters are gone (even if Joanie and Chachi do come back), many of the new ones - KC in particular - are just bland, and everything's starting to look a bit threadbare.
Season 11 was a fine return to form, with Richie getting a genuinely emotional return AND goodbye. Although it's a shame that Ralph and Potsie weren't in the show's proper finale, Passages.
All in all, a great show. Come on Paramount, pay up for the music rights and give us a complete DVD/Blu Ray box set!