HAPPY DAYS: SEASON 3 - DVD review

People generally think that "Happy Days," which debuted as a mid-season ABC replacement show on January 15, 1974, was inspired by "American Graffiti." It's easy to think that, because Ron Howard and Cindy Williams were among the stars of George Lucas's 1973 film and both appear in this iconic sitcom, which ended its long run in 1984. But the idea actually stemmed from an episode of "Love American Style" which was written by "Happy Days" creator Garry Marshall. Titled "Love and the Happy Days," the third-season comedy sketch starred three actors who would go on to become regulars in "Happy Days": Marion Ross as Marion, Ron Howard as Richie, and Anson Williams as Potsie. Richie's siblings Joanie and Chuck were also in the segment, but cast with different actors who would go on to play those roles in Marshall's half-hour sitcom.

"Happy Days" went on to become a phenomenal success. Though the show received only nine Emmy nominations over 11 years and won just once (for editing), it was a big hit with viewers. "Happy Days" climbed to #1 in the Nielsons its fourth season and remained in the Top-30 in all but one year of its run. Leather-jacketed Fonzie's "He-e-e-ey!" and "Sit on it" became popular catch-phrases, and after the show ended, Fonzie's jacket was put on display in the Smithsonian alongside Dorothy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair. More recently, both Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham) and Henry Winkler (Fonzie) were named by Entertainment Weekly and TV-Land as two of the Top-100 TV Icons.

After a slow-starting first season that eventually saw Marshall jettison Chuck's character, the show hit its stride in Season Two. But by Season Three, the fans were clamoring for more Fonzie, and Marshall obliged. This is the season that has Fonzie moving into an apartment above the Cunningham's garage and becoming "part of the family." It gets a little schmaltzy at times and over-the-top hokey other times, just as there are too many instances when you feel that audience reaction is driving the episodes. Still, this season of "Happy Days" is entertaining, and it's weathered the years pretty well.

Here's a listing of the 23 episodes, which are housed on four single-sided discs:

1) "Fonzie Moves In"-Fonzie and his bike become permanent fixtures at the Cunninghams'.

2) "The Motorcycle"-Ralph (Donnie Most) fears for his life after he accidentally demolishes Fonzie's treasured bike.

3) "Fearless Fonzarelli, Part 1"-Shades of shark-jumping, here's where it all started, the pandering to the public's insatiable appetite for more Fonzie "cool." Fearing he's losing his cool, Fonzie decides to attempt a record 14-garbage can jump with his bike on TV.

4) "Fearless Fonzarelli, Part 2"-All shook up, Fonzie is tended to by the Cunninghams on their couch, but gets so demanding they'd like to throw him in front of his bike.

5) "The Other Richie Cunningham"-Richie asks Potsie to pretend to be him when Mr. Cunningham sets him up with a blind date.

6) "Richie Fights Back"-Fed up with bullies, Richie takes a few martial arts lessons from Arnold (Pat Morita) at the Drive-In, but it's Fonzie who teaches him how to take the toughs to school.

7) "Jailhouse Rock"-This episode features an over-the-top Officer Kirk, who uses small-town power to "ground" all the teens in Milwaukee. Not one of the most believable episodes. No wonder Richie and friends want to protest.

8) "Howard's 45th Fiasco"-Richie's cure for his father's mid-life crisis is a staged "This Is Your Life" birthday party, which fizzles.

9) "Fonzie the Flatfoot"-Fonzie is asked to wear a uniform to try to keep his former gang, the Falcons, from rumbling with their bitter rivals.

10) "A Date with Fonzie"-The virtual pilot for "Laverne & Shirley" finds Fonzie introducing Richie to "experienced" girls.

11) "Three on a Porch"-Richie, Ralph, and Potsie rent a cottage over spring break and pretend to be Tunisian businessmen to try to impress girls.

12) "Fonzie's New Friend"--Richie's, too. And the neighborhood doesn't exactly like it when they bring their black friend to a local luau.

13) "The Call It Potsie Love"--Joanie hears Potsie singing at band rehearsal and gets a big-time crush.

14) "Tell It to the Marines"--Ralph decides to join the Marines after he gets fed up with girls thinking he's just a clown.

15) "Dance Contest"--Marion is secretly taking tango lessons from the Fonz, but Howard suspects something worse.

16) "Fonzie the Salesman"--A new owner at Herb's garage forces Fonzie to quit, but selling encyclopedias door-to-door isn't much better.

17) "Football Frolics"--The boys start a babysitting business to raise money so they can get tickets for a hot football game, but the heat gets turned up when the house fills up with 15 bratty kids.

18) "Fonzie the Superstar"--Fonzie gets the worst case of stage fright after Richie tells everyone the Cool One is going to sing with their band at the Senior Dance.

19) "Two Angry Men"--It's Fonzarelli vs. Cunningham after snow makes the garage roof collapse, and Fonzie's new pigeon coop takes a hit.

20) "Beauty Contest"--The guys hold a beauty contest just to meet girls, then have to rig the contest or else how will they come up with the announced all-expenses-paid trip to Hollywood?

21) "Bringing up Spike"--Another episode where things start to go downhill introduces Fonzie's "mini-me," an obnoxious little tyke who treats young girls like Joanie the same way the Fonz does their big sisters.

22) "Sight for Sore Eyes"--Fonzie drives into Lake Michigan, all because he refuses to look "uncool" with prescription glasses.

23) "Arnold's Wedding"--Fonzie gets to be Arnold's best man, but it may turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing.

Video:
This season has decent color--bright and with only slight bleed on deep blues and reds--and the usual graininess you'd expect with a 1975 sitcom. It's on a par with the second season.

Audio:
The audio is a nothing-special Dolby Digital Mono. You have to wonder what all these great background songs would sound like with a better soundtrack. This one is good but not great.

Extras:
Included here is "The Second Anniversary Show," a special episode originally aired on January 12, 1976 which finds Fonzie and the Cunninghams walking down a memory lane filled with clips from previous shows.

Bottom Line:
The third season is not quite as strong as the second because of the heavy shift toward Fonzie, but there's still enough '50s nostalgia to make for solid family entertainment.