Happy Days - The Complete First Season

Being a naive 8-year old in a late-30s body, I tend to forget the business aspect of releasing Happy Days seasons. I know it's about money. That said (if I'm not mistaken), Season Three ranked much, much higher in terms of sales on Amazon's ranking system than Seasons 1 and 2. I thought for sure Season Four would come along in quick fashion. It hasn't... and no explanation, anywhere.I had the thrill of meeting Henry Winkler at a Hank Zipzer book signing in May (2008). He was as electric, and gracious, as everyone has said he is (although I think he was somewhat cautious around a delirious fan who was neither female or a kid). Whatever the case, one of his handlers (for lack of the right word) said he would not be signing Happy Days merchandise (so much for bringing my Season 1 along), and it got me wondering just what is going on behind the scenes (granted it might simply be for the reason Mr. Winkler was there for the purpose of his book). I also wonder if all of us who are die-hard fans who criticized the DVD releases for lack of obtaining music rights from original episodes, lack of any "extras", and occasional poor print quality have done a disservice to the whole thing. We can't have everything the way we'd like it, but if CBS/Paramount pulls the plug on this, we might never see Happy Days in a home-playable form again in our lifetimes (so, yes, I would take what I can get in this case!).After watching Season Three, I had forgotten how funny the show was at that point (and wildly electric and live). There is a palpable energy that is unmistakable. Yes, the "film" effect of one-camera/no-audience Seasons 1 and 2 are admirable, but Season 3 is like watching Elvis on Ed Sullivan. Pandemonium. And, Season 4 is probably the last "laugh-out-loud-funny" season of all eleven. Don't get me wrong: HD had many layers, but some of the later seasons are heavy on sentiment (like a video Valium pill for the mind) and high 70s TV drama (who can forget a blind Fonzie shaking his fists at God while crying in a Brando-esque way, "How could you do this to ME? I thought I was your favorite person."). But, even as a little kid I remember thinking, "HD that opens with Ron Howard's Richie in his blue high school letter jacket meant "funny"; HD that opens with Ron Howard's red college jacket meant, well, cleaner and often more schlocky fun." Season 4 is that classic "high school senior" season. No Fonzie black t-shirts here. Just edgy, often risque humor.This was the height of Fonzie Mania before they felt the weight of little kids. Before episodes were built around Fonzie saying smoking wasn't cool, and eyeglasses were. Before the great Garry Marshall went all P.T. Barnum ("see the Amazing Fonzie Battle with the Woman of Catmandu!). ... Hey, it was the 70s. Everyone gets a free pass there.I'm just pleading with Paramount (hell, anyone): tell us why the hold up? I'll buy five Season Tens (arguably the only really questionable season, whereas the final Season Eleven was brilliant, I think) if we can just get to the classic Season Four! Let's put it this way: Happy Days Season Four was the #1 show of ALL of American television in that 1976-1977 season (yes, above everything; MASH, All in the Family, you name it). And for great reason!An answer, please. Somebody. Anybody! I'll be the guy trying to burn his 1984 Happy Days finale ("Passages") to DVD in the hope the tape doesn't unravel after 24 years if you're looking for me.Please keep it going CBS/Paramount and TV gods that be...Todd[...]

Seasons 1 and 2 are the best seasons of the whole series. The first two seasons have the original concept of the TV show "Happy Days" which first appeared on the TV show "Love American Style" in 1972 as "Love and the Happy Days." Unfortunately, it is not included in the DVD box sets. BAD POINT.In fact, there is an episode in Season 1 that is a sequel to the pilot. In the pilot, Richie wants to date this girl named Arlene. She shows no interest in him until he invites her over to his house to watch TV. The Cunninghams were one of the first families in the neighborhood to get a TV set.The girl and her parents moved to New York City for three years and now return to Milwalkee.The first two seasons take a comical adult view at growing up in the 1950's in white middle-class America.Someone in review did not like the first season which they purchased for their 11 year old child to watch and were surprised at the adult theme introduced in the first episode. They said that they shut the TV off and would want to return the set if they could.I would have to tell that person that this was the way the first two seasons wer, but they would not have to worry about the other seasons, because after the second season, "Happy Days" begins to be transformed into a live-action Saturday morning cartoon. In fact, a few years later, it did become a Saturday morning cartoon along with "Laverne and Shirley."The TV shows became so cartoony and sugary sweet. No wonder Ron Howard and Donny Most left the series. Who can blame them? And no wonder why Donny Most did not show up to make an appearance on the series finale episode. Again, who can blame him?The series started out so great and then was trashed. Yes, I know that the ratings did go up because of Fonzie being given a main role getting the second billing next to Ron Howard in the third season, but at teh beginning of Season 5, that was when the "Happy Days" series along with Fonzie, "jumped the shark" with regards to the show's popularity and ratings.In closing, I have to say again that Seasons 1 and 2 were the best seasons of "Happy Days."However, regarding the "Happy Days" Season 2 box set, I see that those THOSE CHEAP, PENNY PINCHING "nERDS" at paramount did not want to shell out the money for the rights to use the original 1950's music on the TV episodes and replaced it with lousey generic music like which was used in the later "Happy Days" episodes in the later seasons. ANOTHER BAD POINT. Those Hollywood Studio Executive "NERDS."In fact on one episode int the Season 2 DVD box set in a scene at Arnold's, you see the kids shaking and dancing, but there is no music playing. Also in some episodes, you have Richie walking down the street thinking about the dilema of the week. The scnes originally were accompanied by songs like "When You Pretend" by Nat King Cole and "Who's Sorry Now" by Connie Francis. The music was supposed to set the mood and give the viewers an idea of what Richie is feeling, but the music is now gone.But just talking about the seasons themselves, Seasons 1 and 2 were the best, the greatest.

These days it seems there is NOTHING on television that isn't pushing some sort of agenda or . If the show is not, then the commercials are and I hate it. This is just plain clean, sweet and funny and I love it and I think you and your family would too. A mother, a father, nice kids, funny situations, clean language and NO commercials! Relax and enjoy and laugh.

I just got finished reading a few reviews that echoed what I have always said about this series. The first few seasons were the best. First, it was much truer to the 50's. Versus later episodes where male characters had long hair (parted in the middle)....typical 70's. How the "Chachi" character was ever allowed to look the way he did, is beyond me. I stopped watching Happy Days altogether, around the time Ron Howard left. When Scott Bao began was the true end of the show as we have known it previously.Also, pathetic were the Potsi & Ralph character following Scott Bao around like a puppy dog. Another nail in the coffin was the character who played the high school coach in the later years (name escapes me), but he was a typical hunk, heart throb type. Totally brought nothing to the show, and was likely to pick up where the Fonzi character was declining.But back to the real happy days. I liked the quieter, more reserved, and less exposed Fonzi of the early seasons. He was even cool with the nylon wind-breaker (before he was assinged a leather jacket).The over exposure of his character in the later episode totally de-mystified him, and made him "too human," toward the end of the show. Good example of a character staying too long; but more likely the show stayed beyond its quality content.I for one will purchase the early episodes, because for me, there was no Happy Days beyond those.

The first season of Happy Days is quite different from the shows as it progressed. In the first season Fonzie is more of a background character and has not yet fully developed his character, though you can certainly see it on its way. As with the later seasons the main character of the show is Richard Cunningham and his friend Potsie.This 3-DVD set contains all 16 episodes from the first season:1. All the way2. The lemon3. Richie's cup runneth over4. Guess who'd coming to visit5. Hardware jungle6. The deadly dares7. Fonzie drops in8. The skin game9. Breaking up is hard to do10. Give the band a hand11. Because she's there12. In the name of love13. Great expectations14. The best man15. Knock around the block16. Be the first on your block.There are no extras at all and there is a small note on the case that says "Some episodes may be edited from their original version". I don't recall too much of the series when I first saw it years ago so unless it was smack-in-the-face obvious I wouldn't know what had been edited and what hadn't.Packaging/sleeve is quite basic with a fold open case revealing the three DVDs inside with an insert summarising each episode.Interesting to see that the opening theme music is not the tune that is perhaps mostly associated with Happy Days, rather it is used as the closing theme. The opening music is "Rock Around The Clock".Surely a must for all fans of Happy Days. Recommended.

Absolutely Love this show from the good old 1970's, they really were "Happy Days" Ironically, the show wasset in 1950's America, must have been a great time to be alive over there back then. I'm just starting to re livethose good times with this Season One Box Set. Brilliant.

Obviously my tastes have changed over the years since I enjoyed this. It's now very dated and not particularly enjoyable.

Wonderful box set that can be highly recommended for those whowant to kick off their shoes and fly back in time to the wonderful stories and evocations of the 1950s from this much loved American series. Hugely dated, but that's really its charm.

A hilariouse at times, feel good comedy,about a group of friends growing up in the late 50s/early sixties,even my teenage children who never heard of it before liked it a lot and are ready for season two,about the only gripe i have is they use cover versions of 50s songs that were recorded in the 70s,so lost some authenticity that way,but other than that,i recomend the series.