Writer: Numerous
Director: Numerous
Cast: Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Marion Ross, Tom Bosley, Erin Moran, Anson Williams, Don Most
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 27, 2007

Growing up, I was a big fan of Nick at Night. I used to stay up late and watch the shows from (or based on) the 50’s and 60’s. Just watching these shows seemed to keep me entertained. Years later, Nick at Night has been tainted with shows that aren’t even 20 years old. Shows like Roseanne and The Cosby Show, which are good, but hard to imagine as being Nick at Night worthy at this point. However, when I was a kid I loved the classic shows. Some of my favorites were Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley.

Reruns of these shows always cracked me up and remained some of my favorites over the years. In today’s era where television is often disposable and the content is only as important as one’s ability to mass produce or make huge amounts of money from it, Happy Days offers a pleasant reminder of what once was.

Release Information:
Happy Days aired on television for the first time on January 15, 1974. As part of the world of classic television, you can bet that everyone has heard of this show, whether they have watched it or not. Back when television was wholesome and comedy was fresh, Happy Days was king. Now that the sitcom is hitting the DVD scene, the third season of Happy Days was released on, November 27, 2007.

Season three aired in 1975 and 1976. Offering 23, thirty minute episodes, this Happy Days box set offers a complete runtime of around 580 minutes. Happy Days: The Third Season can be purchased through any major retailer, including Amazon, which offers the set for just under $30.

The Happy Days: The Third Season Plot
One of the most popular elements of Happy Days has always been the ultra-cool Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler.) While, seasons one and two only offered Fonzie as a minor character that was more of a loner, season three steps up their game and makes Fonzie a major player and part of the Cunningham household.

In the beginning of the season, we are introduced to Fonzie’s grandmother. While nice, she has the ability to ruin Fonzie’s cool factor. It’s funny how grandmothers, as sweet as they are, can sometimes do that. In an attempt to get his pad back Fonzie tried to get grandma a place of her own. The only apartment that he shows her is over the garage at the Cunningham’s. When Grandma decides that she likes Fonzie’s place too much to move, he decides to take the garage. From that moment on, Fonzie is a regular fixture on the show.

Despite being cool, Fonzie offered some good lessons for kids. For one, he loved his veggies. Secondly, while always maintaining his cool, he also always attempted to be respectful of elders. Mrs. C (Marion Ross), as Fonzie called her, absolutely adored him and did all she could to make him part of the family. Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) resisted the procedure a little bit more, but in the end there was no denying that he liked the Fonz, as well. Meanwhile, Fonz was the best friend to Richie (Ron Howard) and a protector to Joanie (Erin Moran). In these episodes, Fonzie appears to have a tough exterior with the heart of a softie.

One of my favorite episodes, “The Motorcycle” has Fonzie tied up at the hands of the Cunninghams to ensure he doesn’t hurt anyone when he finds out the real reason his bike was totaled. While he struggles against the ropes, the episode becomes increasingly funny, especially when he learns who is to blame for the accident and that it isn’t a gang plot to ruin his cool. Other awesome moments include Fonzie jumping 14 garbage cans and crashing into Arnold’s Fried Chicken Stand in the two part “Fearless Fonzarelli.”

Some might say that Fonzie and once lead character, Richie are somewhat like the odd couple. While Fonzie was the one to create cool, Richie is the king of Midwestern morals. Richie is a good kid that one could even describe as a nerd or in the terms of the era in which the show was set, a square. It is the balance of yin and yang that make some of these episodes so funny.

Of course many laughs come from the Cunningham tribe as well as Potsie (Anson Williams) and Ralph (Don Most). Granted, there are not as many laughs coming from Potsie and Ralph by this season, but they have their moments, as do all of the other lesser characters in season three. That being said, I think it has become obvious that without Fonzie, Happy Days would never have become a complete success.

Some of the best episodes this season include the ones mentioned above, along with “Arnold’s Wedding”, “Bringing up Spike”, “Football Frolics”, “They Call it Potsie Love”, “A Date with Fonzie”, and “Richie Fights Back.” Of course, I had a really hard time finding an episode that didn’t have some laughs or endearing qualities. In the end, each episode is equal to or better than the last and will offer loads of entertainment for the whole family.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
Happy Days: The Third Season is presented in full frame video with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. For a show that aired in the 70s, the quality offered in these DVDs is stunning. There are some grain issues here and there, but for the most part the picture is sharp and the colors are clear and hit the mark.

Audio is available in Dolby Digital English 2.0 Mono. This sounds about like what you would expect it to sound like if you were watching the show on television. The sound was steady and did not require any volume fiddling, which is a good thing. Overall, the sound and video were much better than I expected.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
Paramount Home Video either offers a plethora of special features or they do not offer any. In this case, you receive a special feature that does not feel like a special feature. The feature is a clip show that detailed the second anniversary of Happy Days. The problem here is that it runs more like a traditional episode and the quality is absolutely horrid.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Happy Days was one of the most successful shows in the 70’s and today it remains one of the most cherished shows of that decade. There is not much to say here other than this is a definite must have for any DVD collector. Not only was the show popular, the acting was good, the storylines were funny, and the show was wholesomely entertaining without sacrificing in any apparent way. This comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Happy Days, The Third Season, TV on DVD, Fonzie, Arthur Fonzarelli, Potsie, Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Mrs. C, DVD Box Set, DVD Review

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