If Richie (Ron Howard) never left the show, how do you think he would have fit in in the show's later years? Would he have moved out and got his own place after he graduated College at the end of Season 8? Or would he continued to live at home? How would he have reacted to Roger, Jenny Picalo, K.C., Flip? What are some episodes that you think would have happened during those last 4 years starring him. How do you think he would have fit into the episodes that did air after he left. Ex. Roger's First appearance, I drink therefore I am, Arthur Arthur. What does everyone think?

if richie had stayed i don't think roger or flip would have ever appeared .jenny piccalo would have probably existed because joannie would have still needed a best friend.its really hard to call this because the show would have had a different direction if ron howard and don most stayed on.it is an interesting thought though.i think he would have moved out and still married lori beth and probably had richie jr.but i don't know how the whole joannie loves chachi
thing would have progressed.i'm not sure how ralph would have gone he may have ended up like potsie.

It seemed like Ralph was starting to end up like Potsie in Season 7. He was starting to loose his charachter that he once had earlier in the series and started to really seem like a has been.

these characters would have had to step aside if they were going to build up the characters like joannie and jenny and chachie and what ever other characters they may have chose to add. again the shows whole direction would have gone a different way so we can go on and on with our assumptions great thread though

The show would have been a lot better. The truth of the matter was that even when Ron and Donny were on in the seventh season, the show was starting to show signs of age.

I still think the show would have gone downhill creatively, but not nearly as bad as it did once Roger and Jenny and the later-period characters became the focus of the show. It would have been a slower process if Ron and/or Donny had hung around for the rest of the show's run.

If Richie never left the show ....Id have watched for 4 more years

If Richie never left the show ....Id have watched for 4 more years

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

If Richie never left the show then I could see he and Lori Beth getting married in Season 8, but still living with Mr & Mrs C. In Season 9 they would have had a baby and would have still lived in the house. I could see Season 10 them moving out to get their own place but showing up all the time like everyone did. In the final season I could see Joanie moving back like she did and Richie having to move his family back there for some reason as well

as much as i liked some of the latter episodes it would have been best for happy days to end or go one more year then end after season 7 the show did loose alot when ron howard and don most left.and we can debate "what if's" from now until paramount releases the whole series on dvd because all of us at sitcomsonline and the whole cast of happy days will more than likely be dead.

I think it was fate that caused both Richie and Ralph to leave the series in 1980 and that caused Arnold's to remodel too.

What's interesting is That '70s Show is going into its eighth season with the loss of its "Richie" character, Eric Forman and it's "Potsie," Kelso. Should be interesting to see how the show does without them.

Eric was the central character and you were seeing the '70s through his eyes, much like HD's '50s was seen through Richie's eyes, so there's a parallel here.

However, I never thought That '70s Show was funny, so even at its best, it couldn't touch Happy Days.

What's interesting is That '70s Show is going into its eighth season with the loss of its "Richie" character, Eric Forman and it's "Potsie," Kelso. Should be interesting to see how the show does without them.

Eric was the central character and you were seeing the '70s through his eyes, much like HD's '50s was seen through Richie's eyes, so there's a parallel here.

However, I never thought That '70s Show was funny, so even at its best, it couldn't touch Happy Days.
Yeah, and they even acknowledged Eric leaving to go to Africa too. Isn't that a coincidence on Topher Grace leaving That 70's Show 25 yrs. after Ron Howard left Happy Days both at 8th seasons?