By ending with Joanie and Chachi's wedding? I bring this up because I was watching this video that reviewed (https://vimeo.com/277183241) Joanie Loves Chachi, and the commentator, Rowdy C said that Happy Days focusing on Joanie and Chachi's relationship so heavily (especially in the post-Richie/Ron Howard years) became a detriment to the series. In other words, they were arguably, a clear-cut example of show executives not understanding the audience by shoe-horning their favorite characters (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CreatorsPet). Rowdy C summed it up by saying that having Happy Days end with Joanie and Chachi's wedding was the "hill that they chose to die on".

In an alternate timeline, I wonder if "Welcome Home: Part 2" (https://happydays.fandom.com/wiki/Welcome_Home:_Part_2), the episode where Richie leaves for Hollywood could've worked as a series finale. Instead in the actual context, it's merely to give some proper closure to Ron Howard's character, since he never really got a formal "goodbye" episode back in 1980.

Nah, they should have ended the series with the wedding, then a knock on the door. It's Chuck, back from college!

Nah, they should have ended the series with the wedding, then a knock on the door. It's Chuck, back from college!

Or even better, ended it after the 2nd Season (before the Live Studio SCREAMING Audience took it over), and had Richie go off to become a writer and then Marion saying 'Chuck's back!'

Ralph and Potsie should have been there. Don Most said he was not invited to return.

I'm now wondering how in an alternate timeline, Happy Days would've ended had Joanie Loves Chachi been successful. JLC I presume, was created in part as a means of keeping the Garry Marshall "nostalgic sitcom" universe going since there was uncertainty how much longer Happy Days had. Plus, Laverne & Shirley was also winding down and Mork & Mindy had been cancelled around the same time period. But when JLC flopped, Erin Moran and Scott Baio were shipped back to the "mothership" that was Happy Days for what would ultimately be its final season in 1983-84.

I just saw this thread now (yeah, I know it's over a year old.) I would have liked to have seen a few episodes to see how Fonzie did as a dad to Danny.

Agreed. Theycould have donemore with it

They also made a huge mistake when they replaced Fonzie’s nephew Spike with the insufferable and adenoidal Chachi Arcola. Ugh.

Beam me up, Leather Tuscadero!

They also made a huge mistake when they replaced Fonzie’s nephew Spike with the insufferable and adenoidal Chachi Arcola. Ugh.

Beam me up, Leather Tuscadero!

Well, Garry Marshall obviously liked to reuse the same actors from his sitcoms. Scott Baio was one a short-lived show for Marshall called Blansky's Beauties. After that show was canceled, Marshall decided to use him for Happy Days. Lynda Goodfriend was another Blansky's Beauties refugee, who Marshall soon brought over to Happy Days to play Richie's girlfriend, Lori Beth.

Well, Garry Marshall obviously liked to reuse the same actors from his sitcoms. Scott Baio was one a short-lived show for Marshall called Blansky's Beauties. After that show was canceled, Marshall decided to use him for Happy Days. Lynda Goodfriend was another Blansky's Beauties refugee, who Marshall soon brought over to Happy Days to play Richie's girlfriend, Lori Beth.

Not only that, he also used them both for Who's Watching The Kids.

They also made a huge mistake when they replaced Fonzie’s nephew Spike with the insufferable and adenoidal Chachi Arcola. Ugh.

Beam me up, Leather Tuscadero!

True. poor Spike was kicked to the curb never to be seen or heard from again. Once the girls fell in love with Chachi it was over. The last we saw of Spike was when The Fonz graduated. He brought him a flower display from the Flower store he worked at and attended the grad. Then he vanished. Never visited The Fonz or Arnolds ever again. Never even showed up at the "funeral" for the Fonz when most thought he was dead. Fonz never mentions him again. Chachi never mentions him. Wouldn't they know each other? Lol Fonz said that Chachi was the only family member that went to college. That does not say much for what happened to Spike. ;) I guess he moved away with The Fonz's dog Spunky. What happened to Leather? Why did she never return for any concerts? ;)

True. poor Spike was kicked to the curb never to be seen or heard from again. Once the girls fell in love with Chachi it was over. The last we saw of Spike was when The Fonz graduated. He brought him a flower display from the Flower store he worked at and attended the grad. Then he vanished. Never visited The Fonz or Arnolds ever again. Never even showed up at the "funeral" for the Fonz when most thought he was dead. Fonz never mentions him again. Chachi never mentions him. Wouldn't they know each other? Lol Fonz said that Chachi was the only family member that went to college. That does not say much for what happened to Spike. ;) I guess he moved away with The Fonz's dog Spunky. What happened to Leather? Why did she never return for any concerts? ;)
Ooohh, yeah...good observation about Spike not showing up Fonzie's "Funeral" (and yeah, he could have brought flowers at a discount) Once Chachi showed up, it was "see ya Spike " :rolleyes: As far as Leather goes, your guess is as good as mine about what happened with her,