Happy Days: Was the Third Season a soft reboot? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dr. Thong · 07-22-2020, 05:11 PM

I was listening to a Happy Days podcast where one of the hosts wondered if the 3rd season was a soft reboot of the show.

Between the change to a live audience and the changing of the set, and no longer acknowledging Chuck, etc, they posed the theory that the third season was their way of rebooting the show.

I think it has some merit because the show did make a big change and certain elements of the first two season were gone forever.

What do you guys and gals think...?

Superswiper · 07-23-2020, 01:04 PM

It could have been. I also recall hearing the show was almost cancelled after the second season.

Fonzie also became a bigger focus starting with the third season, becoming perhaps the show's second most important character, after Richie. Whereas before, he was more of a side character. This is even reflected in the DVD covers of the second and third season.

Dr. Thong · 07-23-2020, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superswiper

It could have been. I also recall hearing the show was almost cancelled after the second season.

Fonzie also became a bigger focus starting with the third season, becoming perhaps the show's second most important character, after Richie. Whereas before, he was more of a side character. This is even reflected in the DVD covers of the second and third season.

The show almost was cancelled after season two. They did one episode live in front of a studio audience that season as an experiment and it was decided to adopt it for season three. Wise move -- it helped save the show and propel it into the ratings stratosphere.

80s Dude · 08-04-2020, 12:37 PM

It was a hard reboot. They had Fonzie be the co-star to Ron Howard. They moved Potsie in back. They had a real live audience with several camera angles. They changed the theme song. They made the Cunningham House and Arnold's the focus of most of the scenes instead of the restaurant drive in. The ratings took a dive in Season 2 and the show almost got canceled.

Dr. Thong · 08-04-2020, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

It was a hard reboot. They had Fonzie be the co-star to Ron Howard. They moved Potsie in back. They had a real live audience with several camera angles. They changed the theme song. They made the Cunningham House and Arnold's the focus of most of the scenes instead of the restaurant drive in. The ratings took a dive in Season 2 and the show almost got canceled.

Judging by what happened, I'd say they made the right move.

eddie146 · 03-20-2021, 04:29 PM

If you notice Garry Marshall did the same with The Odd Couple's first season and then changed to a live audience, with different camera angles and different settings.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-20-2021, 05:37 PM

Definitely feels like a revamp or a reboot. So many changes to both the cast, the scripts, the sets, the theme music, and the basic premise.

Dr. Thong · 03-20-2021, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddie146

If you notice Garry Marshall did the same with The Odd Couple's first season and then changed to a live audience, with different camera angles and different settings.

That was at the urging of Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, who wanted to feed off the energy of the live audience. Shooting it one-camera style wasn't working for them, as they'd both been stage actors.

Everybody Say Midget · 03-23-2021, 10:39 PM

Potsie went from being a semi hard-edged mischievous guy to a goofy doofus. Ralph stayed the same. Besides losing Chuck for good we also lost Bag and Marcia, and that fat guy who was allowed out after curfew cause he was older. Season 1 is the best of Happy Days.

howilu · 03-24-2021, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everybody Say Midget

Potsie went from being a semi hard-edged mischievous guy to a goofy doofus. Ralph stayed the same. Besides losing Chuck for good we also lost Bag and Marcia, and that fat guy who was allowed out after curfew cause he was older. Season 1 is the best of Happy Days.

The fat guy who you were referring to was Moose, played by Barry Greenberg. He appeared in the episode when the guys were caught drag racing and left Arnold's due to curfew.

Everybody Say Midget · 03-24-2021, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howilu

The fat guy who you were referring to was Moose, played by Barry Greenberg. He appeared in the episode when the guys were caught drag racing and left Arnold's due to curfew.

I thought he appeared in a couple others as well?

Everybody Say Midget · 03-24-2021, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everybody Say Midget

I thought he appeared in a couple others as well?

Yes. Barry Greenberg as Moose appeared in 3 Episodes in Season 1.

Smartboy · 03-24-2021, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everybody Say Midget

Potsie went from being a semi hard-edged mischievous guy to a goofy doofus. Ralph stayed the same. Besides losing Chuck for good we also lost Bag and Marcia, and that fat guy who was allowed out after curfew cause he was older. Season 1 is the best of Happy Days.

Do you have any idea what Bag's real name was and how he got the nickname Bag?

Dr. Thong · 03-25-2021, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everybody Say Midget

Potsie went from being a semi hard-edged mischievous guy to a goofy doofus. Ralph stayed the same. Besides losing Chuck for good we also lost Bag and Marcia, and that fat guy who was allowed out after curfew cause he was older. Season 1 is the best of Happy Days.

Bag made some appearances in seasons 3 and 4, but his character was more in the background.

Avilos · 04-25-2021, 03:56 PM

Soft reboot or revamp. I guess. Keep in mind terms like that did not exist at the time. More importantly television writers did not feel tied to any sort of continuity at all. They only referenced the past when it suited new episodes. Ignored the rest and hoped audiences would too. “If we do not remind you of something, it does not matter anymore”.

So soft reboots and revamps would happen on shows all the time. Rare references to old episodes were a huge anomaly. Forgetting episode name - the one where Richie’s old girlfriend from the original “Love America Style” episode came back really stood out when I first saw it as a kid in reruns.

Would not surprise me if part of the reason that episode was made was to save money. It was in a way a “Clip show”. The flashbacks were from the original Pilot. Which many people at the time had never seen. Howard and Joanie were recast so it would never be part reruns. They got original actress back and there is new scenes in the present. Using Pilot scenes as flashbacks meant less new footage had to be filmed for that episode.

My personal retcon is after season 3 Chuck Cunningham still existed. But was now Richie’s cousin. From Howard’s side of the family. He was just staying with the family before he went off to college.

07-22-2020, 05:11 PM	#1
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,545	Happy Days: Was the Third Season a soft reboot? I was listening to a Happy Days podcast where one of the hosts wondered if the 3rd season was a soft reboot of the show. Between the change to a live audience and the changing of the set, and no longer acknowledging Chuck, etc, they posed the theory that the third season was their way of rebooting the show. I think it has some merit because the show did make a big change and certain elements of the first two season were gone forever. What do you guys and gals think...?
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03-20-2021, 05:37 PM	#7
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Definitely feels like a revamp or a reboot. So many changes to both the cast, the scripts, the sets, the theme music, and the basic premise.
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07-23-2020, 01:04 PM	#2
Superswiper Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 14, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 192	It could have been. I also recall hearing the show was almost cancelled after the second season. Fonzie also became a bigger focus starting with the third season, becoming perhaps the show's second most important character, after Richie. Whereas before, he was more of a side character. This is even reflected in the DVD covers of the second and third season.

08-04-2020, 12:37 PM	#4
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,810	It was a hard reboot. They had Fonzie be the co-star to Ron Howard. They moved Potsie in back. They had a real live audience with several camera angles. They changed the theme song. They made the Cunningham House and Arnold's the focus of most of the scenes instead of the restaurant drive in. The ratings took a dive in Season 2 and the show almost got canceled.

03-20-2021, 04:29 PM	#6
eddie146 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 28, 2003 Location: brooklyn ny Posts: 426	If you notice Garry Marshall did the same with The Odd Couple's first season and then changed to a live audience, with different camera angles and different settings.

03-23-2021, 10:39 PM	#9
Everybody Say Midget Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 06, 2021 Location: Brooklyn NY Posts: 33	Potsie went from being a semi hard-edged mischievous guy to a goofy doofus. Ralph stayed the same. Besides losing Chuck for good we also lost Bag and Marcia, and that fat guy who was allowed out after curfew cause he was older. Season 1 is the best of Happy Days.

04-25-2021, 03:56 PM	#15
Avilos Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: Plymouth, WI Posts: 83	Soft reboot or revamp. I guess. Keep in mind terms like that did not exist at the time. More importantly television writers did not feel tied to any sort of continuity at all. They only referenced the past when it suited new episodes. Ignored the rest and hoped audiences would too. “If we do not remind you of something, it does not matter anymore”. So soft reboots and revamps would happen on shows all the time. Rare references to old episodes were a huge anomaly. Forgetting episode name - the one where Richie’s old girlfriend from the original “Love America Style” episode came back really stood out when I first saw it as a kid in reruns. Would not surprise me if part of the reason that episode was made was to save money. It was in a way a “Clip show”. The flashbacks were from the original Pilot. Which many people at the time had never seen. Howard and Joanie were recast so it would never be part reruns. They got original actress back and there is new scenes in the present. Using Pilot scenes as flashbacks meant less new footage had to be filmed for that episode. My personal retcon is after season 3 Chuck Cunningham still existed. But was now Richie’s cousin. From Howard’s side of the family. He was just staying with the family before he went off to college.