Were the first 2 seasons the best of the series? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Confidence30 · 10-20-2021, 03:13 PM

Were seasons 1 and 2 the only good seasons of the show's run?

RetroGuy2000 · 10-23-2021, 12:23 PM

Yes, the first two seasons were much better.

Adamantium · 10-23-2021, 01:02 PM

I'm not a huge fan of the first two "Rock Around the Clock" seasons. I never found them to be all that funny and mostly the series was (to me) boring. Things changed when the third season began and suddenly there was a studio audience and the cast started hamming up their performances. To me, the studio audience really made this show gel. While the last few seasons weren't technically better than the first two, I'd rather watch the later years than the early years. Season ten is one of my favorites, actually.

The same goes for The Odd Couple. That first season was lackluster, but once they added a studio audience and started putting more of Jack Klugman and Tony Randall into their characters, the show got much better and became one of my favorite sitcoms.

PracTz · 10-23-2021, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yes, the first two seasons were much better.

To each one's own but I FULLY agree! The characters all had depth and hints of being able to grow more (yes, even Potsie and Ralph) back then before devolving into two-dimensional cartoons (with Richie becoming a dull,blah straight man whose only hints of zanity was singing 'I've found my thrill on Blueberry Hill' and playing the sax in the No Name Band). Even better, everyone talked to each other in normal tones of voice instead of SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS SO THE DEAF FOLKS IN THE BACK OF THE STUDIO AUDIENCE NOSEBLEED SEATS COULD HEAR!

RetroGuy2000 · 10-23-2021, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

To each one's own but I FULLY agree! The characters all had depth and hints of being able to grow more (yes, even Potsie and Ralph) back then before devolving into two-dimensional cartoons (with Richie becoming a dull,blah straight man whose only hints of zanity was singing 'I've found my thrill on Blueberry Hill' and playing the sax in the No Name Band). Even better, everyone talked to each other in normal tones of voice instead of SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS SO THE DEAF FOLKS IN THE BACK OF THE STUDIO AUDIENCE NOSEBLEED SEATS COULD HEAR!

OMG, yes. And everyone had to have a catchphrase, which they'd recite once the studio audience stopped cheering after they walked in.

Alan Brady's Hair · 10-23-2021, 05:01 PM

I liked 1 and 2 very much. I thought they had one very good season with the studio audience, then got lost in a lot of gimmicks.

DEH55 · 11-03-2021, 12:44 AM

Ron said in his new book that they went in that direction because Good Times was killing them in the ratings with J.J and his big catch phrase. They decided to try and have catchphrases and decided that Fonz was the character to get behind. And of course it worked. Ron admits his feelings were hurt that he was sort of pushed behind the Fonz. But he was happy for Henry and the huge success of the show.

TMC · 11-15-2021, 03:21 AM

I wonder how much Garry Marshall should be blamed for the lack of quality control over time. I was reading on Ken Levine's blog, and he says that when Happy Days and The Odd Couple before that, switched from single-camera to multi-camera and that proved to be wildly beneficial for both.

Somebody else added that a lot of people may knock the show that Happy Days became but you can't argue with success. It was on the verge of being canceled and Garry Marshall turned it around. They were getting killed in the ratings against Good Times and Jimmie Walker with his catchphrase "Dynomite!!" So Garry decided to go in front of a live audience, add catch phrases and focus more on The Fonz.

king of comedy · 11-15-2021, 08:50 AM

The first 2 seasons were the best because they made the show more real.

RetroGuy2000 · 11-15-2021, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king of comedy

The first 2 seasons were the best because they made the show more real.

Definitely. I ever prefer the original set to the weird one added in the third season.

Chocolate Moose · 11-15-2021, 03:36 PM

I loved the series when i was like 10 and 11 years old. I have not seen the show since I became an adult. I wonder if I would feel the same way now.

Samme · 11-15-2021, 07:38 PM

Garry Marshall was an extremely talented writer, producer, and director. He knew what was funny and what was good. Probably at that stage of his career, he was just looking to keep his career alive. And it was probably was the smart thing to do. But the show became embarrassingly bad.

Fallon97 · 11-16-2021, 12:29 AM

No. The first two seasons are actually my least favorite seasons. I prefer the show when Scott Baio joined. And the later seasons (especially with Linda Purl) were my favorites.

Fleet · 12-08-2021, 10:05 PM

Season 3 is my favorite. More Fonz but not overboard like in later seasons. And interesting and funny plots.

SarahBellum · 12-09-2021, 01:56 PM

I liked the first couple seasons. I lost interest soon thereafter when it became primarily focused on the Fonz.

10-20-2021, 03:13 PM	#1
Confidence30 Member Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2021 Location: Florida Posts: 1,246	Were the first 2 seasons the best of the series? Were seasons 1 and 2 the only good seasons of the show's run?

10-23-2021, 12:23 PM	#2
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Yes, the first two seasons were much better.
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11-15-2021, 03:21 AM	#8
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,800	I wonder how much Garry Marshall should be blamed for the lack of quality control over time. I was reading on Ken Levine's blog, and he says that when Happy Days and The Odd Couple before that, switched from single-camera to multi-camera and that proved to be wildly beneficial for both. Somebody else added that a lot of people may knock the show that Happy Days became but you can't argue with success. It was on the verge of being canceled and Garry Marshall turned it around. They were getting killed in the ratings against Good Times and Jimmie Walker with his catchphrase "Dynomite!!" So Garry decided to go in front of a live audience, add catch phrases and focus more on The Fonz.
	Last edited by TMC; 11-15-2021 at 10:24 PM.

11-15-2021, 03:36 PM	#11
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,902	I loved the series when i was like 10 and 11 years old. I have not seen the show since I became an adult. I wonder if I would feel the same way now.
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12-08-2021, 10:05 PM	#14
Fleet Mansions, limousines & H-ween Forum Star Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: Northridge/Porter Ranch, California Posts: 15,625	Season 3 is my favorite. More Fonz but not overboard like in later seasons. And interesting and funny plots.
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10-23-2021, 01:02 PM	#3
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,839	I'm not a huge fan of the first two "Rock Around the Clock" seasons. I never found them to be all that funny and mostly the series was (to me) boring. Things changed when the third season began and suddenly there was a studio audience and the cast started hamming up their performances. To me, the studio audience really made this show gel. While the last few seasons weren't technically better than the first two, I'd rather watch the later years than the early years. Season ten is one of my favorites, actually. The same goes for The Odd Couple. That first season was lackluster, but once they added a studio audience and started putting more of Jack Klugman and Tony Randall into their characters, the show got much better and became one of my favorite sitcoms.

10-23-2021, 05:01 PM	#6
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,834	I liked 1 and 2 very much. I thought they had one very good season with the studio audience, then got lost in a lot of gimmicks.

11-03-2021, 12:44 AM	#7
DEH55 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 19, 2020 Posts: 322	Ron said in his new book that they went in that direction because Good Times was killing them in the ratings with J.J and his big catch phrase. They decided to try and have catchphrases and decided that Fonz was the character to get behind. And of course it worked. Ron admits his feelings were hurt that he was sort of pushed behind the Fonz. But he was happy for Henry and the huge success of the show.

11-15-2021, 08:50 AM	#9
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	The first 2 seasons were the best because they made the show more real.

11-15-2021, 07:38 PM	#12
Samme Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 679	Garry Marshall was an extremely talented writer, producer, and director. He knew what was funny and what was good. Probably at that stage of his career, he was just looking to keep his career alive. And it was probably was the smart thing to do. But the show became embarrassingly bad.

11-16-2021, 12:29 AM	#13
Fallon97 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2007 Location: America Posts: 1,272	No. The first two seasons are actually my least favorite seasons. I prefer the show when Scott Baio joined. And the later seasons (especially with Linda Purl) were my favorites.

12-09-2021, 01:56 PM	#15
SarahBellum Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,873	I liked the first couple seasons. I lost interest soon thereafter when it became primarily focused on the Fonz.