What if Fonzie was spun off into his own show

[TMC]

Had they spun him off (as they did with several other lesser characters), Happy Days could have continued to be the story of the Cunninghams and thus, in theory, preserve the parent show's integrity. It's arguable Fonzie was instead, allowed to eat the show in much the same way Urkel later ate Family Matters and left it looking nothing like its premise?

Had Fonzie gotten his own show, would it have been a Laverne and Shirley-sized hit. In fairness, by all accounts Ron Howard was happy to let Henry Winkler shine as Fonzie and it was to the good of the show. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead. Apparently, they did want to Fonzie in his own series, but Henry Winkler said no and that the character was popular because of the way Fonzie interacted with the Cunninghams. Plus, Happy Days became all about him in the end, even though it still masquerading as being the "same show". So a spin-off in that regard would been kind of redundant.

[Chocolate Moose]

Right?

[PracTz]

By all accounts, Ron Howard and Henry Winkler became and have stayed good friends all these decades and Ron Howard was a professional who wanted the best for the show and willing to work hard at it.

However, even all the above said, when at the height of Fonzie's popularity the producers proposed to Mr. Howard the idea of changing the title to 'Fonzie's Happy Days', Mr. Howard said that it didn't matter how much they raised his salary or how many episodes they'd let him direct (he was doing all he could to learn the craft at that time), if they changed the title, he'd WALK. Thankfully, they backed off.

I know he left the show later but I think by that point, they'd virtually exhausted virtually all they could with the 'straight man' character of Richie. Of course, the fact that they had made him more or less two-dimensional ever since they brought in the Live Studio Audience and required the whole cast to SCREAM THEIR LINES instead of actually talk to each other in normal tones of voice didn't help matters. No wonder he decided that it was time to strike out on his own and do what he could to market his directing skills.

[Babalu]

Originally Posted by PracTz

By all accounts, Ron Howard and Henry Winkler became and have stayed good friends all these decades and Ron Howard was a professional who wanted the best for the show and willing to work hard at it.

However, even all the above said, when at the height of Fonzie's popularity the producers proposed to Mr. Howard the idea of changing the title to 'Fonzie's Happy Days', Mr. Howard said that it didn't matter how much they raised his salary or how many episodes they'd let him direct (he was doing all he could to learn the craft at that time), if they changed the title, he'd WALK. Thankfully, they backed off.

I know he left the show later but I think by that point, they'd virtually exhausted virtually all they could with the 'straight man' character of Richie. Of course, the fact that they had made him more or less two-dimensional ever since they brought in the Live Studio Audience and required the whole cast to SCREAM THEIR LINES instead of actually talk to each other in normal tones of voice didn't help matters. No wonder he decided that it was time to strike out on his own and do what he could to market his directing skills.

Shooting Happy Days before a live audience saved the show.

[PracTz]

Originally Posted by Babalu

Shooting Happy Days before a live audience saved the show.

Not for those of us who surf to something else as soon as the Early Seasons end and the Screamy Mimi Ones pop up in syndication!

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by TMC

Had they spun him off (as they did with several other lesser characters), Happy Days could have continued to be the story of the Cunninghams and thus, in theory, preserve the parent show's integrity. It's arguable Fonzie was instead, allowed to eat the show in much the same way Urkel later ate Family Matters and left it looking nothing like its premise?

Had Fonzie gotten his own show, would it have been a Laverne and Shirley-sized hit. In fairness, by all accounts Ron Howard was happy to let Henry Winkler shine as Fonzie and it was to the good of the show. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead Plus, Happy Days became all about him in the end, even though it still masquerading as being the "same show". So a spin-off in that regard would been kind of redundant.

I think this has been covered in the past, but let's do another round:

"When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead"

Howard left after season 7 (May 80). Winkler didn't slide seamlessly or otherwise into the lead after Howard left, he was already the lead, he had been for years. He was nominated for Emmy awards in 1976 and 77 in the category of LEAD actor (Howard wasn't).

"Apparently, they did want to Fonzie in his own series, but Henry Winkler said no and that the character was popular because of the way Fonzie interacted with the Cunninghams".

When did they offer him his own series? The show was trending downward (ratings wise) when the series was reworked to film in front of an audience with Fonzie replacing Richie as the lead character. Why would the production company want to move Fonzie into his own series and be left with Happy Days minus its lead character (that doesn't make sense).

[Babalu]

Originally Posted by Duster76

I think this has been covered in the past, but let's do another round:

"When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead"

The day Ron Howard left I stopped watching the show.

The show revolved around Richie Cunningham.

No Richie, no show.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by TMC

Had they spun him off (as they did with several other lesser characters), Happy Days could have continued to be the story of the Cunninghams and thus, in theory, preserve the parent show's integrity. It's arguable Fonzie was instead, allowed to eat the show in much the same way Urkel later ate Family Matters and left it looking nothing like its premise?

Had Fonzie gotten his own show, would it have been a Laverne and Shirley-sized hit. In fairness, by all accounts Ron Howard was happy to let Henry Winkler shine as Fonzie and it was to the good of the show. When Howard eventually left, Winkler slid seamlessly into the lead. Apparently, they did want to Fonzie in his own series, but Henry Winkler said no and that the character was popular because of the way Fonzie interacted with the Cunninghams. Plus, Happy Days became all about him in the end, even though it still masquerading as being the "same show". So a spin-off in that regard would been kind of redundant.

All the HD viewers would have stopped watching HD and followed the FONZ

[TMC]

Originally Posted by PracTz

Not for those of us who surf to something else as soon as the Early Seasons end and the Screamy Mimi Ones pop up in syndication!

From a ratings perspective, that's probably true. But I wouldn't necessarily flat out say that it saved the show from solely a quality perspective.