The Ten Best LAVERNE & SHIRLEY Episodes of Season Two

[TMC]

https://jacksonupperco.com/2021/10/1...of-season-two/

Season Two is the start of Laverne & Shirley’s Long Golden Age, the three-year period where the show is at its most reliable and rewarding, regularly offering what it does best — star-forward, broad, usually physical, humor — while being propelled by easy ideas that satisfy these goals without too often highlighting inherent and/or mounting shortcomings, thereby inflicting the least amount of harm. Now, each of these three seasons has its own strengths, but this collection is the most exciting, for it enjoys the forward strides of active self-discovery, with the novelty of its knowingness fueling the fun. Not only is this the year that takes what was developing in One and formally comes to realize that the series’ supreme modus vivendi requires showcasing the leading ladies, and Penny Marshall specifically, in heightened physical centerpieces, it also embraces a unique structural aspect of the low-concept premise: its existence as an adult “hangout” comedy, with two sets of young singles. Accordingly, Two delights in expanding its ensemble — increasing its utilization of the very funny (and almost equally iconic) Lenny and Squiggy, the literally unrealistic but comedically dependable pair who moved into their counterparts’ building at the end of last season, thus further integrating them into the show’s world, while also expanding beyond its other one-note side players (Carmine and Frank) to provide additional support in the form of landlady Edna, portrayed by All In The Family‘s Betty Garrett, and Carole Ita White’s Rosie, Laverne’s snooty rival. Both ladies, and especially Rosie, match the show’s comic energy and give the central twosome more against which they can play, honoring the star-focused perception of character by concocting scenarios where the leads’ already cartoonish personas can be aggrandized… Speaking of personas, after a formative freshman year, this is also the first to really make plain a distinction between the two women, with Shirley officially existing as more sensitive and restrained compared to the wilder, impulsive Laverne. Okay, this delineation is never as prevalent in story as I’d like, nor is it comedically maximized to suggest a character-forward usage, but it represents a basic understanding that helps posit this sophomore season as a big improvement over One.

[AB]

Season 2 had some hilarious episodes.

[Missygal21880]

I don't trust any list of the show's top episodes that puts down the show's dramatic efforts. "Look Before You Leap" is one of the best examples of the show's attempt at mashing kitchen-sink realism with slapstick, and I raise a brow at it not even ranking here. I'm curious to see what this writer thinks of "Why Did the Fireman" and "New Year's Eve 1960."