The Ten Best LAVERNE & SHIRLEY Episodes of Season Seven

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The critical consensus rightfully says that Laverne & Shirley dies when it loses Shirley in Season Eight, for the show breaks its premise as a buddy comedy and can no longer live up to its identity. But that’s an over-reported story compared to what happens here in Seven, when nearly a third of the year’s output barely features either Laverne or Shirley, and a handful of others only involve one of the two, leaving half the season without the two stars together, such that the title becomes a lie. This is devastating, for although the show has tried to cultivate an ensemble under an amiable “hangout” design, and these supporting players are sometimes able to deliver the series’ necessary physical comedy, they’re underpowered — Edna has left and Lenny & Squiggy are reduced. What’s more, they all lack both the depth and authority to anchor stories that don’t make clear a relational relevance to Laverne and/or Shirley, who are the premise and therefore structurally essential. No good Laverne & Shirley is without them. Meanwhile, episodes that separate Laverne from Shirley, in addition to undermining the concept and thus robbing the series of its only real “heart,” are unable to take advantage of the “tag team” slapstick they do so well, which means these installments also have less of the show’s winning physical humor. Instead, Seven has to compensate by doing more with the two emotionally — narratively mainstreaming, via consistency and continuity, the previously only-episodic suggestion that the endgame for this series will see the duo’s separation, following successful romantic pursuits. This acknowledges maturation for the leads as a goal, which requires them to become less heightened, more realistic. Indeed, fans are eager to credit this season for “growth.” The problem? As always, these leads don’t have the definition, dimension, or practice to believably drive plot, let alone foster trackable evolution — a limitation that renders most emotional stories (and moments) false, especially without the premised support of the central relationship, the only sincere element about which we can care. And, again, minus the kind of humor that serves as the series’ primary calling card, these episodes inevitably fall entirely flat, leaving this season uniformly unsatisfying outside of a few rare segments that boast Laverne & Shirley as Laverne and Shirley — an identity Eight will officially destroy, following Seven’s abuse…

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It's that time again, folks! Lisa Fernandes is back with a countdown of her top five (well, more like 8!) favorite episodes of Season 7 of Laverne & Shirley. Having found its footing in California, the series boldly stretches itself in this season thematically, with inventive new ideas, moments of character growth, and wild comedy aplenty. But is this just the last gasp of joy before the show reaches a dour end?!

And now it's the newbie's turn! Chris from the Night After Night Podcast takes on Season 7, the 2nd of the California years, in this top 5 ("sort of") countdown of his favorite episodes from the season. With the madcap treasures, the heartfelt acting, and the playful staging, did this cinephile find more to love in season 7 than the previous one? Find out!