The misuse of Potsie from 80-84 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jewlmc · 09-23-2002, 02:08 PM

I think TPTB missed a great and potential funny opportunity when RH and DM left by letting Potsie just drift off.

Frankly instead of bringing Roger in, they should have had Potsie intern at the High School (Like a School Psychology kind of thing) and of course have Fonzie work there. They would have to work together and you KNOW how Fonzie would have felt about that. To me that would have been INFINATELY more funny than bringing on a Richie wannabe in Roger.

Plus it would have been interesting to see after all the years of just being barely friendly with Potsie...Fonzie becoming good friends with him.

I don't know...It just seemed a shame. I never connected with Roger or any of the other new people like the Old gang. Except for maybe Jenny.

Just a thought.

animalcrackers · 09-24-2002, 08:41 AM

I just wished they didn't make Potsie such an idiot. I wonder how Anson felt about his character? Anyway, I still love him.

richheart · 09-25-2002, 10:52 AM

More like "misuse of television" during those years.

Sorry. But I never cared for the show by that time. It went from one of the greatest shows in tv history to one of the worst. Things started getting bad when they went to a live audience years before that.

But you have a good point. Expanding Potsie's character might have been a better thing to do, rather than bringing in Roger.

DarleneIllyria · 09-25-2002, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by richheart
More like "misuse of television" during those years.

Sorry. But I never cared for the show by that time. It went from one of the greatest shows in tv history to one of the worst. Things started getting bad when they went to a live audience years before that.

But you have a good point. Expanding Potsie's character might have been a better thing to do, rather than bringing in Roger.

Gotta agree with you. It went from great to worst in a matter of seconds. One second Ron and Donny leave and the next second later they bring in McGinely. I can see why people tease the guy on jumptheshark.com. Every show he comes into is abruptly canceled or the show gets crappy.

Dr. Thong · 01-05-2009, 01:08 PM

It was pretty clear that the writers had no clue what to do with the character without Richie and Ralph there as his sidekicks. They seemed to randomly insert him into the shows, oftentimes in a scene that had nothing to do with the main storyline.

They tried a storyline where he was working for Howard at the hardware store and almost making him like a surrogate son, but it didn't work.

I imagine it had to have been tough for Anson Williams. After all, in the very beginning, he was Richie's best friend and had more of a role. He was in the opening credits first season while Henry Winkler wasn't.

Then, Fonzie came from out of left field as a popular character and pushed Potsie aside as Richie's best friend. On top of that, the character got dumber as the series progressed. I imagine it probably took a toll on Williams inside.

Williams himself has said publicly that once Ron and Donny left, "the magic was gone." Truer words have never been spoken.

Waterston_Fan · 01-05-2009, 02:48 PM

I don't like how they misused Potsie though.

I do wish they had used Marion and Tom more soon after Ron and Don left.

bluthree · 01-05-2009, 04:10 PM

Yeah Potsie seem to go to waste after Richie and Ralph left.I'm surprised that Anson Williams did not leave the show because of it. As Potsie was pushed to the end of the line during this period. And it seem like Fonzie,and others did not like him. And he was not included in the final episode of the series. I find it hard to believe that Potsie would not be at Short Cakes,and Chachis(However you spell his name?) wedding. Heck even Ralph was not at the wedding at the end.

MikeLutton · 01-05-2009, 04:23 PM

i know i think ralph charactor was finshed when he and richie returne from the army he went to dentist school least he had good send off with richie and tom made a mistake

on anniversary show when he said we was all together at the end which they wasnt

catlover79 · 01-05-2009, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluthree

Yeah Potsie seem to go to waste after Richie and Ralph left.I'm surprised that Anson Williams did not leave the show because of it. As Potsie was pushed to the end of the line during this period. And it seem like Fonzie,and others did not like him. And he was not included in the final episode of the series. I find it hard to believe that Potsie would not be at Short Cakes,and Chachis(However you spell his name?) wedding. Heck even Ralph was not at the wedding at the end.

Same here. There really was no point in having Potsie around without Richie and Ralph (waits for Iris to start throwing tomatoes at me!

). So, I wonder why they kept Anson Williams at all because Potsie didn't do much at all after 1980.

MikeLutton · 01-05-2009, 05:25 PM

i would of had potsie marry joanie instead of chachi now that would been good

bluthree · 01-05-2009, 08:29 PM

I also did not like the new people they brought it after Ron and Donny left.
There was a cousin named KC,we had Roger,and we had the annoying Jenny Picalo. Who was mentioned during the early years but was never scene.
And we also had the kids from Fonzies auto class room. I dont remember there names? I know one of the kids was played by an actor who went on to star in Baywatch. Dont remember the actors name?

catlover79 · 01-05-2009, 09:21 PM

^ I think you mean Billy Warlock, who played Flip Phillips, Roger's brother. Besides Baywatch, Billy Warlock also won a Daytime Emmy for his work on Days of Our Lives, and starred on General Hospital from 1997-2003.

robyrob · 01-05-2009, 09:32 PM

some of the other kids in Joanie and Chachi's class were semi-regulars like Bobby and Tommy, but they weren't very interesting.

I would've like to see them make Potsie the inept guidance counsellor

catlover79 · 01-05-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robyrob

some of the other kids in Joanie and Chachi's class were semi-regulars like Bobby and Tommy, but they weren't very interesting.

I would've like to see them make Potsie the inept guidance counsellor

That's a good idea - it would've been fun to see Potsie giving kids inane advice.

spreckenzeedeu · 01-06-2009, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

(waits for Iris to start throwing tomatoes at me!

)

Is it that what you want?

But seriously. Why should I? You are right. You all are. - Potsie by his own, without the Guys, wasn't the same. - And sad to watch...

09-23-2002, 02:08 PM	#1
jewlmc Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 03, 2001 Location: Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14301 Posts: 53	The misuse of Potsie from 80-84 I think TPTB missed a great and potential funny opportunity when RH and DM left by letting Potsie just drift off. Frankly instead of bringing Roger in, they should have had Potsie intern at the High School (Like a School Psychology kind of thing) and of course have Fonzie work there. They would have to work together and you KNOW how Fonzie would have felt about that. To me that would have been INFINATELY more funny than bringing on a Richie wannabe in Roger. Plus it would have been interesting to see after all the years of just being barely friendly with Potsie...Fonzie becoming good friends with him. I don't know...It just seemed a shame. I never connected with Roger or any of the other new people like the Old gang. Except for maybe Jenny. Just a thought.
	__________________ Lover of ALL good sitcoms.

01-05-2009, 01:08 PM	#5
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	It was pretty clear that the writers had no clue what to do with the character without Richie and Ralph there as his sidekicks. They seemed to randomly insert him into the shows, oftentimes in a scene that had nothing to do with the main storyline. They tried a storyline where he was working for Howard at the hardware store and almost making him like a surrogate son, but it didn't work. I imagine it had to have been tough for Anson Williams. After all, in the very beginning, he was Richie's best friend and had more of a role. He was in the opening credits first season while Henry Winkler wasn't. Then, Fonzie came from out of left field as a popular character and pushed Potsie aside as Richie's best friend. On top of that, the character got dumber as the series progressed. I imagine it probably took a toll on Williams inside. Williams himself has said publicly that once Ron and Donny left, "the magic was gone." Truer words have never been spoken.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

01-05-2009, 04:23 PM	#8
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,883	i know i think ralph charactor was finshed when he and richie returne from the army he went to dentist school least he had good send off with richie and tom made a mistake on anniversary show when he said we was all together at the end which they wasnt
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

01-05-2009, 09:32 PM	#13
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,182	some of the other kids in Joanie and Chachi's class were semi-regulars like Bobby and Tommy, but they weren't very interesting. I would've like to see them make Potsie the inept guidance counsellor
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09-24-2002, 08:41 AM	#2
animalcrackers Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 24, 2002 Location: The Backseat Of Fonzie's Bike Posts: 1,603	I just wished they didn't make Potsie such an idiot. I wonder how Anson felt about his character? Anyway, I still love him.

09-25-2002, 10:52 AM	#3
richheart Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2002 Posts: 205	More like "misuse of television" during those years. Sorry. But I never cared for the show by that time. It went from one of the greatest shows in tv history to one of the worst. Things started getting bad when they went to a live audience years before that. But you have a good point. Expanding Potsie's character might have been a better thing to do, rather than bringing in Roger.

01-05-2009, 02:48 PM	#6
Waterston_Fan Eternal Member Eternal Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,195	I don't like how they misused Potsie though. I do wish they had used Marion and Tom more soon after Ron and Don left.

01-05-2009, 04:10 PM	#7
bluthree Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 23, 2007 Location: New London MO Posts: 362	Yeah Potsie seem to go to waste after Richie and Ralph left.I'm surprised that Anson Williams did not leave the show because of it. As Potsie was pushed to the end of the line during this period. And it seem like Fonzie,and others did not like him. And he was not included in the final episode of the series. I find it hard to believe that Potsie would not be at Short Cakes,and Chachis(However you spell his name?) wedding. Heck even Ralph was not at the wedding at the end.

01-05-2009, 05:25 PM	#10
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,883	i would of had potsie marry joanie instead of chachi now that would been good

01-05-2009, 08:29 PM	#11
bluthree Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 23, 2007 Location: New London MO Posts: 362	I also did not like the new people they brought it after Ron and Donny left. There was a cousin named KC,we had Roger,and we had the annoying Jenny Picalo. Who was mentioned during the early years but was never scene. And we also had the kids from Fonzies auto class room. I dont remember there names? I know one of the kids was played by an actor who went on to star in Baywatch. Dont remember the actors name?

01-05-2009, 09:21 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	^ I think you mean Billy Warlock, who played Flip Phillips, Roger's brother. Besides Baywatch, Billy Warlock also won a Daytime Emmy for his work on Days of Our Lives, and starred on General Hospital from 1997-2003.