If you have ever wondered where the term "jump the shark" originated, no kidding, this is it:
This episode is considered the exact point in HAPPY DAYS' run when the series became too ridiculous and began its downward slide. For me, it was the amazing Malachi Crunch 3-part episode where Pinky Tuscadero was seriously injured in a demolition derby when those fucking bastards the Malachi brothers smashed into her car while she was on top of it attempting to fix her stalled engine.
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4 comments:
Those Malachis.....I fuckin' hate 'em!
That Malachi episode was ridiculous, but I think the show jumped in episode # 40, when The Fonz moved upstairs and became "one of the family". And started talking about how cool he was, instead of just being cool.
This was also the moment the "live" studio audience started, and the show started to look really cheesy. First 39 episodes of Happy Days = greatness. After that, 216 episodes of mostly crap, with about 1 in 10 episodes being worthwhile. I will admit to loving all that "SuperFonz" stuff at the time, but hey, I was 8 years old.
As an addition, my list of the 6 most embarrassing Happy Days episodes that I can remember after the slide:
1) Fonz goes blind from being hit in the head with a tray.
2) Mork From Ork
3) One from 1982, I believe: Fonz and Al go to Mississippi to be Freedom Riders, and of course the Fonz single-handedly integrates a cafe. As he leaves, he hits the wall and the "Whites Only" sign falls down. Seriously. He did everything except say, "Aaayyyy, lemme tell ya sumthin'. Segregation...ain't coool. Whoa!"
4) Potsie jumping around the classroom signing "Pump Your Blood" after Fonz magically appears to inform the teacher that "my boy don't cheat".
5) The anti-drunk driving episode when Heather O'Rourke almost gets run over by one.
6) Joanie learns that smokin' ain't coool. Whoa! Of course, The Fonz knew this 5 years before the surgeon general's report, and refused to join the other James Dean wannabes in smoking.
I agree with Hal, it was a different, more low-key (and better) show at first.
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