In 1984, ‘Happy Days’ Had Its Series Finale … And Then, the Network Aired Five More New Episodes
Happy Days spent 11 seasons following the fun-loving adventures of typical teen Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard), his family and his friends in 1950s Milwaukee. But do you remember what happened in the show’s final episode, which aired in 1984? What became of Richie Cunningham, or his sister Joanie and her love, Chachi? What happened to the Fonz (Henry Winkler)? Did he spend the rest of his life hanging out in Arnold’s, banging on the jukebox?
Even if you remember the answers to all of those questions, you probably don’t remember why the show’s series finale, which tied up every plot thread, was not the show’s actual final episode. Why was the finale of Happy Days followed by … five more new episodes of Happy Days?
How did Happy Days get to the top?
Paramount/Everett Collection
Happy Days first reached audiences as a 1972 segment on the anthology series Love, American Style. After Howard appeared in the similarly ’50s-themed American Graffiti in 1973, there was network interest in creating a series about the Cunninghams. The first episode of Happy Days aired in 1974, and for the show’s first two seasons, it was a grounded family sitcom, shot with a single camera and a laugh track.
But after limp ratings in season 2, series creator Garry Marshall reimagined the show, shifting the focus to minor character The Fonz. Beginning in the third season, the show was shot as a more standard multi-cam sitcom, recorded in front of a live studio audience (allowing the Fonz to receive huge cheers almost any time he entered a scene).
This move ended up being a brilliant one, making it the #1 show of the 1976-77 TV season. That year also yielded the show’s first and most successful spin-off, Laverne & Shirley.
Why did Happy Days get canceled?
Happy Days was never too worried about creative consistency, a trend that only escalated as the series went on. The Fonz began to be depicted as something akin to a superhuman rock star, first gaining the ability to start the jukebox at Al’s just by knocking it with his fist, and eventually waterskiing over a shark (while still wearing his leather jacket, no less!), a scene that inspired the term “jumping the shark,” which refers to the moment in any TV show that when the storylines went bonkers to the point of no return.
And Fonzie’s “jumping the shark” moment occurred in season five, in 1977 — less than halfway through the show’s run! One year later, Robin Williams’ alien character “Mork from Ork” would make his first appearance on the show, which would later inspire the spinoff Mork & Mindy.
Though outlandish plots were increasingly becoming the show’s trademark, they didn’t help its ratings. After peaking in the fourth and fifth seasons, the show began to experience increasing ratings declines.
These declines were hurried along by beloved cast members leaving the show. Most notably, Ron Howard decided to move on in 1980 (Season 7) to pursue what would become an iconic directing career, while his TV buddies Don Most (aka Ralph Malph) and Anson Williams (who played dimwitted Potsie Webber) also began pulling away from the sitcom. Surrounded by a cast largely disconnected from the show’s history, even Winkler’s Fonz couldn’t keep things cool — especially after he ditched his free-wheeling lifestyle to become a teacher. The writing was on the wall, and the Cunninghams finally called it quits in 1984.
What happened in the final episode of Happy Days?
ABC/Everett Collection
The series finale episode, “Passages,” is a one-hour (or two-part in syndication) episode that aired on May 8, 1984. “Passages” revolves around the long-simmering romance between Richie’s sister Joanie (Erin Moran) and Fonzie’s nephew Chachi (Scott Baio, in the role that made him a teen idol). This storyline carried Happy Days for the show’s final seasons, even temporarily spinning the lovebirds off into their own series, Joanie Loves Chachi – though disastrous ratings eventually sent the pair back to the mothership. Having recently broken up and reunited, the finale capped off the lovers’ journey in the only way possible in TV land – with a beautiful wedding that brought the Happy Days family (some of them, anyway) back together.
There are no two ways about it: This episode is designed to be a happy ending for a cast of characters that many fans grew up watching. Even Ron Howard returned, so that Richie and his own family could be a part of this final celebration. To write Howard off the show, Richie got married and joined the Army. When he returned for “Passages,” it was with his wife, Lori Beth, and their son, Richie Jr. Richie is said to be living in California and, in a nod to Howard’s own life, pursuing a career in screenwriting.
What happened to the Fonz in the final episode?
©ABC/Courtesy: Everett Collection
The episode’s other major plot point is Fonzie’s quest to adopt Danny, a young orphan to whom he’d recently become a big brother. While legal technicalities threaten his noble quest (especially after Danny runs away from the orphanage to be with Fonzie), a timely intervention by family patriarch Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley) saves the day, paving the way for the adoption to be finalized on the same day as the wedding – so there’s even more to celebrate!
The entire episode is capped off by Bosley breaking the fourth wall by looking into the camera for one final speech:
“Well, what can I say? Both of our children are married now and they’re starting out to build lives of their own. And I guess when you reach a milestone like this, you must have to reflect on, on what you’ve done and, and what you’ve accomplished. Marion [Marion Ross] and I have not climbed Mount Everest or written a great American novel. But we’ve had the joy of raising two wonderful kids, and watching them and their friends grow up into loving adults. And now, we’re going to have the pleasure of watching them pass that love on to their children. And I guess no man or woman could ask for anything more. So thank you all for being, part of our family … To happy days.”
There wasn’t a dry eye across America when Bosley delivered that message to adoring fans. To Happy Days, indeed.
Why did more episodes of Happy Days air after the finale?
Everett Collection
“Passages” is a beautiful send-off for the show that ties up every loose end, and gives fans closure. However, the network still aired five more episodes of the show, making “Fonzie’s Spots,” which aired on Sept. 24, 1984, the final Happy Days episode to ever air.
Why did this happen? Well, the five episodes that aired over the summer of 1984 were originally supposed to air the previous winter — but they were preempted during the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo.
Not quite the send-off that such an era-defining show deserved.
Where can you watch Happy Days today?
With all the streaming options available, it’s a bit surprising you can’t watch the entire series on one platform right now.
MeTV airs Happy Days on Sundays at 11amET.
Pluto TV has a Happy Days channel, where you can watch episodes of the series, as well as Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy.
Paramount+, AppleTV+ and Amazon Prime Video currently only have Season 2 episodes available (anything after that you get the message “This title is unavailable due to expired rights”).
Remind 