Did they really have to use blindness as a cheap plot device on happy days? Of course not. This episode is what happens when once-good tv shows have been on too long and the people that know better are lazy and don't care. Episodes like this drag down the whole series. This episode was offensive to me and I am pretty hard to offend.
2 Reviews
Hard to watch
nickb-2281328 April 2022
This episode is a lot more serious than most Happy Days episodes. After Al accidentally hits Fonzie in the head with a tray, Fonzie loses his sight. He spends the rest of the episode feeling sorry for himself and not willing to adjust to his new circumstances. Richie attempts to help Fonzie adapt but Fonzie refuses.
The writers behind Happy Days in the middle of the series were always looking for ways to allow Henry Winkler ('Fonzie') show off the full range of his acting chops. From the Season 5 episode where Richie almost dies after crashing his motorcycle to this one, Henry Winkler was given ample opportunity.
However, this one is more heartbreaking and difficult to watch. It can be seen as offensive to some, even. For many, blindness is a very real disability and something they can't escape from. The writers had an opportunity to show that being blind isn't a handicap or a reason to give up on life. But instead they let Fonzie handle it as a wimp. The coolest character on TV at the time couldn't handle being blind.
The writers behind Happy Days in the middle of the series were always looking for ways to allow Henry Winkler ('Fonzie') show off the full range of his acting chops. From the Season 5 episode where Richie almost dies after crashing his motorcycle to this one, Henry Winkler was given ample opportunity.
However, this one is more heartbreaking and difficult to watch. It can be seen as offensive to some, even. For many, blindness is a very real disability and something they can't escape from. The writers had an opportunity to show that being blind isn't a handicap or a reason to give up on life. But instead they let Fonzie handle it as a wimp. The coolest character on TV at the time couldn't handle being blind.
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