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Episode guide

Essential Happy Days Episodes

ABC, 1974 to 1984

Our 4 character guides for Happy Days point to 21 key episodes across 8 seasons. Of those, 2 turn up in two or more guides, so they come first, followed by every episode in air order.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

The essentials(2)

Episodes that matter to more than one character, the most shared first.

  1. Season 11, Episode 16

    "Passages"

    In 3 guides
    • Richie Cunningham: Richie and his family return to Milwaukee for Joanie and Chachi's wedding in the series finale.
    • Arthur Fonzarelli: On the day Joanie and Chachi marry, Fonzie becomes a father by adopting Danny.
    • Howard Cunningham: Howard helps Fonzie adopt a boy, then closes the series with a toast to the audience at Joanie and Chachi's wedding.

  2. Season 3, Episode 1

    "Fonzie Moves In"

    In 2 guides
    • Arthur Fonzarelli: Richie rents the room over the Cunninghams' garage to Fonzie, to Howard's horror.
    • Howard Cunningham: Needing extra income, Howard rents the room over the garage and is aghast when Richie gives it to Fonzie.

Every key episode by season(21)

Season 1(2 episodes)

  1. Season 1, Episode 1

    "All the Way"

    • Richie Cunningham: In the series premiere, Richie lands a date with a girl who has a reputation and then has to own up to lying about how it went.

  2. Season 1, Episode 14

    "The Best Man"

    • Howard Cunningham: Howard lets an Army buddy, who is Black, hold his wedding at the Cunningham house and stands up to his neighbors' prejudice.

Season 3(3 episodes)

  1. Season 3, Episode 1

    "Fonzie Moves In"

    An essential, in the guides for Arthur Fonzarelli and Howard Cunningham. Read the notes

  2. Season 3, Episode 8

    "Howard's 45th Fiasco"

    • Howard Cunningham: Feeling he has achieved little, Howard sinks into a birthday funk that a tribute show only makes worse.

  3. Season 3, Episode 15

    "Dance Contest"

    • Marion Cunningham: Marion secretly enters a televised dance contest with Fonzie as her partner after Howard refuses to go.

Season 4(3 episodes)

  1. Season 4, Episode 1

    "Fonzie Loves Pinky: Part 1"

    • Arthur Fonzarelli: Fonzie's old flame Pinky Tuscadero returns just as he prepares for a demolition derby.

  2. Season 4, Episode 16

    "Marion Rebels"

    • Marion Cunningham: Fed up with housework, Marion takes a job waitressing at Arnold's and starts meddling with the menu.

  3. Season 4, Episode 18

    "Graduation: Part 1"

    • Richie Cunningham: Richie's class learns it will not graduate unless everyone retakes a failed final exam, setting up an all-night cram session.

Season 5(4 episodes)

  1. Season 5, Episode 3

    "Hollywood: Part 3"

    • Arthur Fonzarelli: Challenged by the California Kid, Fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis.

  2. Season 5, Episode 4

    "Hard Cover"

    • Richie Cunningham: On Fonzie's advice Richie visits the college library, meets Lori Beth, and ends up locked in her dorm overnight.

  3. Season 5, Episode 17

    "Marion's Misgivings"

    • Marion Cunningham: Worried Howard might leave her for a younger woman, Marion goes wildly over the top to prove she is still young at heart.

  4. Season 5, Episode 18

    "Richie Almost Dies"

    • Arthur Fonzarelli: Fonzie keeps a bedside vigil after Richie is badly hurt in a motorcycle accident.

Season 6(1 episode)

  1. Season 6, Episode 16

    "Christmas Time"

    • Arthur Fonzarelli: Fonzie refuses a Christmas gift from his estranged father before finally reading his letter.

Season 7(5 episodes)

  1. Season 7, Episode 4

    "Marion Goes to Jail"

    • Marion Cunningham: Marion crashes Howard's beloved DeSoto into Arnold's and ends up behind bars.

  2. Season 7, Episode 7

    "Fonzie's a Thespian"

    • Marion Cunningham: Marion recruits Fonzie as the male lead in her community theater production of The Rainmaker.

  3. Season 7, Episode 14

    "Here Comes the Bride Again"

  4. Season 7, Episode 22

    "Father & Son"

    • Howard Cunningham: Howard takes Richie along on a lodge weekend in Chicago so the two can get to know each other better.

  5. Season 7, Episode 25

    "Ralph's Family Problem"

    • Richie Cunningham: Richie's last episode as a series regular, centered on Ralph learning that his parents are divorcing.

Season 8(1 episode)

  1. Season 8, Episode 3

    "Dreams Can Come True"

    • Marion Cunningham: Marion competes on a TV game show to win Lori Beth a trip to Greenland to marry Richie.

Season 11(2 episodes)

  1. Season 11, Episode 4

    "Welcome Home: Part 1"

    • Richie Cunningham: Richie comes home from the Army with Lori Beth and Richie Jr. and announces he wants to become a screenwriter in California.

  2. Season 11, Episode 16

    "Passages"

    An essential, in the guides for Richie Cunningham, Arthur Fonzarelli, and Howard Cunningham. Read the notes

Seen them all? Test yourself with the Happy Days trivia quiz, or meet the Happy Days characters.

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