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| Marion Ross and Henry Winkler on Happy Days |
Maybe Marion Cunningham and Marge Simpson have more in common than I originally thought. Just like Marge, Marion (played by Marion Ross) is a nurturing, overprotective TV mom with a boisterous, rotund husband and three children, one of whom is often overlooked. (Sorry, Maggie and Chuck!) More than that, both Marion and Marge are defined by their sweetness and naivete. Their societal roles as wives and mothers keep them largely confined to their homes, away from the evils of the world. Their lives are defined by routine: cooking, cleaning, shopping, and generally taking care of the family.
Obviously, if you're going to write a story involving such a character, you will have to interrupt that familiar, workaday routine. Surprisingly, both The Simpsons and Happy Days came up with numerous parallel stories for their respective matriarchs. Just a few weeks ago, we reviewed the Season 7 Happy Days episode "Marion Goes to Jail," which I compared to The Simpsons' "Marge in Chains." In both stories, the mom character is sent to jail, which only makes her family appreciate her all the more.
This week, we're reviewing "Fonzie's a Thespian," which bears a strong similarity to another classic Simpsons adventure, namely "A Streetcar Named Marge." In short, both Marion Cunningham and Marge Simpson seek excitement in their lives by participating in community theater. And they both have to deal with pompous, overbearing directors. One difference between these stories is that Marion's husband, Howard (Tom Bosley), is supportive from the beginning, while Homer Simpson needs an entire episode to stop being an insensitive jerk.
You can find out what we thought of "Fonzie's a Thespian" by listening to the latest installment of These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast. As luck would have it, it's available now!