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| Tom Bosley and Marion Ross on Happy Days. |
When you review every single episode of Happy Days, you really learn to appreciate Tom Bosley and Marion Ross. As loving parents Howard and Marion Cunningham, these two were truly in it for the long haul. While other cast members come and go, Tom and Marion help keep the show connected to its roots. Tom may not have been in the earliest pilot (his part was played by Harold Gould back then), but he was an integral part of the weekly series from 1974 to 1984. Marion, meanwhile, is the single constant presence in Happy Days from that first pilot all the way to the series finale. Even Anson Williams can't say that, since Potsie was conspicuously absent from Joanie and Chachi's wedding.
Important as they are to the show, Howard and Marion don't get too many showcase episodes to call their own. Richie and Fonzie tend to monopolize the airtime, especially in the series' early seasons. That makes Season 6's "Married Strangers," the subject of this week's These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, a rarity. The plot revolves around Howard and Marion feuding on their 23rd wedding anniversary. They attempt to rekindle the magic of their early days by meticulously recreating their honeymoon down to the smallest detail. As you might guess, this strategy does not work terribly well.
Contrary to the episode's title, Howard and Marion's problem stems from the fact that they know each other too well. A quote commonly attributed to Mark Twain says that "familiarity breeds contempt and children." The Cunninghams definitely have children, and occasionally they have contempt for each other, too. Not a lot but some. It's to be expected when you spend 23 years together. Luckily, they have a lot of love, too.
Does any of this make for a good episode of Happy Days? You'll have to find out when we review "Married Strangers" this week on These Days Are Ours.