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| Jack Dodson and Don Most on Happy Days. |
One of ABC's more, uh, eccentric decisions in the spring of 1980 was to schedule the episode "Ralph's Family Problem" as the seventh season finale of Happy Days. On some level, it makes sense. Actor Don Most was leaving the long-running sitcom, and the episode highlights his character, jokester Ralph Malph. And the episode's not bad by any means. It's always a pleasure when TV veteran Jack Dodson returns as Ralph's father, zany optometrist Dr. Mickey Malph. This was a classy way for Happy Days to say goodbye to both Ralph Malph (the character) and Don Most (the actor).
On the other hand, "Ralph's Family Problem" is not at all typical for Happy Days and is definitely not the kind of splashy entertainment normally reserved for the end of a TV season. Instead, it's a quietly dramatic, downbeat episode in which Ralph grapples with his parents' imminent divorce. There's a lot of moping and soul-searching in this story, and the episode ends on a quietly ambiguous note. That's not exactly Happy Days' brand. For seven seasons, we've seen Ralph as the inveterate class clown, always making corny jokes. Only rarely do we get the impression that there's a real, vulnerable human being behind the dribble glasses and whoopie cushions.
This week's installment of These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast is a special one, since we're not only reviewing "Ralph's Family Problem" but giving our Top 5 lists for the year. We also give our overall thoughts on the seventh season and the show's future without Ron Howard and Don Most. We hope you'll join us.