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| Fonzie (Henry Winkler) woos an underwater lass on The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang. |
Suppose the worst happens. Let's say the ocean levels continue to rise, the atmosphere becomes unbreathable due to pollution, and outer space proves impractical to colonize. What do we do then? I'll tell you what: we build underwater cities, that's what! Big, futuristic cities under giant see-through domes. Personally, I can't wait. Science-fiction has been teasing us with this fantasy for too long. Let's make it happen. I'm tired of being a landlubber. I don't even lub the land all that much.
According to The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, however, this won't become a reality for a long, long time. The September 1981 episode "Kelp!" is set in the far-distant year of 3718 A.D. By then, according to Cupcake (Didi Conn), some humans have adapted themselves to living underwater. Their skin is blue, they farm kelp, and they can communicate telepathically. Sounds good to me. But what's really interesting here is that not all humans live this way. There are still some "surface dwellers," including a power-mad industrialist named Seatax who wants to deplete the ocean of all its gold. It's up to Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and his pals to defend an underwater community called Aqua City and its lovely female mayor from Seatax and his goons.
This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days, we talk about "Kelp!" and our general feelings toward life underwater. It is our sincere hope that you will join us