What's Happening!!: The Runaway

What's Happening!!: The Runaway
ABC
August 5, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

First, a few general observations.  One, the opening (and closing) theme must be the funkiest thing Henry Mancini ever wrote.  Two, the entire main cast are Danza-ly named before Danza (see below).  And three, I don't recall why there was a summer preview of a handful of August episodes and then nothing till November, but I am sure that I was a regular viewer early on.  At eight, this was my kind of show.

And I got a kick out of watching the series opener just now.  It can certainly be objected to on p.c. grounds-- fat characters making fat jokes, black parents who threaten to spank their teenage opposite-sex children, etc.-- but I was impressed with how into their characters everyone is, right from the start.  Yes, these aren't the most complex characters, but the characterization, catch phrases, and even interactions are locked into place earlier than on Welcome Back, Kotter.  Note that we even get a Rerun dance number.

Nineteen-year-old Debbi Morgan makes her first of six appearances as Diane.  Theodore Wilson, who did a guest shot on M*A*S*H a couple years earlier, makes his first of four WH cameos, as Mr. Wilson, while Helen Martin (probably best known for 227) makes her first of three, as Millie.

Our six regulars:

• 25-year-old Fred Berry as Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs
• 29-year-old Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson (presumably not related to Mr. Wilson and his family, since I think her last name came later)
• 43-year-old Mabel King as Mabel "Mama" Thomas
• 16-year-old Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson
• 11-year-old Danielle Spencer as Dee Thomas (and I think Dee is short for Danielle)
• and 26-year-old Ernest Thomas as Roger Thomas.

Alan Eisenstock and Larry Mintz would co-write seven more WH episodes, while Dennis Steinmetz directed the first Land of the Lost episode.