Welcome Back, Kotter: I Wonder Who's Kissing Gabe Now

Welcome Back, Kotter: I Wonder Who's Kissing Gabe Now
ABC
March 3, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Nick Arnold & Peter Meyerson story is a nice bit of farce, with the Art teacher, Paula Holtzgang (Denise Galik, who would return in the role) telling Gabe she's in love with him and then kissing him, with Epstein observing it all.  The studio audience of course is having a great time, and it's worth noting that the "crumbs in bed" line, which was toned down from an earlier version per the censors, if The Book of Lists is to believed, gets one of the biggest responses.

I didn't notice Mr. Woodman in this episode, but I think Julie's suggestion of "Sylvester" for the baby's name is meant to be a semi-in-joke about the actor's middle name.  It's funny to watch in hindsight, knowing Julie would actually give birth to twin girls.

Ignoring the three episodes I'm missing (including last week's), WBK in its second season ranges from C to B+, with an average of B-.  There's some good stuff in its "sophomore" year and, still very popular, especially among kids and teens, it was understandably renewed.  This seems to be the junior/ 11th-grade year for the guys, who are the Class of '78.  Unlike the increasingly surreal timeline on M*A*S*H, this is not yet a problem and wouldn't be for awhile.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Radio Free Freddie

Welcome Back, Kotter: Radio Free Freddie
ABC
February 17, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B+

A little over a decade after playing Ann Marie's manager on That Girl, George Carlin shows up as DJ Wally "The Wow" Wechsel.  Although Carlin was pushing 40, he's supposed to be a classmate of 30-year-old Gabe.  No matter, he is wonderful in this proto-WKRP episode written by no less than five  people (Nick Arnold, Mark Evanier, Peter Meyerson, Dennis Palumbo, and George Yanok).  Whether he's reacting to the Sweathogs or naming off nonexistent disco bands and songs ("Reverend Funk" was my favorite), he's perfect.  Freddie's "Hi there" smoothness turns out to be just right for radio and his friends are soon jealous of his success, especially since, as any Brady Bunch viewer could tell you, Freddie gets a swelled head.  Wally's comparatively serious talk about life on the radio is also good.  I'd go higher with the grade if we actually heard anything over the radio, like the music.

Fred Grandy, shortly after he became Gopher in the second Love Boat TV-movie (which I don't own), plays Wally's clumsy assistant Andy.

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Littlest Sweathog

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Littlest Sweathog
ABC
February 10, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

I give kudos to Eric Cohen for acknowledging Julie's fears and doubts about her pregnancy, but much of the humor falls flat, especially Barbarino's lines.  (I'm really tired of Vinnie coming over and complaining about the food at the Kotters'.  It wasn't funny the first time.)

Welcome Back, Kotter: There Goes Number 5

Welcome Back, Kotter: There Goes Number 5
ABC
February 3, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

The Rannows wrote this back-door pilot for Horshack, which explains Arnold's disappearance.  It's not bad as these things go and I remember enjoying it at the time, probably because I liked getting a look at Horshack's home life.  He's the oldest of four and his friendship with youngest sister Doris (Andrea McArdle, around the time she was a success as Little Orphan Annie onstage) is sweet.  Watching the episode now, I can't really see how it could've been strong enough for a series of its own, but an occasional visit back to the household would've been interesting within the WBK run.  The title refers to the death of his fifth stepfather, Mr. O'Hara the cab-driver.  (In the first season, it was Horshack's father who drove a cab, but maybe he referred to Mr. O'Hara as his father.)

Carrie Wasserman, who carried (sorry for the pun) the After School Special "Dear Lovey Hart," plays Arnold's friend Goldie, while Elyssa Davalos, who was her friend Linda in that plays Arnold's sister Judy.  Producer James Komack appears as Uncle Harry Orshack (with that spelling).  Ellen Travolta, John's thirty-six-year-old sister, appears as Arnold's mother.  (She was still a few years away from playing Scott Baio's mother on three different series.)  Strassman and White are both absent.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Has Anyone Seen Arnold?

Welcome Back, Kotter: Has Anyone Seen Arnold?
ABC
February 3, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Nick Arnold and Peter Meyerson wrote this first of a two-parter, where Horshack plays Cyrano against Judy's Roxanne, until his friends make fun of him and he runs off.  They look for him but Vinnie ends up having to take the role, which he makes a shambles of.  This is another episode where the pay-off doesn't quite work.  And I understand that this was a cliffhanger for an episode that aired right after (in place of What's Happening!!) but it feels odd that Arnold's disappearance isn't even mentioned at the end.

Kristine Greco makes her last appearance on the show.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Chicken a la Kotter

Welcome Back, Kotter: Chicken a la Kotter
ABC
January 27, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

As with Ann Marie about a decade earlier, Gabe gets a job where he has to wear a chicken costume for a chicken restaurant chain.  Mainly notable for a couple moments that got by the censors and most of the studio audience: Gabe telling the manager to "cluck yourself" and Arnold saying that there's a man who works at the hot-dog restaurant dressed as a "wienie" and "he don't even work there."  This is supposed to be Arnold's birthday although we don't find out which one.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Kotter and Son

Welcome Back, Kotter: Kotter and Son
ABC
January 20, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Harold J. Stone, who was Dubov on Gilligan's Island a dozen years earlier, is well cast as Gabe's father Charlie.  He looks enough like Kaplan, and fits what Gabe has said about his father so far.  We find out that he runs a successful souvenir shop in Florida, as well as that he has a brother Saul and another son, Melvin the doctor.  And he seems to get along with Woodman, whom he calls Mikey.  Nick Arnold and Peter Meyerson wrote this episode.

Welcome to the President Carter era.  We'll be here awhile, especially when we hit next season, with six regular series.  Or is it seven?

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sweatgate Scandal

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sweatgate Scandal
ABC
January 13, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is obviously inspired by All the President's Men, from its informer named Deep Throat (check out Vinnie's reaction to the suggestive name) to Vinnie and Juan taking on the roles of Woodward/Redford and Bernstein/Hoffman.  I still remember my initial amazement at the twist ending, although as an adult I can't help thinking that they don't have much evidence to print the story.

Both Todd Ludlow (Dennis Bowen) and Judy Borden (Lembeck) are on the school paper.  The script is by Eric Cohen, based on a story by a couple writers, one of whom, Paul Wayne, would go on to write eighteen Three's Company episodes.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Caruso's Way

Welcome Back, Kotter: Caruso's Way
ABC
January 6, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is the only episode of WBK written by Jim Parker, who did five for That Girl.  It explores one of the themes of the series: the relationship between violence and the meaning of manhood.  Here, a tough PE teacher slaps Barbarino in front of the girls' gym class.  Both men have their pride, as Kotter recognizes.  Note that Epstein does a pretty good if abbreviated version of the "Barbarino" song.

Kristine Greco is again a female Sweathog.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Hark, the Sweatkings

Welcome Back, Kotter: Hark, the Sweatkings
ABC
December 23, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

A sensitive but still funny episode about the Sweathogs helping out a "bum."  With all the lessons learned here, and the Christmas setting, this could've been really corny, but it's well handled by not only the cast but by writers Nick Arnold and Peter Meyerson.  It's the first of eight WBK scripts for Arnold, the first of twelve by Meyerson, who'd done one each for That Girl and The Bob Newhart Show.  This time writer Dennis Palumbo portrays Santa Claus.  Kristine Greco returns as a female Sweathog.

Note that there are a couple things that got past the censors, and indeed the studio audience: the "13" on the schoolyard wall (symbol of 13th letter M, and Hell's Angels slang for marijuana); and Gabe's reply to Julie saying she loves "your tree" (the Christmas tree he got), "I love your bush," as in Hanukkah bush, maybe.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Hello Ms. Chips

Welcome Back, Kotter: Hello Ms. Chips
ABC
December 2, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Valerie Curtin guest stars as student teacher Ms. Wright, whom Kotter mentors.  I remember first learning about President Buchanan from this episode.

Kristine Greco is again a female Sweathog.  Judy Borden is now apparently working in the main office.  Co-writer Royce D. Applegate acted on That Girl twice.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sadie Hawkins Day

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sadie Hawkins Day
ABC
November 18, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B+

This Eric Cohen script, based on a story by Joyce Gittlin and Steve Clements, who'd write another for WBK, is my favorite so far, even though I do have a couple complaints. which I'll get to.  First off, it's a hilarious episode, some of the humor coming from over the top things like the Hustle lesson that sweeps Mr. Woodman into it, and some of the humor coming from real and relatable adolescent moments.  I particularly like how Mr. Kotter keeps trying to get through to Vinnie, including telling a story about his friend Bonzo Moretti's sister Betty, and finally it sinks in.  I don't like Vernajean threatening Freddie to get him to go to the dance with her (particularly since they almost got married a year before).  And I think the thing about Judy being really unattractive is getting old.  That said, I was very impressed with this episode and it shows that the series was by no means getting stale in its second year.  And, yes, it was a good week for Travolta.

Eighteen-year-old Dinah Manoff, who would co-star with Travolta in Grease, and of course go on to Soap and Empty Nest, plays Charmaine, one of the girls who tries to ask Vinnie to the dance.  (A pre-It's a Living Wendy Schaal is another of the girls.)   Paula Victor, who was Mrs. Della Vella on The Bob Newhart Show, plays the often referred to but never previously seen Miss Fishbeck.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sweathog, Nebraska Style

Welcome Back, Kotter: Sweathog, Nebraska Style
ABC
November 11, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

George Yanok wrote this story, which manages to contain Julie's kid sister, Horshack in a cow costume, and a room full of Bogart impressionists.  Also, it's nice to see Juan's love life as the main focus.  Kristine Greco is again a female Sweathog.

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Fight

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Fight
ABC
October 21, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Yes, it's been awhile.  They skipped airing the show one week, and I'm missing the episode from October 7th.  (The "complete" collection I got years ago isn't.)  The Rannows wrote this episode and LaHendro is back as director.  As the title suggests, everyone argues, leading to some more imitations of each other.

Kristine Greco again plays a female Sweathog.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Father Vinnie

Welcome Back, Kotter: Father Vinnie
ABC
February 26, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Eric Cohen script mentions Gabe's Uncle Jerry and Aunt Jewel, clearly a reference to the Rannows, who were executive script supervisors.  The main story is about how Vinnie considers becoming a priest to make his dying grandmother happy.  Bambi (Susan Lanier) is one reason why he can't go through with it.  It's a bit sad listening to Gabe and the Sweathogs talk about death, knowing that Epstein and Horshack, as well as Julie and Woodman, would be gone less than 40 years later.

WBK in its "freshman" year (when the Sweathogs are in the eleventh-grade), is scruffy and sometimes adorkable.  It lacks the slickness of most of my other shows, even of its peers.  It has the narrow range of C+ to B, with almost half of the episodes earning a B-.  From what I recall, the show got slicker and more formulaic as it went on, but that's not to say there aren't some fun episodes ahead.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Kotter Makes Good

Welcome Back, Kotter: Kotter Makes Good
ABC
February 19, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This George Yanok story has Gabe retaking exams from his senior year ("ten years ago") because the records have been temporarily lost.  The Sweathogs help him study.  At this point in the series, the characters are well enough established that they can easily imitate each other.  Note the references to a mood ring and the new math, dating this very clearly as the mid-'70s.  It feels like the episode ran a little short, since there are two scenes at the end where Gabe tells Julie a joke, and the end credits extend beyond Unicycle Kid.

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Telethon

Welcome Back, Kotter: The Telethon
ABC
February 12, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

School supplies are running low so the Sweathogs hold a telethon on a very local TV station.  There are some good performances here, including "Me and My Shadow," but I think it would've been better to have not just Barbarino (again doing his "Barbara Ann" parody/homage, with the crowd going even wilder) able to perform on camera.  After all, Marcia Strassman could actually sing.  (Her 1967 "Flower Children" single can be found on Youtube.)

Kristine Greco makes her first of thirteen uncredited appearances as a female Sweathog.  Sometime WBK writer Jerry Rannow plays Oliver Niles.

Welcome Back, Kotter: One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Welcome Back, Kotter: One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest
ABC
February 5, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This Eric Cohen story is somewhat forgettable, although like two of his previous episodes it includes Scott (Dennis Bowen) and Judy (Helaine Lembeck).  Note that Vinnie and Judy interact like they've never been friends or more.  This is the 400th ABC program I've reviewed, with many more ahead.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Dr. Epstein, I Presume

Don't ask me where a bunch of
poor kids get all these costumes.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Dr. Epstein, I Presume
ABC
January 29, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

George Yanok co-wrote this with a couple writers who haven't written any other of my shows.  It's a nice showcase for Epstein, who is temporarily discouraged from his Kotter-induced dream of becoming a veterinarian.  (His brother Sanchez is a veteran.)  He even gets to do a Harpo-esque Gookie.  The idea of students learning via videocassettes and computers was one that came up sometimes in the '70s, although no one really guessed how things would play out in the next four decades.

Welcome Back, Kotter: Follow the Leader, Part 2

Welcome Back, Kotter: Follow the Leader, Part 2
ABC
January 22, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Yes, the show aired twice that week, as the conclusion of the two-parter heralded the switch from Tuesdays to Thursdays (which is the weekday I associate with the series).  The Rannows wrote Part 2 as well, and although not as sharp as Part 1, it has its moments, including Gabe & Julie playing George & Gracie.

A few things to note.  For all its grittiness (by ABC sitcoms aimed at preteens and younger teens standards), there's a certain innocence to the show, as when Kotter wakes up in bed with half-naked Vinnie.  (Barbarino claimed on the "sit-in" episode that he slept in the nude.)  The studio audience goes crazy at the sight of Vinnie, especially when he gets up to answer the window, but there's no innuendo about him and Mr. Kotter, quite a contrast to the scene a few years later of Jack waking up with Mr. Roper on Three's Company.  The studio audience is very vocal at this point (and this was a time for that, especially with ABC sitcoms aimed at teens and younger teens), and one girl can be heard saying, "I heard that," when Kotter tells Washington to "take his whistle and blow."

We learn more about Julie in this episode, like that her last name is Hansen and she's from Nebraska.  (The latter fact may've come up before.)  She apparently is unemployable as an Anthropology major, although she will get a job by the end of the series.