What's Happening!!: The Apartment

The girls the guys have over.

What's Happening!!: The Apartment
ABC
May 11, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

In Thad Mumford's second of two WH stories, Raj and Rerun graduate from high school and rent an apartment.  Raj is only 17, so Mama has to sign the lease.  It's hard for her to let go, and it's hard for him to tell her not to drop by so often.  The ensemble works well in this one, with Shirley and Dwayne both having insights into their friends.  It's bittersweet though, now knowing that it would be King's last episode.  (She was dissatisfied with how Bill Thomas was dropped as a character, as well as that Mabel didn't get much to do.)  Note that Nelson gets some teen-idol squeals when he first enters.

What's Happening!! in its second season averages out to right on the border of B-/B.  It's an unpretentious show that does what it does well, with a fresher feel than Welcome Back, Kotter in its third season.  The cast is solid, the humor corny but often funny, and the use of music & dance good to great.  As a season, it resembles Season One much more than Season Three, and not just because of Mabel King.

What's Happening!!: Diplomatic Immunity

Fox in Dr. Bombay days

What's Happening!!: Diplomatic Immunity
ABC
February 25, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Ted Bergman's first of three WH scripts feels off to me.  It seems like Mama should be more upset about the boys borrowing Ike's car without permission.  Also, the pacing of the episode feels slow, with a lot of sitting around and waiting.  The Arab and British stereotypes (including Bernard Fox) are about what I'd expect, simplistic but not hostile.  There's a reference to oil prices but this is before the Iranian Hostage Crisis, so the feel is different here than it would be a couple years later.  And of course the OJ Simpson reference sounds different nowadays (although not as much as Exidor worshiping OJ on Mork & Mindy).

Jeff Corey, who was Carol's older boyfriend Dr. Scott Rivers, is Hassan here.  Richard Couture is again a Patron at Rob's Place.

What's Happening!!: Raj and the Older Woman

What's Happening!!: Raj and the Older Woman
ABC
February 18, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Sally Wade story, 17-year-old Raj pretends to be 21 so he can date a 19-year-old model.  It doesn't seem like a terribly large age difference, especially since he's about to graduate from high school, and if the sexes were reversed, it wouldn't be that big a deal.  Also, I find the way that Raj's classmate (Bob Harcum again) gives him away a little contrived.  Still, there are some nice moments, including Dee's talk with the model.

Richard Couture again plays a Patron at Rob's Place.  Sip Culler, who's Mr. Johnson, would appear on Welcome Back, Kotter later that year.  Shirley is absent again.

What's Happening!!: Rerun Sees the Light

I'm guessing this was during a dress rehearsal,
since Rerun still has his "dynamite 'fro."

What's Happening!!: Rerun Sees the Light
ABC
February 11, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Just like Arnold Horshack before him and Billy Tate after him, Rerun falls for a pretty girl and joins a religious cult.  And, yes, he dresses in brightly colored robes, this time peach with a lavender wrap.  The story by Thad Mumford (his first of two for WH) isn't as funny as I remembered, with too much time spent on "bald jokes."  But Mabel's portrayal of Mother Nature is still fun.

Interestingly, Rob (Earl Billings) appears in this episode and Shirley doesn't.  He recognizes Love-Is-Life as the con artist Wanda Jordan, which seems more likely for him as a middle-aged small-business-owner, so the substitution works.

What's Happening!!: Doobie or Not Doobie, Part 1

What's Happening!!: Doobie or Not Doobie, Part 1
ABC
January 28, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

The Doobie Brothers are going to perform for charity at their alma mater, which just happens to be the gang's high school.  (Amusingly, 29-year-old Pat Simmons says he was a classmate of Rerun's.  Of course, Fred Berry was 26 rather than 19 or 20 at this point.)  The guys are unable to get tickets until Rerun meets Al Dunbar (frequent guest star Theodore Wilson) and his muscular sidekick Bruno (Alonzo Brown, Jr.).  Mr. Dunbar wants Rerun to bootleg the concert in exchange for three front-row seats and $4.  Rerun doesn't realize this is illegal.  The D.B. do a bit of "Echoes of Love" and "Little Darling," although ironically I think there's more of them performing in the surprisingly long "next week" portion.  This two-parter (including Raj's "Which Doobie you be?" line) is apparently better remembered than a lot of the series, to the point that there's a Facebook page about Part 2!

This is the first of eight WH episodes written by Sally Wade.  Note that the series had switched from Thursdays to Saturdays, opposite The Bob Newhart Show.

What's Happening!!: Dee's First Date

What's Happening!!: Dee's First Date
ABC
January 12, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Dee has a date with a TV-obsessed boy with a cute older sister that Raj hopes to date.  Dee's friend Robin makes an appearance, and there are of course lots of TV references.

What's Happening!!: Going, Going, Gong

What's Happening!!: Going, Going, Gong
ABC
January 5, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

In this Eisenstock & Mintz story, Roger and Dee manage her talented friends the Givens Kids (sort of as themselves).  They have great a capella voices and seem shoe-ins to win The Gong Show.  However, Rerun also is competing, as a dancer.  The plot itself is predictable, but the episode is worth watching for the singing and dancing, and for a very skeletal version (no Chuck Barris) of one of the most popular game shows of the time.

Sandy Kenyon, who appeared on Gidget, That Girl, and M*A*S*H, here plays Mr. Davidson.  Wolfman Jack is the most recognizable panelist of course, though Kene Holiday (then best known for Carter Country) would show up as the boyfriend of Danny's girlfriend on Soap.  As for the Givens Family, they apparently had minor success after their appearance here, and Audrey is still active in the music field, particularly gospel.

What's Happening!!: Black and White Blues

What's Happening!!: Black and White Blues
ABC
December 22, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

You might think from the title that this episode deals with racial issues, but, other than Dwayne's line that he's surprised they weren't arrested, as three black guys walking down the street with a TV, it's doesn't.  Instead, the b & w is on the Thomases' old set, and they want to watch the color TV that the church is raffling off.  The story, by producers William Bickley and Michael Warren (who co-wrote a Welcome Back, Kotter script), and Gene Perrett and Bill Richmond (who did an earlier WH and who would go on to co-write for WBK), is a bit predictable, including who wins the lottery, but it's not bad.

What's Happening!!: The Testimonial

What's Happening!!: The Testimonial
ABC
December 15, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

Miss Collins (Fritzi Burr) is being honored for 25 years of teaching.  Raj, who resents her strictness, decides to give her an empty box as a present, and he gets the guys to go in on it.  Then he feels terrible when he realizes why she is the way she is and how fond she is of him.  Her husband, Mr. Collins, saves the day, with prompting from Mabel.  I was thinking maybe Miss Collins teaches under her maiden name, but nope.  My guess is that the character was originally designed as a spinster, but they could've just called her Ms. Collins and avoided the confusion.  An audience member is audibly amused by her first name of Gertrude.

Richard Couture is indeed the Student I thought he was, since his name is in the closing credits and he has a line about the Spanish-American War.

What's Happening!!: One Strike and You're Out

What's Happening!!: One Strike and You're Out
ABC
December 8, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Rick Mittleman story deals with a heavier subject than usual, unions, and I would've gone with a B, but I felt like more effort could've been made to flesh out the personalities of Raj's coworkers at Pronson's Market (besides the old lady of course).  Note that Dwayne, who used to be so shy, is now going steady with two girls!

Thomas Carter, who plays Bobby, was Patient McLeod on M*A*S*H.

What's Happening!!: Mama, the School Girl

What's Happening!!: Mama, the School Girl
ABC
November 24, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Mama is hoping to get her high school diploma after twenty years out of school.  She takes a night class in History, taught by Miss Collins (Fritzi Burr).  She meets a man she finds very attractive, but he's using her, even asking her to write his term paper.  I have a hard time believing that Mabel would agree to this, considering how much integrity she has, so I had to mark this down from a B, although I do like how supportive Raj is.  Note that part of this episode, like Welcome Back, Kotter earlier, is set on Thanksgiving, which is when these episodes aired.

Richard Couture, who plays a Student, is I'm guessing the possibly Latino guy who usually wears a sort of surfer shirt.  (He takes a seat to the left of Mrs. Thomas.)  He's listed for nine episodes at IMDB, but it seems like he's on much more often than that.  Shirley is absent this time.

What's Happening!!: Bill Gets Married

What's Happening!!: Bill Gets Married
ABC
November 17, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

Carol Gary's second and last WH story has Bill marrying a different girlfriend than he was dating the first season, although she's also a bad cook and her name starts with L (Lee rather than Loretta).  It's somewhat predictable, like that Dee has always hoped her parents would get back together, but it's nicely done, and I particularly like the talk between Raj and Dee.  This is Bill's last appearance and, while it would've been nice to have him around for the second half of the series, it's a good note to end on.  Note that Shirley cries just as much as she did at Rerun's wedding.

What's Happening!!: The Play's the Big Thing

What's Happening!!: The Play's the Big Thing
ABC
November 3, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

In the main story by Orenstein & Turteltaub, Roger has to decide whether to let Rerun act in the play he's written for Miss Collins (Fritzi Burr)'s Drama class.  (Does the woman teach every subject?)  Rerun is a terrible actor and may ruin Raj's chance to impress the visiting producer of Happy Times (there's a '70s sitcom mash-up name), but on the other hand Rerun desperately needs an A to pass the class.  No one thinks to suggest he dance, so instead he does the play with Diane (Debbi Morgan) as his mother, and we find out that her last name is Harris.  The real reason to watch the show though is for what's probably the funniest sequence in the entire series, Dwayne's rendition of "Handyman," with the disgusted reactions of his classmates.

Donald Blackwell, who plays Johnson, would be Graham the next year on M*A*S*H.  That's the entirety of his screen career, but if Johnson is the organist, he's already got immortal fame.

What's Happening!!: If I'm Elected

What's Happening!!: If I'm Elected
ABC
October 27, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Rose Fonseca makes her last WH appearance, here as Dwayne's new girlfriend Connie.  The Eric Monte story focuses mostly on Dwayne and his relationship with his father Lawrence "Larry" Nelson (Mission Impossible's Greg Morris), but Connie does impact the plot.  Mr. Nelson is running for the city council, and Dwayne and Connie witness him firing family friend Ted Howard (Hank Rolike, who would return in another role) from the campaign.  She's sympathetic to Dwayne and urges him to talk to his father.  And yet the tag expects us to believe that she would leave him for another guy and write a "Dear John" letter that she has Shirley give him.  (Thus lowering the grade from a B to a B-.)

The episode feels almost like a back-door pilot, since Raj, Dee, and Rerun are absent, while Bryan O'Dell as Marvin and Debbi Morgan as Diane are in more than one scene.  Note that there's another Amy Carter reference, this time because Dwayne imagines his father going on to be the first black President.

What's Happening!!: Raj Goes to Press

What's Happening!!: Raj Goes to Press
ABC
October 13, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

Eric Monte wrote this episode about freedom of the press, in which a quote from Dr. King is answered with a nonexistent quote from Nipsey Russell on Match Game.  Fritzi Burr returns as Roger's tough but fair History teacher, Miss Collins.  (I recall her as married, but the credits say Miss.)  Even though Dwayne should be a year behind Raj and Rerun, he's in the class, too, for purposes of the plot.  I like how Mama respects Raj's principles but also points out that he needs to face the consequences.  The episode includes references to Woodward & Bernstein, Amy Carter, and Roots, but it was the featuring of a Mr. Wizard calculator that really took me back.

Davis Roberts makes his first of two appearances as Principal Bradley.

What's Happening!!: Trial and Error

What's Happening!!: Trial and Error
ABC
October 6, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Rick Mittleman story, Roger is on his bike for his job at Pronson's market, when he's hit by a car.  There are no personal injuries, but both vehicles are damaged.  Since this is an American sitcom, you know that Raj will be found innocent like Carol Brady and unlike Robin Tripp.  You might also predict that the female judge (or "judgette" as Rerun calls her), will be annoyed by Roger's flattery but impressed by Shirley acting like a lawyer.  I can't remember if both Shirley and Dwayne had last names before, but they definitely have them in court.

This is the first episode without Dee, and the first of five directed by Lee Bernhardi.

What's Happening!!: It's All in Your Head

What's Happening!!: It's All in Your Head
ABC
September 29, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

While it's nice to see a pre-WKRP Tim Reid as Dee's school psychologist, I have issues with his behavior and that of Dee and her mother in this Eisenstock & Mintz story.  If he wanted to tell Dee's mother that she's thinking about running away, I think a face-to-face meeting would be better, especially since Mrs. Thomas comes in the next day on her own anyway.  Dee of course exploits the situation, having Roger cater to her whims.  And I could see if Mama wanted to spank Dee or make her do chores (even though I don't generally approve of spanking), but both is excessive.

What's Happening!!: Rerun Gets Married

What's Happening!!: Rerun Gets Married
ABC
September 22, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Irene Cara, after The Electric Company and before Fame, plays illegal alien Maria, whom Rerun almost marries so she can stay in the country.  Roger turns 17, while Rerun is 19 and in his third senior year.  (I recall Dwayne as a year younger than Raj, although I haven't come across a line verifying that yet.)  Eric Monte wrote this episode.

Bryan O'Dell returns as Marvin.  Thirty-one-year-old Earl Boen has one of his more sympathetic roles, as Judge Barnes.  Note that the opening credits for this season have edited in shots of the female half of the regular cast.  Also, this show was still paired with Welcome Back, Kotter on Thursdays, but the schedule would change as the season went on.

What's Happening!!: From Here to Maternity

What's Happening!!: From Here to Maternity
ABC
March 31, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Rick Mittleman story has a nice performance by 25-year-old Chip Fields (Kim's mother) as Shirley's 19-year-old sister Norma; she'd later return as Rerun's sister Donna.  She's coming out to California from Alabama to meet up with and marry her boyfriend Don (Bobby F. Ellerbee, who'd be a Doctor on Three's Company).  She's six months pregnant but Don gets cold feet about the wedding.  Shirley and the guys encourage her to keep the baby instead of giving it up for adoption.  Shirley points out that their mother had two baby boys when their father died, but she kept the family together.  Whether or not you agree that this would've been the right thing to do if Don hadn't shown up, it is a sweet episode, although still with humor, including of course Dee on the New Math and the New Manners.

Of the 21 episodes in the first season, 11 earn B-s, with the rest getting C+s or Bs.  This is almost a textbook example of a pretty good '70s show.  Sometimes there's too much insult humor, and the plots can be corny or unoriginal at times, but there's real heart to the program and the characters are likable and interact well.  From what I recall, the second season was much like the first, but with some more outrageous moments, like Rerun joining a religious cult.

What's Happening!!: Nice Guys Finish Last

What's Happening!!: Nice Guys Finish Last
ABC
March 24, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Dee's pen pal, Judy Crane (Vernee Watson from Welcome Back, Kotter), escapes from jail, leading to a scene where Dee outsmarts two criminals.  And, yes, Raj wears tiny shorts to play soccer.  Police Officer Freeman King would return as a Customer.