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!!: What's Wrong with Raj?

What's Happening!!: What's Wrong with Raj?
ABC
March 10, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In another BBunch-like plot, Dee reads Raj's diary, so he plays a trick on her, making her think he's seriously ill.  Of course, Greg Brady never went to the free clinic to hit on, and recite bad poetry to, a 22-year-old nurse.

Ray Vitte makes his last appearance on the show; he'd have roles in the movies Thank God It's Friday and Nine to Five.

What's Happening!!: The Boarder

What's Happening!!: The Boarder
ABC
February 17, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Eisenstock & Mintz story has the kids' father temporarily move in as a boarder, when Mabel won't otherwise take money from him.  She develops a crush on him but also realizes that he has his "warm spells and cold spells."  Roger is very mature about the whole thing.  Note that his mother doesn't want him to take a job, even though he's had at least two during the course of this first season (at the supermarket, as he wants here, and tutoring).  Again, this may be a problem with episodes not airing in the right order, or continuity may just be screwy overall.

Bryan O'Dell returns as Marvin, this time talking about the school newspaper, which he seems to be editor of.  Ray Vitte makes an appearance in the tag as potential boarder Dean.  He'd return as Gene.  (Possibly the name change was due to it being too similar to "Dee.")

What's Happening!!: The Sunday Father

What's Happening!!: The Sunday Father
ABC
January 27, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This appears to have been filmed much earlier than it aired, since Bill has just moved back to the neighborhood and just started dating Loretta (Rosalind Cash).  Also it's #9 in the DVD collection.  As with some of the other episodes I've viewed lately, it feels like there's less of a pay-off than there should be.  In fact, this is the 200th C+ I've issued on this blog.

Fritzi Burr makes her first of seven appearances as Roger's teacher Mrs. Collins.  She had played Laura on That Girl.  This is the second of two WH scripts from Bob Illes and James R. Stein.

What's Happening!!: Puppy Love

What's Happening!!: Puppy Love
ABC
December 30, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

This first of two WH stories by Gene Perret and Bill Richmond shows that they were fully qualified to go on to write a couple of Three's Company episodes (and Welcome Back, Kotter in the interval).  There's a big misunderstanding when Roger is going to be rewarded with a puppy for tutoring a dumb girl, and Raj's family thinks he's gotten the girl pregnant.  It's nice to see Rasulala back again, since he and King play off each other well.

WH at this point moved over to the slot after WBK.  (I'm sadly missing the episode with Juan's sister that aired that night.)  This made a lot of sense, since each show had a group of ethnic teens growing up in the big city (Brooklyn, New York and Watts in LA).  They also had similar sensibilities and audiences, in the studio and at home.  I was a definitely a regular viewer, and I think I even remember the "John Wilkes in the Booth" joke from the time.

What's Happening!!: Christmas

What's Happening!!: Christmas
ABC
December 11, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Orenstein & Turtletaub story has Mabel giving up a chance to spend Christmas with her children because she knows how important it is to Bill that he get to be with them that day.  I like that Dee is still not 100% comfortable with Bill, even saying she hates him, since she obviously doesn't remember him from when she was a baby.  I also like that Bill's girlfriend Loretta (Rosalind Cash) is presented as a nice person, while on some shows she would've been a bitch and/or bimbo, and it's good to know she'll return.  The episode is a bit too slow-moving though.

What's Happening!!: When Daddy Comes Marching Home

What's Happening!!: When Daddy Comes Marching Home
ABC
August 19, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

Thalmus Rasulala makes his first of seven appearances as Bill Thomas.  He was only a decade older than his TV son, but he's convincing in this difficult role.  He has to make us see how a con-man could charm his family and yet be out-conned by Roger.  Bill refers to Mabel as his wife, but I'm pretty sure they're divorced at this point, especially since he's been gone since Dee was a baby.  Note that the soda shop, which was Robert's Place in the previous episode, is now the more familiar Rob's Place.

Rani DuBois, who's a Student here, would make three more WH appearances.  This episode was co-written by Dawn Aldredge and Marion C. Freeman, who'd soon contribute to The Love Boat TV-movie, and in '78 Freeman would write an episode of Baby, I'm Back, which was a sitcom about a black father coming back to his wife, son, and little girl after many years' abandonment.