Square Pegs: Merry Pranksters

Square Pegs: Merry Pranksters
CBS
January 10, 1983
Sitcom
DVD
B-

A nice touch in this Deanne Stillman story is that some of the action takes place the week this aired, as with "Monday, January 10" appearing on the screen.  On the other hand, when we see the address for the high school, it's in "Weemawee, USA," with a six-digit zip code.  Things that happen in this episode:

• Muffy raps, to Johnny's bongo accompaniment;
• Jennifer has mono, as does an offscreen character mentioned before, senior Bubba Hines;
• Lauren's latest scheme for popularity involves vandalism, but Vinnie is the natural suspect, and doesn't mind because suspension would allow him to spend time with Jennifer;
• Patty and Lauren have lines about not wanting to be too intellectual for their audience, so Patty suggests "Joanie loves Chachi" as a message, which was not only topical but a bit meta, since that Happy Days spin-off definitely did not present an intellectual view of young people;
• Johnny and Marshall make references to Jim Morrison and "People Are Strange," but then Johnny does have the Doors drummer in his band;
• The graffiti doesn't work out, but the phony ad to sell the school attracts a rich Arab.

Basil Hoffman returns as Principal Dingleman.  Friedman shared directing duty with Nasella, who would direct one on his own.