I fear for Happy Days - Page 5

george kaplan · 08-11-2004, 09:39 AM

I said I would stop contributing to the highjacking of this thread, but I can't let this comment slide.

for me and millions who've tried to go back to the film

You and millions of others? C'mon. You, yes. Other, yes. But you are simply engaging in hyperbole by trying to imply that there are millions of others who share your view.

I honestly don't believe you've seen the entire show, all 114 episodes. You couldn't possibly enjoy the whole theme of THE ODD COUPLE yet find every episode of the series bad.

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I have seen every episode. I grew up with this on tv and saw the tv show long before I saw the movie. I find many of the episodes funny, including the password episode. On the other hand, I find many of the episodes not so funny. But none of the episodes is as good (IMO), as the film. When I first watched the film, I had a hard time, because I did have Randall/Klugman in my mind as Felix & Oscar. But the film is so great, that I now have no problem viewing Lemmon/Mattau as the definitive ones.

Again, the show is good, the show has some great episodes, but many people (possibly millions

), find the movie to be better than the show.

Casey Trowbridg · 08-11-2004, 03:35 PM

Quote:

The profits from The Brady Bunch alone will outsell The Simpsons.

I hope this was meant as a joke because I had a good laugh at it, there is no chance of that happening, and yes I would wager on it. The funniest thing in this thread.

As to a few other points, I won’t comment on the Odd Couple discussion having not seen the TV show in a long time, and I can’t even recall watching the movie which means I probably haven’t.

As for longevity, that does not equate to quality. I prefer the Dick Van Dyke show which only aired for 5 years to Happy Days which aired for 11 and was probably only good for 4 or 5. I’ve suppressed later seasons from memory. As the Simpsons shows us, a show can hang on for too long, and I love the Simpsons. The Dick Van Dyke show could’ve gone on for a few more seasons, but to end it after 5 years was a creative decision.

As for Jump the shark, I love the site, I really do but it is just like any other opinion site, which is to say an opinion site.
1. The fact that a show has been deemed to Jump the shark on that site, and the fact that the show continued after the shark jump is really not all that impressive. Jumping the shark means that a show has lost what it had that ade it great, and is now closer to self parity than its former greatness.
2. I’m not sure when the site started, but does anyone want to bet that a number of people that voted “Never jumped” for the Simpsons in 2000 might have a different viewpoint now?

So, JTS is just as subjective as anyone elses opinion, it is not gospel, some of the stuff I agree with, and some I don’t.

But, I am however thankful that Fonzy jumped the shark, because I love reading the different thoughts on some of my favorite shows, and he was the inspiration for the JTS craze.

Chris:L · 08-11-2004, 03:46 PM

Quote:

I hope this was meant as a joke because I had a good laugh at it, there is no chance of that happening, and yes I would wager on it. The funniest thing in this thread.

.... hey, Casey, I'm dead serious about the Brady Bunch's profits outselling that of The Simpsons.

Dan Rudolph · 08-11-2004, 04:13 PM

Don't they have to pay royalties on The Brady Bunch, or is that just merchandice?

Joe Karlosi · 08-11-2004, 05:22 PM

George,

I appreciate you coming back to discuss THE ODD COUPLE (though, in all fairness, we HAVE gone too far off topic!) Yes, perhaps "millions" was a knee-jerk way to describe what I meant. More accurate is that just about everyone I have ever talked to who is a fan of the Odd Couple as a "theme", has always preferred the TV show. In fact, this thread is the first time I've ever heard otherwise.

You said you couldn't let my comment pass, but you may have noticed that I didn't allow one of yours to squeak by without my commenting on it either. Here is a re-post if you missed it:

Quote:

Sorry Carlos, but the opinions of some IMBD users hardly qualifies as "many critics, if not most". Yes, it's all opinion as to how good or funny the movie or the tv show is. But your statement that "many critics, if not most" have a certain opinion is either true or false. Who are some of the critics who feel this way? Ebert? Maltin? Travers? Sarris? Schickel? Rosenbaum? Kael? Who?

And no, I don't think gazzo-2, raysond, tara retro, counterrevolutionary, lvpokerfitz, peacham, oftenwrong, coverme6, jprice-4, dymchrch, op prime, and Robert D. Ruplenas, or other imdb users qualify as bona-fide 'critics' in the way you were implying in your original statement.

And if what you meant by 'critics' was anyone with an opinion, then again, I hardly think a few IMDB users qualify as a sufficient sample to make accurate inferences about all people with an opinion about this.

I do. Comedy is totally subjective, and paid critics haven't cornered the market on deciding what's funnier (the movie or the series). If anything, they don't know what they're talking about a lot of the time (ODD COUPLE II is quite funny, IMO).

george kaplan · 08-11-2004, 05:29 PM

Well Joe, let me end this by agreeing with you about something.

ODD COUPLE II is quite funny, IMO

I agree with you completely about that.

Chris:L · 08-11-2004, 08:15 PM

Odd Couple II is funnier than The Odd Couple.

I don't know how Neil Simon does it, but I love it.

Chris:L · 08-12-2004, 02:01 AM

Is there a reason Paramount never approached anyone related to Happy Days about the first season. Do you think Ron knows? How about Henry... do you think he knows?

I find it terribly insulting that they didn't think about any special features... bloopers... script discussions... Behind the Scenes feature... you know what I mean?

Dave Farley · 08-12-2004, 03:56 AM

Paramount might want to see how it sells first before investing a lot of money in it. They know the hardcore fans will buy it as long as it is uncut, even if it is barebones. Extras won't likely sway the more casual, mainstream buyer, and since it is a 1970's show, albeit a popular one, they are probably using the first release to gauge its popularity before making a larger investment of time and money.

I expect that Season One through Ron Howard's last season will sell well, with the first 2-4 seasons doing the best, but maybe Paramount has their doubts. Or they could just be trying to maximize profits by going barebones.

Personally, I'm disappointed in the lack of extras, but I'll still be buying it.

Joe Karlosi · 08-12-2004, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Odd Couple II is funnier than The Odd Couple.

I don't know how Neil Simon does it, but I love it.

I'm glad that at least you and I agree on the merits of ODD COUPLE II, Chris!

Joe Karlosi · 08-12-2004, 06:22 AM

Quote:

ODD COUPLE II is quite funny, IMO
I agree with you completely about that.

Bravo, George!

Here's a good example why critics cannot always set the rule by which a movie is judged. OC2 almost always gets slammed. I believe the Maltin book called it "a shame" or something (!?) Far, far from it.