Best 'Happy Days' episodes
Few sitcoms in American television history are as influential and revered as "Happy Days," which follows the day-to-day drama of the Cunninghams, an average middle-class family in Milwaukee. The show aired from 1974 to 1984, with most episodes following the second Cunningham son, Richie (Ron Howard), as he hung out with his friends Potsie, Ralph, and most notably, the motorcycle-riding mechanic Fonzie (Henry Winkler), who quickly became the fan favorite of the show.
Set in the 1950s and '60s, "Happy Days" is partly a love letter to that era; its early seasons were especially committed to depicting the aesthetic of the time in fashion, music, and settings. The sitcom often gets compared to the 1973 George Lucas film "American Graffiti" (also starring Howard), whose popularity led the network ABC to develop the series by Garry Marshall.
"Happy Days" launched the iconic character of Fonzie into the public consciousness and simultaneously cemented the career of Winkler. It also allowed Howard to grow into the acclaimed director he is today, with films like "Apollo 13" and "The Da Vinci Code" under his belt. "Happy Days" is also credited for introducing American audiences to the comedic talents of Robin Williams, thanks to his performance in an episode as the alien Mork from Ork. The show's endearing characters and storylines inspired several spin-offs and plenty of real-world homages, from Milwaukee's Bronze Fonz statue to an official cookbook that came out in April 2024, in honor of its 50th anniversary.
"Happy Days" is a vital piece of American pop culture and the perfect show to binge when you are feeling nostalgic. Stacker gathered data on every "Happy Days" episode and ranked the top 25 by IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by votes.
Read on to see if your favorite "Happy Days" episode(s) made the cut.
#25. Who's Sorry Now? (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
When Richie's failed love interest, Arlene Nestrock, comes back into town, he pulls out all the stops to win her back—though once he succeeds, Richie realizes he might not be ready for a serious relationship. This episode marks the return of actor Tannis G. Montgomery as Arlene from the 1972 "Love, American Style" episode "Love and the Happy Days," which is considered the pilot for "Happy Days." "Who's Sorry Now?" also utilizes footage from it as flashbacks.
#24. Open House (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
With his parents out of town, Richie has his friends come over for a poker night. But things spiral out of control when Fonzie has to repair a car that breaks down, and its occupants—three college-age women competing in a beauty pageant—spend the night at the Cunningham house. Colleen Camp, Joan Prather, and Cindy Cassell guest-star as the stranded travelers in this episode, which includes a reference to the 1956 film "Tea and Sympathy," notable for an older woman falling for a younger man.
#23. Wish Upon a Star (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
Richie sees his wildest dreams come true when he wins a date with the Hollywood actor Cindy Shea at a school raffle, though this doesn't sit well with his girlfriend. Relative newcomer Cheryl Ladd stars as Cindy and would go on to become a household name a few years later with her starring roles in the hit series "Charlie's Angels."
#22. Not with My Sister, You Don't (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
Joanie Cunningham is invited on her very first date, but when her family discovers it is with Fonzie's nephew, Spike, they panic. This episode marks the first appearance of Raymond "Spike" Fonzarelli (Danny Butch), who returns in future seasons.
#21. Richie's Car (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
Richie's dad, Howard, decides to help Richie buy a car, but Richie makes the error of purchasing one from Fonzie. When Richie takes the flashy red hot rod out on a date with Gloria, he realizes the Fonz sold him a stolen car. Fans have noticed that this episode contains a timeline mistake, as the episode opens with Gloria saying it's their first date, though the prior shows them on a different date.
#20. Fonzie's Hero (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8
In a high-stakes twist, Fonzie is rescued from a burning garage by Richie's friend Potsie Weber. In return for saving his life, Potsie wants Fonzie to be his best friend and do everything together. This pushes the leather-clad rebel to the brink of his sanity. A particularly noteworthy scene has the unlikely duo going to a roller-skating rink, where Fonzie is made fun of by two girls. Fun fact: One of the girls is played by the daughter of actor Tom Bosley, who plays Howard!
#19. A Mind of His Own (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8
In this episode, Fonzie finds himself addicted to street fighting. After multiple fights in one week, Howard suggests he visit a psychologist with a rather peculiar remedy for his aggressive behavior: building birdhouses. This episode introduces actor and writer Bill Idelson—credited for penning a few "Happy Days" episodes—as Fonzie's doctor, who may or may not just be a massive fan of birds.
#18. A Shot in the Dark (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 8
Richie's basketball career as a benchwarmer turns on its head when he makes a lucky shot and wins the game. Unfortunately, his newfound stardom makes him the target of a rival team. Lured by a pretty girl covertly working for the team, Richie is kidnapped to prevent him from playing. Richie is only saved by the arrival of the Fonz.
#17. A Sight for Sore Eyes (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8
When Fonzie's frequent headaches lead to a prescription for reading glasses, he's horrified by their nerdy look and refuses to wear them. The glasses are prescribed by Richie's friend Ralph's father, Dr. Mickey Malph (Jack Dodson in his series debut).
#16. Get a Job (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
Bored and broke, Richie, Ralph, and Potsie decide to do some cheap labor to earn a little summer cash. They get hired to fix the fence of attractive divorcee Dorothy, who prepares a nice dinner for Richie after Potsie and Ralph leave, during which the two share a kiss. Dorothy is played by guest star Leslie Charleson, who is decked out in bell bottoms and a knotted blouse in a style much more emblematic of the 1970s than the '50s, in which the show is set.
#15. Fish and the Fins (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
One of Richie's former summer camp friends is a member of the popular band Johnny Fish and the Fins, but none of Richie's current friends believe him. When the band schedules a concert in Milwaukee, Richie's forced to secure tickets for everyone—otherwise, his reputation is on the line. The retro band Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids played Johnny Fish and the Fins and performed the song "Young Blood" in the episode.
#14. Hard Cover (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
Now in college, Richie is concerned with his failing love life and takes advice from Fonzie to hit up the library for smart girls. There, Richie meets Lori Beth, whose dorm they go back to; Richie loses track of time and learns the doors to the women's dorm lock at 10 p.m. and that no men are allowed. Lori Beth (Lynda Goodfriend) is the woman Richie will eventually marry.
#13. They Call It Potsie Love (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
When Potsie sings the song "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," he looks deeply into the eyes of young Joanie, who, in turn, falls deeply in love with him. She goes to Fonzie for dating advice, and under his tutelage, Joanie starts writing "secret admirer" notes to Potsie. He later agrees to a meeting with his admirer at Arnold's Drive-In. This is one of the earliest episodes of "Happy Days" to predominantly feature Joanie instead of Richie.
#12. Richie Almost Dies (1978)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
A somber turn from the usual lighthearted tone of "Happy Days," Richie and Lori Beth get into a bad crash after Richie buys a motorcycle from Fonzie. While Lori Beth sustains little injuries, Richie is comatose in the hospital, leading to a heartbreaking scene where Fonzie prays to God to save his best friend's life. In fact, this is the only episode in the series where Fonzie is seen crying.
#11. The Motorcycle (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
Significantly less serious than the previous motorcycle-related episode, in this one, Fonzie's beloved motorcycle is totaled by an unknown culprit, causing him to go on a quest for vengeance. To calm Fonzie, the Cunninghams attempt to keep him distracted and eventually tie him to a chair. It's revealed that it was none other than Ralph who ruined the bike, and he goes out of his way to make it back up to Fonzie.
#10. The Cunningham Caper (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
In a plot almost akin to the 1990 film "Home Alone," Richie is stuck at home with the flu and is surprised to find a burglar in his living room. When Potsie and Ralph stop by, Potsie misreads "help" written on the door as "helf," and all three get locked inside the bathroom by the thief until a pizza-bearing Fonzie saves them. This episode guest-stars Herb Edelman as the burglar.
#9. A Place of His Own (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
Richie is frustrated with his, Potsie, and Ralph's dates all having to share the same car, so he concocts a scheme to use Fonzie's apartment for his date with Cindy, an art student. This works well until her father tracks her down in the middle of the night. The father was played by Conrad Janis, who went on to star in a similar role in the spinoff series "Mork & Mindy."
#8. Haunted (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
This Halloween special largely centers on Richie's journey from being a skeptic of the paranormal to a believer. Ralph's annual Halloween party is held at the haunted Simpson house, where, after a few strange events, Richie is shocked to see a headless ghost in the closet. His newfound belief disrupts the party, but the excellent spooky atmosphere created by the episode stays intact.
#7. The Physical (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
The title of this episode refers to the physical men undergo when they receive their draft cards and follows Richie, Ralph, and Potsie as they arrive at the Army recruitment center. When Fonzie decides to show up, however, his personality seems to push the sergeant there to his limits, all the while wooing a lieutenant nurse played by Linda Kaye Henning.
#6. They Shoot Fonzies, Don't They? (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
Despite the title, this is a particularly heartwarming episode following a downtrodden Joanie as she doesn't make the cheerleading team due to the influence of her nemesis, Jill. An upcoming dance marathon gives her a chance for revenge, and Fonzie steps up to the plate as her dance partner—except he gets involved in a motorcycle accident just before the dance. Pushing through his pain and hiding the truth from Joanie, they secure the win, and Joanie gets to join the cheerleading squad.
#5. Dance Contest (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
Much like the previous entry, "Dance Contest" showcases Fonzie's dance skills—but instead of teaming up with Joanie, it's her mother, Marion, who needs a dance partner for an upcoming competition. Rejected by her family, she asks the Fonz instead, and the duo begins practicing secretly. Howard grows suspicious that Marion might be cheating on him and wants to hunt down the other man and is understandably startled to discover it's Fonzie.
#4. Richie Fights Back (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8.4
An evening at Arnold's Drive-In between Richie and his girlfriend turns sour when Richie's bullies, a pair of lowlifes named Frankie and Rocko, humiliate him. On Fonzie's advice, Richie decides to learn how to fight back, hence the title, and starts to take jiujitsu classes. This "Happy Days" episode made TV Guide's 1997 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time list.
#3. A Date with Fonzie (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8.4
After he and his longtime girlfriend break up, Richie finds himself in another dating slump. After turning to Fonzie for help, Fonzie calls two women in his little black book, Laverne and Shirley, who are not quite as wholesome as Richie was hoping for. The characters Laverne and Shirley became so popular that a spinoff show of their escapades aired from 1976 to 1983.
#2. My Favorite Orkan (1978)
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
At a certain point, the plots of "Happy Days" episodes began to slightly derail from the grounded realism of before. "My Favorite Orkan" is a prime example of this, as Richie meets Mork from Ork, an alien dressed in a red jumpsuit. After befriending Richie, Mork aims to kidnap him and take him back to his home planet. Mork was famously played by Robin Williams, whose performance was so endearing that it inspired the spinoff show "Mork & Mindy," which debuted in 1978.
#1. Guess Who's Coming to Christmas (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8
This heartfelt Christmas special focuses on the annual Cunningham family holiday celebration. Howard is staunch in his stance that only family be allowed at their dinner, but Richie wants Fonzie to attend after discovering he'll be alone on Christmas Day. This is one of the most sentimental "Happy Days" episodes, showing the genuine love between Richie and Fonzie.
Data reporting by Lucas Hicks. Story editing by Teena Apeles. Copy editing by Paris Close.
