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.
And fans continue to show up to celebrate the series. On Feb. 7, 2025, Howard reunited with his "Happy Days" co-stars Anson Williams and Don Most — Potsie and Ralph Malph themselves — for a panel discussion at MegaCon Orlando. Howard told the audience that watching the show again for the first time in years "was the greatest feeling," as he was able to understand its enduring appeal. "I know why the show was a hit," he said. "It was good. And we were good."
Whether you've been watching the series all your life or are just discovering it decades after it ended, "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 20 by IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by votes.
Read on to see if your favorite "Happy Days" episode(s) made the cut.
#20. A Shot in the Dark (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
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.
#19. A Mind of His Own (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
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. Three on a Porch (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
In this memorable comedy of errors episode, Richie, Potsie, and Ralph rent a cabin at Lake Whitefish for the Easter holiday. Once they arrive, however, they realize they only rented the porch — hence the episode title. Instead of leaving, they decide to try impressing the attractive ladies in the cabin next door by posing as rich Tunisian businessmen.
#17. 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.
#16. The Other Richie Cunningham (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
Howard is trying to close a deal with an important client, so he tells Richie to take out the client's daughter, Winnie, on a date. Because Richie has another date planned, he asks Potsie to take his place — which ends up causing some serious confusion after Winnie complains that "Richie Cunningham" got fresh with her.
#15. They Call It Potsie Love (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
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.
#14. Richie Almost Dies (1978)
- IMDb user rating: 8
In this harrowing episode that lives up to its title, Richie buys a motorcycle for Fonzie so he can take out Lori Beth. He ends up getting in an accident that leaves him comatose in a hospital bed. In the episode's most memorable scene, Fonzie refers to Richie as his best friend and prays to God for his recovery, then breaks down sobbing. This is the only episode where Fonzie cries, a deliberate decision made by Garry Marshall to add nuance to the character, helping make "Richie Almost Dies" the series' most emotional installment.
#13. The Motorcycle (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
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.
#12. 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.
#11. Get a Job (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
Richie, Potsie, and Ralph are in need of work when a beautiful young divorcee named Dorothy Kimber offers them $2 an hour to fix her fence. Once Richie is left to finish the job for himself, Mrs. Kimber invites him to dinner, and the two end up sharing a tender moment. In the end, she tells him that she wishes he were 10 years older. Leslie Charleson, who played Mrs. Kimber, went on to star as Monica Quartermaine on "General Hospital" for almost 50 years.
#10. The Cunningham Caper (1975)
- IMDb user rating: 8
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. The Physical (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
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.
#8. A Place of His Own (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
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."
#7. Haunted (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
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.
#6. They Shoot Fonzies, Don't They? (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
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: 8.2
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: 8.3
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: 8.7
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. Additional writing by Louis Peitzman. Story editing by Teena Apeles. Copy editing by Paris Close.
