Series creator Garry Marshall on the evolution of Happy Days
Imagine keeping three or four sitcom-sized plates spinning all at the same time. That's the pressure that showrunners are under if they're lucky enough to operate at the top of their field.
For some, there's even more urgency: Creators like Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy have even more concurrent series than their show biz elders.
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While they've since been eclipsed by newer, busier producers, people like Norman Lear and Garry Marshall paved the way for the modern super-producer. Both of them pinpointed some of the most popular parts of their shows and created spinoffs to further satisfy audience demand. While neither had a perfect track record, Marshall, in particular, understood how to capitalize on what viewers wanted.
Happy Days led to several spinoffs, to varying degrees of popularity. Laverne & Shirley legitimately stood on its own merits as one of the best sitcom pairings of all time and is rightly remembered for its clever writing and brilliant performances. Mork & Mindy triumphed as well, both in its initial ratings and in the successful launch of Robin Williams' career. But even when misfires like Joanie Loves Chachi threatened the reputation of his empire, Marshall never took his eye off Happy Days.
"[Happy Days] is ever-changing and moving on," Marshall told The Akron Beacon Journal in 1982. "The seven- and eight-year-olds watching us now weren't there when we started."
"They don't know about nostalgia," Marshall continued. "It's timeless for them; in about the fifth or sixth year, people no longer cared if it was set in the '50s. The audience that first came to Happy Days to see a show about the '50s is not there anymore. Today, children are born and pick up on Happy Days. Fonzie, who used to be the free spirit, now is the most traditional character on the show."
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