This is a list of episodes from the eighth season of Happy Days.

Happy Days
Season 8
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseNovember 11, 1980 (1980-11-11) –
May 26, 1981 (1981-05-26)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 7
Next →
Season 9
List of episodes

Main cast

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Guest stars

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Broadcast history

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The season aired Tuesdays at 8:00-8:30 pm (EST).[1][2]

Episodes

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1681"No Tell Motel"Jerry ParisLesa Kite & Cindy BegelNovember 11, 1980 (1980-11-11)

Joanie and Chachi sneak off without permission to a Beach Boys concert in Chicago, but they get in over their heads when Chachi's car breaks down and they get stuck in a motel together.

Notes: This was the first appearance of Jenny Piccalo
1692"Live and Learn"Jerry ParisFred Fox, Jr.November 18, 1980 (1980-11-18)

Fonzie becomes a shop teacher at Jefferson High School and has to adjust to being an authority figure. He also experiments with growing a beard.

Notes: Although out of order, this was actually the first episode produced for the season, establishing Henry Winkler (Fonzie) as the sole star with the departure of Ron Howard (Richie). Also, this episode also marks the first appearances of Denis Mandel as Eugene Belvin and Harris Kal as Bobby.
1703"Dreams Can Come True"Jerry ParisRia NepusNovember 25, 1980 (1980-11-25)
Marion becomes a contestant on a game show in order to help Lori Beth win a trip to Greenland to marry Richie. Guest starring Lyle Waggoner.
1714"Hello, Roger"Jerry ParisWilliam Bickley & Michael WarrenDecember 2, 1980 (1980-12-02)

Richie's cousin Roger Phillips moves in and takes a teaching job at Jefferson High School alongside Fonzie.

Note: First appearance of Ted McGinley as Roger Phillips, Marion's nephew.
1725"Joanie Gets Wheels"Jerry ParisDave Ketchum & Tony Di MarcoDecember 9, 1980 (1980-12-09)

Tired of being a pedestrian on dates, Joanie disobeys Howard and buys a car of her own, only to find out that hiding a car is too difficult to handle.

Side note: When Howard and Marion go to see the film The Music Man, Marion claims the little red-haired boy in the movie poster reminds her of Richie. This was an inside joke, since as an 8-year-old, Ron Howard starred in the movie, and is actually the boy on the poster.
1736"White Christmas"Jerry ParisHolly White & Stephanie GarmanDecember 16, 1980 (1980-12-16)
It's Christmas Eve, and a bickering Howard and Joanie are snowed in at the hardware store; as are Fonzie, Roger, Potsie, Chachi, and Jenny at Arnold's. In the end, however, everyone makes it back to the Cunninghams' and is delighted to hear from Richie.
1747"And the Winner Is..."Jerry ParisBosco McGowanDecember 30, 1980 (1980-12-30)

Fonzie and another teacher compete for "Teacher of the Year."

Note: First appearance of Kevin Sullivan as Tommy.

Absent: Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth.
1758"If You Only Knew Rosa"Jerry ParisRia NepusJanuary 6, 1981 (1981-01-06)

After twenty years, Al reunites with his great lost love.

Absent: Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham; Anson Williams as Potsie Weber.
1769"The Sixth Sense"Jerry ParisFred Fox, Jr.January 13, 1981 (1981-01-13)
When Fonzie wrecks his motorcycle; Joanie, Chachi, and Jenny steal Fonzie's money to buy him a new one for his birthday.
17710"It Only Hurts When I Smile"Jerry ParisBarry RubinowitzJanuary 27, 1981 (1981-01-27)
Fonzie has a toothache but refuses to go to the dentist.
17811"Welcome to My Nightmare"
"Horror Show"
Jerry ParisMark RothmanFebruary 3, 1981 (1981-02-03)

After a day of granting favors for his friends, an exhausted Fonzie falls asleep watching a horror movie and dreams that a mad scientist (Dick Gautier) has stolen his cool.

Absent: Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth.
17912"Broadway It's Not"
"Chachi Sings, A Star is Born"
Jerry ParisJames P. Dunne & Barry O'BrienFebruary 10, 1981 (1981-02-10)

Chachi flies into a jealous rage when he sees Joanie kissing her co-star in the school play, leading to a falling out between them.

Guest Star: Larry Anderson.

Note: In the school play, Scott Baio and Erin Moran, in their respective roles of Chachi and Joanie, perform "You Look at Me", which later became the theme song of Joanie Loves Chachi.
18013"Bride and Gloom"
"Fonzie and Jenny Married"
Jerry ParisMel Sherer & Steve GrantFebruary 17, 1981 (1981-02-17)

Joanie asks Fonzie to be Jenny's date for a masquerade ball held on a ship, where they dress as a bride and groom. But after staging a mock wedding ceremony out at sea with the ship's captain dressed as a priest, the couple learns they may actually be married. Love-starved as always, Jenny takes advantage of the situation religiously, and moves into Fonzie's apartment and redecorates it to her liking. However, Jenny is later disappointed when proof is presented that she and Fonzie aren't married after all.

Absent: Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth.
18114"Hello, Mrs. Arcola"
"Chachi's House"
Jerry ParisWilliam Bickley & Michael WarrenFebruary 24, 1981 (1981-02-24)

Ashamed of his eccentric family and being poor, Chachi is reluctant to invite Joanie over to meet his mother. Because of this, Joanie begins to think he is ashamed of her; so Fonzie comes to the rescue: He invites the Cunninghams to get together for dinner at the Arcolas' home with Chachi's mother.

Note: Ellen Travolta as Louisa Arcola, who would reprise the role on Joanie Loves Chachi.

Absent: Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth.
18215"Fonzie Gets Shot"Jerry ParisBob HowardMarch 3, 1981 (1981-03-03)

In a Rashomon takeoff, when Fonzie is injured (shot in the buttocks) during a camping trip (presumably, by Potsie), everyone tells a different version of what happened.

Absent: Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth.
18316"Potsie on His Own"Jerry ParisHolly WhiteMarch 17, 1981 (1981-03-17)

After falling behind on rent, Potsie is forced to move back in with his parents. When he learns that Lori Beth's roommate likes men who live alone; Potsie remains in the apartment, but he doesn't reveal to Fonzie how he is earning quick cash to pay his rent.

Side note: Curiously, this is the only episode of the series that isn't Copyrighted by Paramount Pictures Corporation. The closing credits read, "Copyright 1981 by Barclay's Mercantile Industrial Finance Co." This is the company that produced the Paramount film Reds, directed by and starring Warren Beatty.
18417"Tall Story"Jerry ParisBarry RubinowitzApril 7, 1981 (1981-04-07)
Chachi vouches for an epileptic classmate to play basketball for the high school team.
18518"Scholarship"Jerry ParisMark RothmanApril 14, 1981 (1981-04-14)
Chachi is offered a sports scholarship from a Florida college, but Fonzie suspects it is not bona fide.
18619"R.C. & L.B Forever"Jerry ParisFred Fox, Jr.May 5, 1981 (1981-05-05)
Richie and Lori Beth finally get married. But because Lori Beth isn't allowed on the Army base where Richie is stationed because she and Richie aren't yet married; Richie and Lori Beth decide to get married over the telephone with Fonzie standing in as proxy for Richie.
18720"Howard's Bowling Buddy"
"Howard's Girlfriend"
Jerry ParisBob HowardMay 12, 1981 (1981-05-12)
Marion becomes jealous over Howard's new female bowling partner.
18821"Mother and Child Reunion"Jerry ParisFred Fox, Jr. & Babaloo MandelMay 19, 1981 (1981-05-19)

Fonzie takes his auto shop students on a field trip and, during a stop at a diner, he encounters a waitress (Janis Paige) whom he believes may be his long-lost mother.

Absent: Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham;
18922"American Musical"Jerry ParisJames P. Dunne & Elizabeth BradleyMay 26, 1981 (1981-05-26)
Fonzie helps Chachi study American history, illustrated by dream sequences featuring seven educational musical numbers.

References

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