Less than a year after Ron Howard played a college-bound adolescent enjoying a final, summer-of-1962 romp with old friends in American Graffiti, he turned up as high school innocent Richie Cunningham in the memorable, ABC television network debut of Happy Days, set a few years earlier in Milwaukee. The show would last a decade and go through many changes in tone, cast, and character development, but that first season got a boost from the natural perception that it had some things in common with Graffiti: Howard, of course, but also fumbling teenage sex, drag races, drive-in food, pesky little sisters, and laconic greasers.

Happy Days: The Complete First Season is a sweet trip back to the Garry Marshall-produced sitcom's 1974 entry in primetime television, before political correctness would make stories about clean-cut boys fixated on seducing girls unthinkable, and long before older kids were defined by angst on the WB and Fox TV. At least in its first year, before Happy Days developed more of a comic-book feel and energy, the show was about Richie's all-too-human inclination to grow up too fast, to bite off more than he could chew and learn poignant lessons in the process. He was a sympathetic naif, not the charming braggart he later became, and major characters appear to have been created to provide both ballast and motivation. Among them is best friend Potsie (Anson Williams), a superficial hustler who typically incites Richie's enthusiasm for booze, reputed nymphomaniacs, and sophisticated, older girls, and fast-talking Ralph Malph (Donny Most), owner of a fantastic, yellow hot rod. More important are counterparts Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), a vaguely dangerous drop-out, and Richie's exasperated father, Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley), each of whom provides Richie the validation of an experienced male: Fonzie's raw worldliness versus Mr. C's seasoned view of a man's responsibilities. First-season highlights include the pilot episode (co-written by Rob Reiner), "All the Way," in which Richie's typical decency allows him to see past the sex-mad reputation of an amiable girl from school. Season closer "Be the First on Your Block" finds the Cunninghams' plans to build a bomb shelter turning into a popularity contest as Richie's friends vie for a guaranteed spot in the event of nuclear war. --Tom Keogh

Season 1 (1974)

16 episodes

#	Airdate	Code	Title	Overview
01	January 15, 1974	001	"All the Way"	Richie has a date arranged by Potsie, with Mary Lou Milligan, a girl known around town to have a reputation. Richie doesn't get far with her but leads Fonzie and others to believe he did. Note: This has the opening theme with the 1950s version of "Rock Around the Clock" on Superstation WGN, Nick at Nite, syndication, TV Land, and Hallmark Channel.
02	January 22, 1974	003	"The Lemon"	Richie and Potsie spend their hard earned savings on their first car to try and attract girls. But although the car looks impressive, it soon becomes apparent that it's not the most road-worthy of vehicles. This episode is similar to the The Brady Bunch episode "The Wheeler Dealer"
03	January 29, 1974	002	"Richie's Cup Runneth Over"	Potsie's cousin Arnold is returning from service in Korea, so Potsie takes Richie to a stag party being held in Arnold's honour. But the excessive alcohol consumed takes its toll on the pair. Note: The Arnold in this episode is not to be confused with the regular Arnold (Pat Morita)
04	February 5, 1974	006	"Guess Who's Coming to Visit?"	Skizzy Scarlik challenges Ralph to a drag race, but Fonzie takes Ralph's place. Potsie is staying with the Cunninghams while his parents are away, and Richie's folks think they will be busy studying - little realising that they plan to sneak out at midnight to watch the race.
05	February 12, 1974	007	"Hardware Jungle"	Richie buys tickets to a big rock 'n' roll show from Fonzie, but when Howard goes down with tonsillitis, Richie volunteers to look after the hardware store instead - except that Howard closes the store at 9pm on Saturdays, meaning that Richie will miss the show.
06	February 19, 1974	008	"The Deadly Dares"	Richie and Potsie want to become members of local gang called the Demons. But before being accepted as fully-fledged members, they must first perform the six 'Deadly Dares'.
07	February 26, 1974	005	"Fonzie Drops In"	After seeing a B+ that Potsie got on an exam, the Fonz decides to drop back in and re-enrol at high school. After re-arranging the seating plan to his satisfaction, he asks Richie to do his homework and cheat for him.
08	March 5, 1974	004	"The Skin Game"	Richie and Potsie hear from Ralph about a burlesque show where Bubbles McCall takes it all off. After obtaining fake identification cards, they sneak in - and are shocked to see Howard watching the show!
09	March 12, 1974	009	"Breaking Up is Hard to Do"	Richie and his girlfriend, Arlene, decide to split up. It's too late to secure new dates for the upcoming high school prom, so they end up going together as friends.
10	March 26, 1974	011	"Give the Band a Hand"	Richie and the boys form a band to raise money, but Potsie loses it all in a poker game
11	April 2, 1974	010	"Because She's There"	For a fancy dress party, Potsie sets Richie up on a blind date with Phyllis. But Richie finds that the girl towers over him - and everyone. Phyllis turns out to be very nice - but can Richie overcome the physical mismatch?
12	April 9, 1974	012	"In the Name of Love"	Ralph and Potsie both have crushes on Cindy Shellenberger, a pretty new girl in school. so they are taken aback when she asks Richie to help her with her studying. Richie plans to try and win her over - and is confused by her response.
13	April 16, 1974	013	"Great Expectations"	Richie meets a beatnik named Deidre at the movies and gets caught up in her type of lifestyle.
14	April 23, 1974	015	"The Best Man"	Fred, an old Afro-American army buddy of Howard's, comes to stay with the Cunninghams and asks Howard to be best man at his wedding. After Fred falls out with the wedding planner, the family suggest having the wedding at their home - only to face prejudice from their neighbors.
15	April 30, 1974	014	"Knock Around the Block"	Richie gets on the good side of the leader of local gang The Dukes when he helps out his little sister. But things change when the gang steal Potsie's bike and the friends try to get it back.
16	May 7, 1974	016	"Be the First on Your Block"	Howard decides to buy a bomb shelter, but when Richie tells his friends problems quickly arise when they assume they'll all have a spot saved in the shelter for them too.