When Squiggy has to take his written Driving Exam to keep his job as a driver at Shotz, it's up to Laverne & Shirley to try and help the poor dope bone up on his vehicular knowledge! Boo Boo Kitty gets run over, Frank and Carmine try to offer favors, and Squiggy himself nearly gets bowled over. On pod, Lisa talks up the character development and writing detail, while Chris discusses the filming techniques a little bit.
Laverne & Shirley meet a couple of med students during a "word on the street "interview, leading them to get a date over in Oshkosh. However, it turns out the guys have rather sleazy intentions for them. When the girls refuse, the med students ditch them at the bus stop, leaving them to wait the night in the station. Will they make it home or will the horrors of public transportation consume them?! On pod, Lisa talks the episode's handling of Shirley's dreaming and Chris ponders whether the ...
When Laverne chips her tooth, Shirley offers the help of her brother, who needs a patient for his latest attempt at passing his Dentistry final. But Laverne's fears and Mikey Feeney's ineptitude lead to hijinks aplenty. A classic episode of physical comedy! On pod, we discuss whether this episode's renown scenes help it stand the test of time.
It's that time again (again?!) for a talent show! But this time, Laverne and Shirley themselves are tasked with producing it, so that they can find a spot for Max Shotz Jr., son of the Big Shotz. When it turns out Max is a talentless drip, the girls must find a way. Meanwhile, the boys give the podcast a name and Eddie flexes those gams! On pod, Lisa delights in the showmanship and trivia while Chris does his best to match McKean's baritone.
When Edna's developmentally delayed daughter Amy comes to visit, Laverne & Shirley try to help her come out of her shell about music, dancing, and boys. To the latter end, Lenny ends up hitting it off with her and Amy takes a real shine to him. But will Edna's fears about her daughter overwhelm her child's blossoming agency? On pod, we discuss the handling of the topic, the expectations put upon the Lenny character, and Carmine's "interesting" use of Danny Boy.
Shirley finds out a horse she visited in childhood is at risk of getting sent to the glue factory, so she whisks precious Buttercup to the apartment in the middle of Milwaukie. Despite the smell and the risks, everyone tries to help save Buttercup. But will the health inspector find out and fine the heck out of Edna?! On pod, Lisa talks the animal rights focus of Shirley and the cuteness of the episode. Meanwhile, Chris chuckles over the adorable comedy on display!
Laverne follows a cute guy she sees on the bus, only to discover he works at a mortuary. Instead of being direct about asking the guy out, she makes up a story that Shirley's dying so she can spend more time with him. Indebted from a prior dating situation, Shirley goes along with the ruse. But will Laverne be found out? Also, Lenny & Squiggy misinterpret the situation as real, thinking Shirley's doomed to an early grave. On pod, Lisa talks the morbidity of the episode while Chris appreciate...
It's the end of a decade and Laverne is looking for a date for New Year's Eve. With her longtime crush Pete Lucardo suddenly back on the market after a bad breakup, she takes her shot and invites him to Shirley's New Year's party. But Pete still longs for his ex...! Will the swingin' `60s start on a high note or will Laverne drown herself in Milk and Pepsi™? On pod, Chris and Lisa discuss the naturalism of the episode and how the show uses episodes like these to emphasize the characters' relatio...
After being laid off from the brewery, the girls decide to get into the Florist Business. But after striking out selling plants to their fellow tenants, Laverne and Shirley head to another apartment building to try and make a sale. Between prostitutes, domestic disputes, and getting lost in translation, it's a vignette sketch-comedy vibe for this one! On pod, things get a little goofy as Chris and Lisa get distracted by a familiar face in the cameos and Laverne's shorts.
In the middle of rehearsing her production of Alice in Wonderland, Shirley collapses! Rushed by her friends and family (all still in costume), it turns out to be appendicitis. Fearful of the surgery going wrong, Shirley hides in the hospital, leading Laverne, Lenny, and Squiggy to give chase. Will she have her appendix out before it bursts?! On pod, Chris and Lisa both analyze the episode's careful tonal balance between goofy and poignant. Link to referenced interview with Alan Rafkin: http://ww...
Another bubble episode of Laverne & Shirley, as the girls' apartment gets used by the FBI for a stakeout of a suspect living across the street. But when it turns out Carmine may be involved in the crime, Shirley tries to warn him with Laverne's trampy assistance. On pod, Chris wishes the episode would go full grindhouse at the end while Lisa wonders why Carmine is on his high horse.
Laverne and Shirley made waves with this episode where the girls sneak into popstar Fabian's hotel room to try and get a photo with him. It ends up leading to maid outfits and hanging off a ledge of the building, before meeting 70s Fabian playing 1959 Fabian. On pod, Lisa talks being a second-generation fangirl and Chris admires the spritely energy of the episode.
Laverne & Shirley have made it to their Cruise vacation, but Lenny & Squiggy have hopped on as stowaways! Will they help them stay on board or will Shirley's new romance with Ensign Benson win her over? On pod, Lisa & Chris discuss the depths of Shirley's persona on display and the clear dichotomy between the girls this episode.
The show's first two-parter begins with Laverne & Shirley taking on jobs at a shoe store for quick cash to pay for a cruise. Hijinks ensue, the boys look for money in pizzas, and feelings are had. On pod, Chris analyzes the more complicated camera/editing work and Lisa reflects on the "did this need to be two episodes?" question.
Worried his daughter won't find her Mr. Right, Frank sets Laverne up with the son of a mozzarella magnate. Unhappy with the decision for multiple reasons, Laverne tries to figure a way out of it while Shirley tries to get father and daughter to talk out their issues. Meanwhile, Lenny and Squiggy believe that Frank's hired an assassin to go after them. On pod, Lisa and Chris discuss the evolution of Phil Foster & Penny Marshall's acting together and delight over the goofy details as usual....
Did you know the war against the machines begins in a toy store? When Laverne and Shirley try to buy a toy for Shirley's twin nieces, Laverne is attacked by a malfunctioning toy robot. It leads to an ambulance chaser convincing them to sue for damages, but when Laverne's injuries heal up unexpectedly, will she lie to get the money anyway? On pod, Chris and Lisa turn into total film nerd goofballs, as the episode's zaniness brings out the weird in them. Join us for a madcap recap!
A wild Bart appears! It's evolving into a total jerk! Shirley warms up to the advances of a smooth pick-up artist, only for the weasel to try dating Laverne on the side! This terrible test of the girls' friendship leads to an all-out verbal brawl of epic proportions! On pod, Chris and Lisa swear a ton in Bart's direction and nerd out over Rafkin's directing style.
The whole gang throws a fundraiser for a local orphanage, including a tag-team wrestling showdown. But a chain reaction of terrible events lead to Shirley having to jump in the ring with Laverne, with them going toe-to-terrifying-toe with the banana-faced Marvelettes! On pod, we're joined by VERY SPECIAL GUEST Ashley J. Leckwold of Rangersplain and avid wrestling fan. She joins Lisa and Chris, to geek out about wrestling, about how the show uses wrestling, and her first real Laverne & Shirle...
Laverne & Shirley Season 3 begins with a fun little episode with some dangerous hijinks! The girls take a quick plane hop for a Packers game, but the pilot gets knocked unconscious, forcing them to try and pull a Ted Striker. But will anyone believe their wild tale of heroics?! On pod, Lisa talks the addition of Alan Rafkin Jr. who will go on to direct almost all of season 3 and Chris criticizes Lenny & Squiggy's snowball strategy.
A big-shot ends up seeing Laverne and Shirley sing a song to their beloved landlady & friend Edna, causing said big-shot Charles Pfister Krane to want to bring them to the Big Time! On pod, Lisa does a deep-dive into the Laverne & Shirley Sing album that this episode was made to promote and Chris grins a lot about Charles Krane being such a pastiche and caricature.
Laverne tells the story when she and Shirley had a terrible argument during tense union negotiations with the management at Shotz Brewery. After Shirley sells out to The Man, it sets off her perfectionism and has her criticizing every employee beneath her, including Laverne. Can the conflict be resolved without resorting to fisticuffs?! On pod, Lisa highlights the character dynamics and wraparound nature of the episode, while Chris groans loudly about Shirley's parental issues coming up in devio...
Laverne is horrified that not only has her father come back from a bowling convention with a new girlfriend, Veronica. In a matter of days, Frank's new fling is shaking up Laverne's life and making her friends' lives miserable! Believing she has to rescue Pop (and everyone else) from certain doom, Laverne and Shirley get their friends to set up a ploy to scare Frank's new flame away. On pod, Chris finally likes Carmine for noir reasons and Lisa adds some trivia about Married With Children to the...
After Lenny & Squiggy get stood up for a classy date, Laverne & Shirley take pity on the pair and go out with them (promising each other they'll never tell a living soul.). What follows is snobs, napkins for hats, French cuisine, and lobster emancipation. Will they have a good time? Find out! On pod, Lisa praises the details from art direction to characterizations to the script, while Chris gets pedantic about Godzilla movies.
Laverne helps Shirley win a contest for a honeymoon vacation at the prestigious Pfister Hotel, but realizing that Shirley has to be "married" to claim the prize, Edna and Carmine help the girls set up a ruse to have Carmine. The girls spend the vacation dodging cameras and making new acquaintances. On pod, Lisa adores the way the episode entertains while giving the girls what they want and Chris is over the moon for the heart and spirit (and Geoffrey Lewis).
When Shirley's sailor father Jack Feeney visits, he's charming her friends, taking money he never pays back, and then disappears from the dinner date he has with her. After a pep-talk from Squiggy, Shirl's off to track her dad down, leading to a barroom brawl that Carmine and Laverne have to rescue her from. Will Shirley get the attention she seeks from Jack by the time the dust settles? On pod, Chris talks the rather well-crafted (but underutilized) psychology while Lisa gives further context a...
Chaos ensues when Laverne and Shirley attempt to prepare for a date with a couple of cute guys, while outside a raging fire threatens the neighborhood. As Lenny, Squiggy, Edna, Frank, Carmine, and various other characters burst in and out of their apartment, the girls do their best to look presentable while dreaming big. On pod, Chris goes crazy for the expert comedic timing and Lisa adores the distillation of the show's best qualities on display.
This week, we say our heartfelt farewells to David "Squiggy" Lander after his passing, and give focus to his career as an actor and absolute talent. Then, we go into "Call Me A Taxi." After being laid off, the girls take jobs as Taxi Dancers to make ends meet. Dealing with a cavalcade of creeps, they end up running into Lenny & Squiggy disguised as colorful characters. But will they be able to survive the night? On pod, Lisa admires the physical comedy and the character dynamics, while Chris...
When Laverne & Shirley are given by Edna an invitation to an upscale party, they find themselves in need of a quick $20 for the cover charge. They charm Lenny and Squiggy into helping them get spots as guinea pigs for science experiments. With Shirley having to eat nothing but "experimental" food for 48 hours and Laverne going prolonged periods without sleep, will they be able to enjoy the party at all?! On pod, Chris and Lisa can't stop talking love for the guest characters and the classic ...
When Laverne & Shirley decide to play hooky from work, hijinks ensue involving 3D movies, a rambunctious child, and two vice cops who mistake them for... well... On pod, Lisa and Chris talk about PlutoTV's new Happy Days channel (featuring Laverne & Shirley!), then admire the goofy naughty nature of the episode.
We cover the one and only "clipshow" for Laverne and Shirley, where the girls are stuck trying to get home after winning a Bowling championship and their friends and loved ones reminisce about previous hijinks and moments. On pod, Chris and Lisa discuss the syndication history for the show, along with how the wrap-around segments get to showcase rarely seen character dynamics.
