Customer Reviews

What's Happening!!: The Complete First Season

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What's Happening!!(1976) is such an essential addition to the other classic 1970's sitcoms that have already been released on DVD. The show was created by Eric Monte, writer of shows such as All in the Family and co-creator/writer of Good Times. It also featured executive producer Bud Yorkin, already known for his work with Norman Lear on All in the Family and Sanford & Son. What's Happening!! ran for only three seasons (1976-1979) and had 65 episodes. The show was inspired by the 1975 film, Cooley High and centered around three high school friends: Raj (Ernest Thomas), Dwayne (Haywood Nelson), and Rerun (Fred Berry) (The nickname Rerun coming from his habit of having to repeat classes). The action usually bounces between Raj's house, where he lives with his mother and annoying little sister Dee, and the burger hang out that Shirley (Shirley Hemphill) runs. The show had plenty of hilarious moments and was very well written and watching Rerun dance is always a highlight! Collected on this awesome 3 DVD set is all 21 episodes of Season 1. The tri-fold case is one of the most colorful I've seen (inside and out). Each DVD has one of the main guys on the face. There isn't much in the way of extra features except for some trailers for similar releases and the much loved "play all episodes" feature! I'm not totally interested in extra features when it comes to sets like these because I feel it's special enough that these classic shows get the season set treatment they get! This set includes the following episodes:

Disc 1:
01. The runaway
02. The birthday present
03. When daddy comes marching home
04. My three tons
05. Saturday's hero
06. The burger queen
07. Speak for yourself, Dwayne
Disc 2:
08. Shirley's date
09. The sunday father
10. Christmas
11. The maid did it
12. The incomplete shakespeare
13. The hospital stay
14. The firing squad
Disc 3:
15. The boarder
16. Dwayne's dilemma
17. The tickets
18. What's wrong with Raj?
19. Nice guys finish last
20. From here to maternity
21. Puppy love

Trivia:

*Out of the three main guys, Haywood Nelson was the only one to be of actual high school age (16) in real life. Ernest Thomas and Fred Berry were 26 & 25 respectively!

*After What's Happening!! ended in 1979, the "reruns" on TV in the 80s became so popular that a spin-off with the main cast, What's Happening Now!! (1985) was created. The show lasted for 3 seasons and like the original, centered around Raj, Dwayne, Rerun, Shirley, & Dee, only now in their adult lives. Also of note is comedian Martin Lawrence got his start on this show as a character named Maurice.

Fred "Rerun" Berry (1951-2003)
Shirley Hemphill (1947-1999)
Mabel "Mama" King (1932-1999)

Also highly recommended:
All in the Family (Seasons 1 & 2, 3 coming soon!)
Sanford & Son (Seasons 1, 2, & 3, 4 coming soon!)
The Jeffersons (Seasons 1 & 2)
Good Times (Seasons 1 & 2)

Barney Miller (Season 1)

I was thrilled to death when I learned that the first season of What's Happening!! was being released on DVD. When I was growing up, this show was a constant staple of my after-school afternoons, but I can't remember how long it's been since I got to see a single episode. Now, it's as if I was never separated from all my good friends: Raj, Rerun, Dwayne, Dee, Shirley, and Mrs. Thomas. I hope the release of this DVD will restore some of the popularity that this hilarious sit-com enjoyed and will introduce the show to a whole new generation of youngsters. I don't think I've ever laughed as hard and continually as I did re-watching these classic episodes again now, despite the fact that I've seen every episode many times in the past. Sadly, three of the stars have passed away in recent years (Mabel King - Mrs. Thomas, Shirley Hemphill - Shirley, and Fred "Rerun" Berry), but I see this DVD set as a fitting homage to some of television's greatest and most memorable characters.

What's Happening!! goes all the way back to 1976; as such, it is truly one of the pioneer television shows featuring an African-American cast; the only real agenda this show had, though, was to make people laugh and, in its own way, impart valuable lessons about growing up and life in general. This show was basically all about family - a normal family consisting of Mabel Thomas (Mabel King), a divorced mother who works hard to support her family and raise her two kids the right way, Raj (Ernest Thomas) the smart and funny teenager with talent and dreams, Dee (Danielle Spencer) the short and sassy younger sister who could hold her own if not out-do the likes of Fred Sanford and George Jefferson in the smart wise-crack department, and - as the show evolved over the course of the season, Bill Thomas, the ex-husband and father who lived nearby. But of course the extended family has to include close friends Dwayne (Haywood Nelson), Rerun (Fred Berry) and Shirley (Shirley Hemphill).

So what is happening here? Well, the gang spends a lot of time hanging out at Rob's Place, the soda shop where Shirley, the sassiest waitress you'll ever meet, works. They come up with crazy plans to get rich, make more wisecracks than you can count, and basically just hang out - they are no different from teenagers anywhere. A lot of action takes place at Raj's home, where Mama keeps everything on an even keel, coming up with solutions to the crazy problems the kids keep getting themselves into. Nothing goes on without Dee's knowledge, though; she has something to say about everything (especially Raj's mistakes and problems). Dee may be the funniest character in sit-com history. There are a lot of fat jokes on the show, most of them exchanged between Rerun and Shirley, but they are all told without a hint of malice; heck, everybody on this show gets made fun of by their friends and family, although only Dee has the art of sarcasm perfected.

There is not one bad episode among the 21 first-season episodes you'll find here. Some, however, truly stand out. You'll see plenty of Rerun's dance movies throughout the season, but My Three Tons has him winning a spot in a hot dance group called the Rockets; when the gang finds out that the Rockets plan on making fun of him as Fat Freddy, Mama comes up with a killer plan to teach those guys a lesson. Then there is The Burger Queen, wherein Dee finds herself selected as the new spokesperson for a burger joint whose food she can't stand. One of the funniest episodes is The Sunday Father; Raj may have been smart but he was not a model student; in this episode he gets expelled when he manages to pull off some of the funniest gags ever witnessed on his sourpuss history teacher. Yet another classic episode is What's Wrong With Raj? Mama and Raj try to teach Dee a lesson when they discover that she is breaking into Raj's desk and reading his journal, only to learn that pulling the wool over Dee's eyes is easier said than done.

Pure comedy aside, there are also plenty of touching moments scattered across these 21 episodes. Christmas is a great family offering, as Mama frets about spending Christmas alone while her kids are spending time with their father, but of course everything works out in the end. The Hospital Stay lets Dee truly shine. When Raj goes in for knee surgery, Dee alone stands up to the grouchy old man in the bed beside her brother; through Dee, the whole gang comes to recognize the career of a Negro League baseball star and reunite a bitter, lonely old man with his daughter before it is too late.

I could go on and on. Every episode here is a winner. If you are old enough to remember What's Happening!! you already know that it represents quality family entertainment at its best and funniest. If catchphrases such as "Hey-Hey-Hey" (not the Fat Albert version) and "Uh-Uh!!" mean nothing to you, you are missing out on a veritable buffet of comedic delights. Knowing how much this show meant to me growing up, I hate to think of kids out there today who have never had the chance to meet this show's wonderful, unforgettable characters and enjoy comedy at its wholesome best - and to see Rerun dance.

The latest DVD release of the first season of "What's Happening" is well worth the wait. The three disc set comes in an attractive package and includes a very handy insert with descriptions of all of the episodes. The quality of the DVD is good and it is just awesome to see all of those classic episodes packaged together. This is a great compilation and if you are a fan of "What's Happening" you will be pleased. This is not some shabby thrown together compilation. The appealing packaging and quality of the DVD makes this a good investment. Oh yeah, the classic opening is on the disc before each episode. Don't miss out. I will be waiting for the second season to come out too.

Unlike Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons and Good Times,What's Happening was an African American show that wasn't designed to make social issues or offend anyone(It was more or less an African American version of Happy Days).Based on the 1975 movie Cooley High,it was just a harmless show about three high school buddies hanging out, having a good time.
The trials and tribulations of three teens,Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas) the aspiring writer, Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson) the youngest of the three, and Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs (the late Fred Berry) the portly one who keeps flunking school, but possesses some smooth dance moves.The show also included Raj's single mom Mabel(The late, great Mabel King),his sacrastic sister Dee (Danielle Spencer) and Shirley (The late Shirley Hemphill) the waitress at the guys favorite hangout,Rob's Place.
Debuting as a summer replacement it was an instant hit,especially to younger viewers who were spared the social issues of other African American shows.The highlights of season one include The Runaway (Raj sneaking out to a party when he's suppose to babysit Dee), The Birthday Present (The gang tries to come up with money for a present for Mabel), My Three Tons (Rerun's dreams of joining a dance group are dashed when they only let him join to tease him about his weight),The Burger Queen (Dee stars in a TV commercial for Hamburgers she don't like),Nice Guys Finish Last (After dating a girl,Dwayne is targeted by her bully Ex boyfriend).
What's Happening lasted three seasons and 65 episodes.It was revived as What's Happening Now which also lasted for three season (Fred Berry only stayed for one season,while a little known actor named Martin Lawrence was featured in the last season).
In the end ,What's Happening will always be remembered for being a fun harmless show,and the visual of Rerun chasing after the truck in the beginning credits.

I bought the DVD on a whim while Valentine shopping for my husband. It was definitely more for me than for him. But we both love it!!! And I enjoy introducing the "gang" to my 5 year old daughter. She loves to do the "high five" with the snap and the point. She's got it down pack!!! They don't make wholesome shows like that anymore. Nowadays parents even need to screen some of the CARTOONS children watch to make sure they're "safe". I'm enjoying the shows and still laughing OUT LOUD at their antics. And although there's no "special features" on the DVD, many of the final scenes of each episode were routinely cut out in syndication. So some things are just like new for me all over again, since I was too young to remember when they were originally aired.

I can't wait to buy season 2 and 3 whenever they become available. I hope it's soon! HEY, HEY, HEY!

This has to be the greatest and most classic non-animated show ever to be on TV. I mean, let's face it TV these days is pretty pathetic with the exception of The Simpsons, King Of The Hill, and Family Guy which was unfortunately cancelled well before its time.

But What's Happening was a fantastic show with some of the greatest characters ever! It's hard not to smile just thinking about some of the greatest moments on that show.

I just hope the DVD has some good extras. I would love to see some recent interviews with the cast to see what they are up to and what has become of them since the show (except for Fred "Rerun" Barry, God rest his soul).

Either way, this classic TV show is worth having in any comedy lover's collection.

"What's Happening" was one of my favorite 70s sitcoms. It was good clean fun and not heavy on stereotypes. The show centered around three good-natured Los Angeles teenagers, nerdy bookworm Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas), shy naive Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson) and the overeating, forever flunking, dancing machine Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs (Fred Berry). Rounding out the cast were feisty waitress Shirley Wilson (Shirley Hemphill), Raj's tough, but wise and loving, mother Mabel (Mabel King) and his bratty, smart mouthed sister Dee (Danielle Spencer). All in all they were just your typical all-American teenagers, having fun, trying to score with the girls and hanging out at the soda shop. Dee made anyone who ever grew up with a little sister feel Raj's pain.

Remember the episode where Rerun joined a dance group called The Rockets (A group that Fred Berry belonged to in real-life known as the Lockers) that only wanted him so they could make fun of his weight? How about when Raj showed his mischievous side by pulling a series of pranks on his history teacher Ms Collins and getting expelled for it? Another memorable episode was where Raj shared a hospital room with a grouchy old man who turned out to be a former Negro League baseball star. I could watch these and many other, episodes all day! Fans of the series should collect all three seasons on DVD.

I remember watching "What's Happening" in the 70s/80s. However, I can't recall ever seeing it in the 90s or 00s in syndication. That's why watching this DVD was such a blast...it was like re-living moments from my childhood!

The best compliment I can give this show is that young people LOVE it. I am friends with a family that has 7 kids, and I showed them a few episodes of this show. Now, every time I speak to the kids, they say "Bring over 'What's Happening'!" and they laugh like crazy while watching it. In their words, the show is "hysterical".

This is a slice of television history that must be taken and passed among generations new and old to enjoy. What's Happening is classic humor that takes you back to the days when children could be children without all the stress and pressure that come with today's times.

You had the witty and intelligent Raj, with his nerdy style and those glasses, his outspoken and spunky sister, Dee, whose "OOH! I'ma tell Mama...U gon get it,Raj" had us all shaking our heads. Then their were his boys, Dwayne (Hey, hey, hey) and the butt of all the fat jokes, Rerun (man, that brotha could DANCE!) There will never be another like him. God rest his soul. The mother was an example of the love, strength and no nonsense attitude only a single parent can have. Mabel King was classy and added a taste of sophistication to What's Happening. God rest her soul. Shirley (Shirley Hemphill) was also a hit, with her sharp wit and that six inch fro. Her popular character definitely represented for the big sistas with her "take no mess" attitude. God rest her soul.

I was only 7 when this came out and recently purchased this DVD set to relive those memories of coming home, plopping down in front of the television and watching people that looked just like me going through trials and tribulations everyone can relate to. You could almost taste the orange sodas, burgers and shakes at the soda shop. Such innocence back then. Kids of today truly don't know what they're missing. They just don't make good-hearted shows like this anymore. I recommend getting this set and watching it with your own children.

Peace. CLB.

I was 5 years old when this tv sitcom first aired. I remember my mom and I watching it each week along with Good Times and Sanford and Son. At the time, I didn't think the show was really funny but when I purchased my own copy of the DVD recently, I literally have to put the cd on pause just to get myself together from laughing so hard. Hopefully, the last 3 seasons of the show will soon follow the first one to DVD.