By Michael Lyons
How did our favorite TV shows spend their summer vacation? Usually, we wouldn't have an answer to that, as summer is typically relegated to a line-up of reruns from the past season.
However, there have been several sitcoms through the years that not only provided a glimpse into summer for the show's popular characters but also let us see how they celebrated that most iconic summer holiday, The Fourth of July.
As we head into Independence Day weekend, here is a look back at just some of the popular shows that took time out for some patriotic programs set against The Fourth of July.
Happy Days, "Home Movies," 1981
In this episode from one of the last seasons of Happy Days (and a rare, two-part season episode at that!), Joanie (Erin Moran) makes a narrated home movie to send to her brother Richie, who is away in the army (Ron Howard had exited the show at this point).
Her movie is a look back at the summer of 1962 and all that's happened. The "big news" is that she and Chachi (Scott Baio) have broken up. This is where July 4th comes into play, as Joanie has to work at a beach concession stand on the Fourth, leaving Chachi alone to watch the fireworks, where he meets another girl...and the early '80s sitcom "drama" goes on from there.
While it may not be the most well-remembered of the Happy Days episodes, as is the case with many in the latter seasons, "Home Movies" revels in its July fourth and summer setting, filled with bar-b-ques, beaches, and plenty of innocence that reflects, not just the summer of '62 when the show takes place, but the overall, consistent tone of Happy Days itself.
Saved by the Bell, "Fourth of July," 1991
Speaking of innocence, there's this episode of Saturday morning's most popular sitcom, centering on the teens from Bayside High. Zach (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and his friends get summer jobs at the Malibu Sands Beach Club.
For July Fourth, there will be a Miss Liberty Beauty Pageant, and Zach will be one of the judges which brings up his plight. His friends Kelly (Tiffani Amber-Thiessen), Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley), and Lisa (Lark Vorhies) will be competing against Stacey (Leah Remini), daughter of the Malibu Club's owner and manager, Mr. Carosi (the voice of Lion King's Pumbaa himself, Ernie Sabella).
Like all episodes of this show, it ain't deep, but the 90s nostalgia is on full display, as are some heavy July 4th vibes, reflected mainly in the pageant. I'd vote for Jessie and her fantastic cosplay of the Statue of Liberty and Lisa for her passionate speech about how July 4th means sales at all of the stores.
The Wonder Years, "Independence Day," 1993
More of a "dramedy" than a sitcom, The Wonder Years always blended humor with emotion and drama, and this episode, set on July Fourth, is no different.
This served as the series finale and the very last show. Kevin (Fred Savage) leaves home and works at a resort, where his long-time girlfriend Winnie (Danica McKellar) is working. The two argue and break up when he sees Winnie kissing another guy.
After events lead to both of them being fired from the resort, they end up reconciling and heading back to their hometown, just in time for the Fourth of July parade.
It's here that the voice of adult Kevin, the narrator (Daniel Stern), reflects on how he realized just how important his family and friends are, during that last July Fourth in his hometown, before heading off to college.
In the final shot, as the sun fades, street lights blink on, fireworks fill the sky, and the narrator looks back on his childhood; The Wonder Years does what it always did so well, fill our hearts and minds with wonder.
Modern Family, "I Love a Parade," 2018
We've seen how hysterical and out of control so many holidays can be for the Pritchetts and the Dunphys, and the Fourth of July is no different.
Jay (Ed O'Neill) and Gloria (Sofia Vergara) are huge fans of Independence Day, which gets even better as Jay is selected as grand marshall for the town's Fourth of July parade.
Among the other stories running concurrently with this is a sub-plot about Phil (Ty Burell) training his son Luke (Nolan Gould) for the annual hot dog eating contest.
Does the parade, the contest, or anything else in the episode go as planned? It's Modern Family, so of course, it doesn't, but, as always, a very sweet message emerges.
And through it all, there's plenty of July Fourth spirit. As Jay states in the episode, "It's the perfect holiday. You get to cook outside, blow stuff up, and wear shorts. Easter should be taking notes."
And whether you elect to do one, or all of these things this Fourth of July weekend, here's hoping that one or all of these episodes help you enjoy the holiday.
Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Independence Day!
My book Drawn to Greatness: Disney's Animation Renaissance is now available on Amazon!
Enjoy more of my articles and podcasts at Words From Lyons
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